A seminar focusing on a topic in the history of art taught by a practicing curator at a Los Angeles cultural institution. Course topic(s) change annually and will include off-campus hands-on work within the context of curatorial and exhibition practices. Course may be repeated for credit.
Modern Sculpture in LA
Taught by a curator at the Huntington, this course has two goals: 1.) to broadly introduce the medium of sculpture as it has been practiced in the West for the past two centuries, and 2.) to take advantage of Los Angeles area collections and exhibitions. The course achieves the first goal through case studies, including units on: materials and techniques; Greco-Roman sculpture; neoclassical American sculpture; Rodin, Giacometti, and Noguchi Minimalism; and the Light and Space artists, and achieves the second goal by visits to local museums, including: the Huntington, LACMA, the Norton Simon, and, perhaps, commercial galleries.
Appropriating Asia: The Depiction of the Exotic in Western Art
Using works of art in the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum, this course analyzes the impact of Asia on Europe from the 15th to the 19th centuries. The examination of drawings, paintings, sculpture, and tapestries from religious, mercantile, and political perspectives provides a nuanced understanding of appropriation and cultural translation. Readings and group discussions will address the inevitable misunderstandings that arose when European artists encountered Asian art and culture. Special attention will be given to notions of wonder and curiosity, globalization and exoticism, fact and fantasy. Taught by a Getty curator and Oxy alumnus, this course allows for a first-hand analysis of art by Bellini, Rubens, Rembrandt, Delacroix, and Gauguin. It also provides insight into curatorial research, exhibition, display, and the writing of didactic texts. Class will take place at the Getty Museum every other Friday.
Chicana Art in LA: Historical/Contemporary Perspectives
During the fall of 2017, the Getty Foundation's "Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA" will explore the artistic connections between Latino and Latin American art, with numerous Chicano/Latino themed exhibitions to be held throughout Southern California. The only solo exhibition featuring the work of a Chicana artist will be "Laura Aguilar: Show and Tell" to be held at the Vincent Price Museum. This course will discuss the work of artist/photographer Laura Aguilar, with a focus on the solo exhibition of her work. The course will consider Aguilar's work within the context of local Chicana art history and will survey the historical, political, spiritual, and aesthetic antecedents that have nurtured the development of this visual culture. Content will also include explorations into current trends impacting and influencing the genre. Some of the topics covered throughout the semester will include: the politics and iconography of the Chicano movement, the public presentation of Chicana/o art in museums/galleries, and visualizing Chicana feminism. Students will be introduced to Chicana art history through readings, lectures, guest artist presentations, and class discussions. Topics will be augmented by field trips to the Vincent Price Museum to view the exhibition and programming related to "Laura Aguilar: Show and Tell."