ARTH 210 Introduction to Critical Theory in Contemporary Art
Catalog Description This course presents an introduction to critical theory and contemporary art and media. Students will critically examine images and our relationship to their truthfulness through the lens of the relatively recent reality television phenomenon, its historical precedents, and related works by modern and contemporary artists. Art is about looking, and then about thinking critically about what we see. Readings, film viewings, artworks, research and discussion on the nature of reality and truth in images will give students specific skills in making and viewing art, and will also make them more discriminating participants and consumers concerning journalism, media and culture. Students will read and discuss widely-read articles on images and culture from 20th century critical theorists. Prerequisite: ARTH 110 Art from Prehistory to the Gothic Period
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Expectations
It is expected that every student contribute genuine and focused intent to the study of art history and critical theory with energy and curiosity. Time must be put aside for reading and assignments outside of class sufficient to arrive at class ready to participate. Students are expected to be engaged with art and art history as it is presented to them and are expected to be open-minded to art modes, abstraction, new ideas and criticism. Participating in discussion is a requirement and will be graded (see ‘Grading’).
Course Goals
Our goals for the course include, as stated on the course outline: – Analyze and interpret works from Modern and Contemporary Art, including Surrealism, Dada, Pop Art, Performance Art, and Contemporary Art – Critically examine and research pop cultural imagery and discuss the determinants of its truthfulness – Compare and contrast artworks from various media including painting, video and new media – Discuss the affect of social media and reality television on our social and ethical consciousness and how Contemporary artists have expressed these ideas
Accommodations
Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course MUST provide documentation of accommodations from the RVCC office of Disability Services, C143. No accommodations will be made without this documentation.
Plagiarism
The RVCC Student Code of conduct applies to both artistic and written assignments. Instances of plagiarism will be reported to the Dean. Please review the current RVCC policy on plagiarism: http://library.raritanval.edu/faculty/plagiarism/policies.asp#currentpolicy and http://www.raritanval.edu/uploadedFiles/studentserv/conduct/Student% 20Code%20of%20Conduct2012.pdf
Academic Support
The Academic Support Center in S020 offers free, drop-in tutoring and assistance with editing papers. This attention to grammar, flow and structure can often make a full letter grade difference in papers. Fall 2013 hours are: Monday–Thursday: 9:00am-8:00pm, Friday: 9:00am3:00pm, Saturday: 10:00am-2:00pm
Email Policy
I am available to respond to emails between 9am and 9pm, Monday through Friday as long as I am not otherwise engaged in teaching or other scholarly activity.
Attendance
School policy: Students are expected to attend all classes for every course in which they are enrolled. To accommodate students’ reasonable, personal situations that might prevent them from attending classes, each student is entitled to excused absences amounting to the
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equivalent of one week’s class time in a semester. Absences in excess of this standard are handled individually by each faculty member. A student with absences amounting to one-fifth or more of the term’s lecture or laboratory classes may be recommended to withdraw from the course. Absences will impact your class participation grade (see ‘Grading’). 3 lates will equal one absence. It is entirely the student’s responsibility to keep up with work missed due to absence. If you are aware of a class you will have to miss during the semester and it cannot be avoided, you must email me or talk to me in class before the absence. If you unexpectedly miss a class, you must acquire notes and instructions from a classmate. I will not type out class discussion topics or summarize a lecture. Powerpoint lectures may be requested but they will contain images only and do not contain lecture notes. Classes will be a combination of lecture, discussion and/or viewing of media. Timeliness is imperative - class will start on time. Missed work is up to the student to make up. It is best to have the email or phone number of another student in the class so you can borrow their notes on classes you have missed. If you miss class on the day work is due, it is due at the beginning of the next class you attend. If you attend class and do not have work completed on the day it is due, it cannot be handed in late. Registration
Registration status is the responsibility of the student. If students wish to withdraw from the class, they should make sure they do so through the Registrar.
Grading A B+ B C+ C D
Excellent [90-100] Very Good [87-89] Good [80-86] Between Good and Satisfactory [77-79] Satisfactory-completed all assignments to minimum requirements [70-76] Lowest passing grade, did not complete all assignments [60-69]
Quality of Participation in Class 1/3, Papers 1/3, Journal/Quizzes and Final Exam Essay 1/3 Satisfactory achievement (a “C” grade) in the course means you have completed all assignments, papers and readings to meet requirements and participated in discussion. Excelling beyond expectations will earn you B or A grades. Quizzes may occasionally be given on reading assignments without warning if it is perceived that students are not prepared.
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Each day I will be evaluating students’ participation in discussion based on the rubric below. You will be assigned an A, B, C or D grade each day. Your average daily class discussion grade will be averaged for your overall class participation grade. Class Participation Grading Rubric Preparation
Quality of contributions
Peer interaction
Strong Work - A Arrives fully prepared with all assignments completed, with notes on reading, has expanded comprehension with internet research Comments are relevant, reflect understanding of and insights on assigned texts, takes notes during conversation Comments help move class conversation forward, respect and respond to peers’, able to disagree respectfully
Good - B Arrives prepared with assignments completed, sometimes shows lack of complete preparation, sometimes expands comprehension with internet research Comments reveal understanding but may sometimes lack full comprehension. Has difficulty with some concepts.
Needs Development - C Sometimes arrives unprepared or with only superficial preparation
Unsatisfactory - D Often arrives unprepared or with only superficial preparation
Comments sometimes irrelevant, display lack of preparation or understanding, failure to ask questions that will aid in clarification
Comments reflect little understanding of assignment
Comments often contribute but sometimes lack full involvement, respectful to peers
Comments sometimes off-topic, do not respectfully build on peers’ comments, sometimes unable to disagree respectfully
Not listening to conversation or peers’ comments, disrespectful behavior towards peers
Midterm
You will be made aware of your status in the class at the Mid-term. If you are not satisfied with your progress in the class, the midterm is an opportunity to speak to me about how to improve your grade. Students are expected to take responsibility for their grades, and arrange to meet with me outside of class if desired.
Gallery trip
You are expected to attend the class trip to Chelsea, New York to view contemporary art. If you cannot attend this trip, you are expected to discuss with me your arrangements to see contemporary art on your own.
Readings
Readings will be from the required textbooks, or will be posted in PDF form to the Course Homepage. You must have access to and know how to use the Lion’s Den Course Homepage. This will allow you to read some assignments on your mobile device. I will not print out articles for you.
Required textbooks
Themes of Contemporary Art by Robertson and McDaniel, and On Photography by Susan Sontag
Class structure
You will come to class prepared with at least three written questions you
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have developed from the reading for class discussion. I will collect these for grading intermittently. As a class, we will agree on which questions to discuss that day. You will be graded on your preparedness, the quality of your proposed questions, and what those questions show about your understanding of the material. Outline of Course Content Weeks 1-4: Looking Critically at Images Introduction to Themes of Contemporary Art, Overview of Critical Theory, readings from Themes Chap.1, Berger Ways of Seeing, selections from Benjamin Work of Art Weeks 5-6:
Identity Readings from Themes Chap. 2, Tyson Critical Theory Today, Sontag On Photography, relational aesthetics and reality TV Class trip to Chelsea art galleries in New York Draft of first paper due
Weeks 7-8:
Time Readings from Themes Chap. 4, Malpas Companion to Critical Theory, performance and live art, film and video First paper due, Midterm status
Weeks 9-11:
Memory Readings from Themes Chap. 5, Sontag On Photography, semiotics and the indexical document
Weeks 12-13:
Place Readings from Themes Chap. 6, Foucault’s Panopticon, contemporary surveillance and reality TV, public and private space, Surveillance Camera Players, Situationists Draft of final paper due
Weeks 14-15:
Student-led readings and discussions Final paper due
Final exam:
In-class essay
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