VISST-2000 courses develop students' visual analysis skills while providing the opportunity for in-depth study of the visual/structural artifacts associated with a particular topic, region, or movement. Students will also engage with the relevant primary/secondary literature for the topic at hand. Courses will pay particular attention to the larger cultural, historical, and theoretical/ideological contexts in which the visual artifacts and structures under consideration were created.COURSE DESCRIPTION"Introduction to Contemporary Philosophy of Art" invites students to test philosophical theories of art against actual works of art as well as against their own artistic practices and experiences. Aspiring to develop a global perspective, it brings 20 th and 21 st century Western aesthetic theories by Theodor Adorno, Susan Sontag, Arthur Danto, or Alain Badiou into conversation with thinkers such as Yuriko Saito, Liu Yuedi, Gayatri Spivak, Eva Kit Wah Man, or Felwine Sarr. Drawing on these diverse theoretical positions, we will explore a wide range of topics in order to investigate what the nature of art is and what significance it has in relation to our existence under late-modern conditions. Our discussions will revolve around questions such as “Is there any specific quality that all works of art have in common?”, “Is art universal—or does the meaning of ‘art’ change across different cultural contexts?”, “How is art related to other domains—most importantly, to technology and to politics?”, “What (and who?!?) determines whether an artwork has value?”, “What standards are there for art criticism?”, “Why do we care whether or not an artwork is authentic?”, and “Can art transform us in productive, enriching ways?"

Visit Workday to view this information.