Course Schedule and Catalog

Long Title: THE ART OF HENNA: RESPECTFULY AND TIMELESS CREATIVE EXPRESSION (MCMURTRY)

Department: College Courses

Grade Mode: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory

Language of Instruction: Taught in English

Course Type: Seminar

Credit Hours: 1

Description: """Henna is an age-old artform with roots in the Middle East and North Africa. It is used in cultures all around the world for celebration, self-expression, and even health purposes. Today, henna is everywhere, with Rihanna’s henna-inspired tattoo, the rise in TikTok fame of henna freckles, and festival goers decorating their bodies with temporary henna tattoos. What makes participating in this art form from a different culture cultural appreciation versus appropriation? How can we be mindful of this difference while creating art with henna? In this course you will learn the art of henna, from how to hold a henna cone to how to create shapes and patterns to how to put all of it together and create a design. Along the way, you will also learn the history behind the art and how it is used in different cultures through various sources including instructional videos, blog posts from henna artists, historical sources that talk about henna, and scholarly analyses of henna designs. At the end of this class, you will create their own henna design, incorporating some of the designs and shapes we use in class, and reflect on the meaning of their piece, both culturally and personally."""