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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "AH 278"
COURSE NAME: "Twentieth Century Art"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2022
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Sarah Linford
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: TTH 1:30 PM 2:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Twentieth century art consists of well-known Modernist and Postmodernist styles and movements such as Cubism, Futurism, Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, installations and earthworks, to name a few. It also encompasses lesser-known movements such as the American urban realists, the Regionalists, Soviet Socialist Realism. But what does Modernism mean and how does it relate to the century’s dramatic modernization of daily life, social organization, commercial development, political and cultural nationalism, and two World Wars? Through an analysis of the art, artists, and critical discourses in question, the course will consider the fundamental questions: what is art’s relationship to the larger culture? What is the artist’s role in society? What do aesthetic concerns have to do with life? While these questions are always pertinent, they demand particular attention in the century largely defined by the ideology of art’s autonomy, pure creativity, and individual expression. Extensive visual analysis will be accompanied by attention to the critical discourses with which the aesthetics were defined, giving students the chance to develop an understanding of key 20th century styles but also to learn how these styles communicated historically.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

The course is structured around both the chronology and the issues crucial to understanding 20th-century art as well as its lasting impact on contemporary artistic practices and art-historical debates. While the course focuses largely on artists and “movements” from Europe and North America, attention is paid throughout to the way in which the Modernist canon and Postmodern narrations have demonstrated consistent bias. The course emphasizes the ways in which the historical avant-gardes, until the late 1960s, and Postmodern practices, through the late 1990s, have been constructed and instrumentalized in varied ways, and to different ends -- socio-political,  "aesthetic" and economic especially.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

- Recognize key works and issues in 20th-century art.

 

- Develop an understanding of the chronology and development of artistic practices in this century

 

- Develop an understanding of 20th-century art’s critical historiography and the current debates that characterize the field of Modern and Contemporary art.

 

- Reason about the contributions of artists, critics and art historians of this period.

 

- Exercise critical thinking while looking, reading, writing and speaking about 20th-century art.

 

- Identify, analyze and interpret significant aspects and issues in the history of art within different social, historical, artistic contexts.

 

- Evaluate the ways in which art has, and is, shaped by dynamic social and cultural interactions.

 

- Develop technical vocabulary appropriate to the field of art history, of visual culture and communication and, more generally, to our image-based culture.

 

- Learn to analyze works in relation to other genres and other bodies of knowledge — scientific, literary, political, philosophical, economic…

 

- Formulate and develop critical reasoning and rigorous arguments, especially in essays and presentations; find and evaluate pertinent, high-quality sources and information.

 

- Structure and effectively communicate ideas and information orally and in writing; understand how ideas and information have been, and are, conveyed visually.

 

- Develop an aptitude at visual analysis that includes the contextualization of works within different historical and theoretical paradigms.

 

- Formulate an interpretative argument and draw out observations on the cultural norms and histories that influence the production, creation and reception of the practices under discussion.

 
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
ParticipationParticipation is not just attendance. Be sure to have completed the assigned readings before each class so that you can participate in class discussions. The readings following the scheduled topic are to be read before coming to that class. This will also help you do well on the exams and assignments, and to enjoy the class even more.5
MIDTERM EXAMINATIONMidterm Examination consisting of brief definitions of terms, slide comparisons and short essays on material covered in the first half of the course.20
ORAL PRESENTATIONA 15-minute presentation of your final paper topic (with slides, full bibliography and specific research question). Powerpoint presentation must be emailed to Professor at least 24 hours before presenting. In-class oral research presentations are given week 13. See the detailed guidelines posted on our Moodle course page.25
FINAL PAPERA paper of approximately 2,000 words (excluding footnotes, bibliography and captions) on a topic suggested by the professor, or of your own choosing if and only if approved by the Professor. The paper should be carefully organized, edited and well-written. Some research is required. Your own visual analysis and finding of secondary sources for this paper is essential to the successful completion of this assignment. See the detailed guidelines posted on our Moodle course page25
FINAL EXAMINATIONThe Final examination has the same format as the Midterm examination. It is cumulative but more heavily weighted towards the second half of the course. 25

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Attendance is mandatory.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

Week 1:

1. Introduction and course presentation

2. On ‘abstraction’ and ‘historicism’ circa 1900

 

Week 2:

1. Fauvism and Expressionist tendencies before World War I

2. Cubism and its Discontents

 

Week 3:

1. Critical debates in Modernism, the historical avant-gardes and the question of teleology

2. “Construction”: the Soviet avant-gardes; Bauhaus

 

Week 4:

1. Dada versus Surrealism

2. The Return to Order

 

Week 5

1. On Art and politics; can the historical avant-gardes be “decolonized”?

2. Did New York hijack the idea of modern art?

 

Week 6 

1. Global Pop

2. Minimalism and “theatricality”

 

Week 7

Double class, Friday March 4th: 2pm-4:45pm for on-site museum lecture. Attendance is mandatory.

 

Week 8

1. Midterm examination review

2. Midterm examination

 

Week 9

1. Modernism and Postmodernism: some issues

2. Performance

 

 

Week 10

1. Beyond the object: Conceptual and Post-Conceptual 

2. Beyond the frame: Expanded field

 

Week 11

1. Participation and “relational aesthetics”

2. Post-digital affect, appropriation and postmedia

 

Week 12

1. Practices of embodiment

2. Practices of negation; “Art power” 

 

Week 13

1. “History, Theory, Practice”

2. Circa 2000

 

Week 14

1. Student presentations

2. Course review for final examination