Course Schedule and Catalog

Long Title: MASS CULTURE & THE AVANT-GARDE

Department: Art History

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Course Type: Seminar

Credit Hours: 3

Description: This seminar will explore the close relationship between mass culture and avant-garde art from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day. In particular, we will examine how artists have both borrowed from and reacted against mass cultural forms--from comic books to television--as a means to renew their practice. Artists to be considered include Gustave Courbet, Pablo Picasso, Kurt Schwitters, Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman and others. For each lecture, Graduate Students will be assigned additional readings. They will write an annotated bibliography of all these readings to be turned in at the end of the semester. We will meet for an additional every two or three weeks to discuss interpretive and methodological problems and ideals associated with the readings. Graduate Students will be expected to complete all the requirements of the class in addition to writing a substantial research paper due at the end of the semester. Graduate/Undergraduate Equivalency: HART 460. Mutually Exclusive: Cannot register for HART 564 if student has credit for HART 460.