1968 and Its Legacy

3 units

The events of 1968 -- including the May riots in Paris, the Tucuman Arde exhibition in Argentina, the Tlatelolco Massacre in Mexico City, and the Prague Spring (and Russian winter) in the Czech Republic, just to name a few -- ushered in a new political and social imperative for artists. This course will start with 1968 and trace its legacy to the social and cultural movements of the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s. We will seek to understand the historical underpinnings of contemporary activist art and determine the roles of socially motivated art in the current political and intellectual climate. Prerequisites: L01 113; L01 215; or permission of instructor. One 300-level course in Art History preferred.