Theories of Modern Art and Architecture

3 units

This course will present theories of art and architecture from the 19th to the 21st centuries in their historical contexts through a set of in-depth investigations of selected topics. Some knowledge of history and theory is integral to contemporary understandings of the disciplines of art, art history, and architecture. To foster a historical understanding of theories of modern art and architecture, we will discuss a selection of key texts, divided into three sections: theoretical sources of modern art and architectural history in the 19th century; theories of modernism, from the formalist to the Marxist; and postmodern critiques of modernism, in such areas as feminist theory and poststructuralism. Class visits to Sullivan and Adler's Wainwright Building (1890-91), Saarinen's Arch at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (completed 1964), Ando's Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts (2001), and Maki's Kemper Museum of Art (2006) will be integral to the work of the course. Prerequisite: Either L01 113 or L01 215 plus any 300-level course in art history, or permission of instructor.