What is Art?

(4 Credits)

This introductory class explores the nature and value of the arts through an examination of aesthetic theory, select art movements and their context and through hands-on projects that acquaint students, in an embodied fashion, with how artists make meaning. It considers art’s powers and limits, its benefits and potential dangers, the nature of artistic mediums and unpacks the mechanisms through which art communicates a particular vision. At the end of this course, students will be able to define and utilize key terms and concepts particular to the visual arts, and able to create compelling and researched arguments that synthesize theoretical, historical, iconographical and technical frameworks. They will also be able to perform in-depth analysis of artworks and visual media and create and defend their own artworks. Prerequisite: None. Fulfillment: Humanities Major Requirement Foundations/Introductory Courses (18-19 Critical Concepts Core Course/Survey Courses).