FA 311
Women in the Visual Arts
1960’s > today
Fall 2015
Prof. Pepper
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| Yayoi Kusama . I pray with all my heart for tulips . Osaka |
course objectives
This course examines a number of the important achievements made by women visual artists, collaborative groups, art historians, and cultural theorists that have revolutionized aesthetic practices and cultural politics.
When studying such contributions, it is equally important to examine the culture from which the action has grown from. From a national and global context, we will be investigating the assumptions made about culture and feminist practices, art and what counts as art, personal and political actions from the 1960’s forward.
The course will present connections made among art, writers, activism, gender politics and other human expressions. A survey of images, film, readings and discussion will reveal the diverse voices of women artists and theorists from the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa that will prompt questions about power, difference, inequality, race, gender and other cultural dividers.
learning objectives
It is intended that students will emerge from the course with a clearer understanding of the contributions of independent women visual artists, cultural theorists, collaborative groups and projects that have helped shape our knowledge and the realities of everyday life. The course will expose a variety of disciplines from creative fields, thus presenting students to many of the ways in which ideas and practices have been created, and analyzed by the producers of knowledge.
This course fulfills three upper level (300) course credits in the Arts and Sciences programs.
FA311 fulfills the Cultural Literacy all-college competency.
working methods
Students will be involved in analytical readings, discussion, film, research, multi-media projects, writing and a collaborative ‘action’ project central to course materials.
This course presents a great deal of ideas, that centralize on women artists, designers, cultural theorists, historians and writers. The success and richness of the course falls to the student to be rigorous in their own learning practices, to read analytically, to be informed and mindfully prepared in our class together.
Course materials are on a blog site, making it easy to access from anywhere.
Please bookmark the URL site now > http://fa311fa2015.blogspot.com
Please bookmark the URL site now > http://fa311fa2015.blogspot.com
Visit it regularly to keep up with new materials launched to the site daily.
Readings from books will be placed on the Reserve Shelf in the college Library.
Readings from books will be placed on the Reserve Shelf in the college Library.
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| Judy Chicago . Queen Victoria . 1976 |
class policy
The atmosphere throughout this course is to create a community of active learners.
We need to realize that world experience produces difference in all people.
Our differences often make communication and understanding difficult to comprehend or even agree with when considering the ideas of others.
Each of us need to remain an active participant in the world of learning.
The course asks each of us to cultivate a relationship of mutual respect between each other, the readings and the work at large, your faculty and guests. This respect may extend outside the walls of this community into the world in general. The key is to listen and be considerate of each other.
evaluation + grading
be a participant
This is a discussion based seminar course.
Your participation is important to the vitality of the learning environment we will create.
The success of the course depends on its community members.
Be prepared to talk and share with others. It is essential that when you come to class you have read the material and have taken thorough notes in a journal so that you are ready to discuss the material. This includes outside research materials of the decade we are examining.
You will keep a journal or folio devoted to all class notes, document synopsis, research materials and images that are relevant to the ideas and time frames we are discussing. A good way to keep this well organized is to create a BLOG, uploading pages per decade, divided by i. cultural impact and ii. women in the visual arts. The folios will be collected throughout the semester for review of note taking skills. Blogs will be uploaded frequently to add to our information to our weekly discussions. Your thorough notes from documents and generally, how well you are making connections to the course materials, as well as outside influences.
You will keep a journal or folio devoted to all class notes, document synopsis, research materials and images that are relevant to the ideas and time frames we are discussing. A good way to keep this well organized is to create a BLOG, uploading pages per decade, divided by i. cultural impact and ii. women in the visual arts. The folios will be collected throughout the semester for review of note taking skills. Blogs will be uploaded frequently to add to our information to our weekly discussions. Your thorough notes from documents and generally, how well you are making connections to the course materials, as well as outside influences.
Attendance and punctuality are absolutely mandatory. It is impossible to learn if you are not here! Students are to attend class every day and be prepared with materials, assignments, readings and papers. Attendance and punctuality are required and are significant components of your commitment to your work. Absences will adversely affect your final grade hindering the ability to successfully complete the course and will be asked to withdraw. Tardiness and absences will greatly hinder student progress in this course. Students who miss class, in an extreme case, are responsible for notifying faculty prior to class start time. If a student knows they will be absent, make arrangements with the instructor as soon as you are able to find out what you will/or have missed. Students who are absent from a class are expected to be prepared with ALL assignments and readings due at the next class meeting.
All assignments are to be completed in a thoughtful and timely manner.
This responsibility is yours alone.
analytical musings on an article of choice
responsive writing
responsive writing
Students will select a certain decade and will write an analytical essay (1960's > 2010+)
They will introduce the document(s) and contextualize it within a national / global frame that may connect to it.
They will introduce the document(s) and contextualize it within a national / global frame that may connect to it.
What is your analysis of it?
Students need to back up their argument with research that is central to what they are discussing.
Students need to connect other class materials to their responses.
Students also need to place their information in context with national and world events.
Students also need to place their information in context with national and world events.
connect to a
national +
global frame
in context
What are the possible events that have sparked the decade action to take place?
How did the particular woman or women’s group respond?
Discuss the document, the action, the location and dates.
Connect the document with supportive images.
Connect the document with supportive images.
Synthesis your research materials together to establish a sound argument of how the world/national event may have triggered the action to take place.
student led class discussion + multi media presentation
Students will gain from research and learning, presenting an article of their choice to the class.
Student led discussions should be able to discuss and prompt questions from the selected article.
Students will introduce the ideas from the article in a multi media presentation to the class, emphasizing some of the visual artists, theorists, etc. connected with events in the document, and why and how they came to the fore.
Present in week 8 through 11
Students will gain from research and learning, presenting an article of their choice to the class.
Student led discussions should be able to discuss and prompt questions from the selected article.
Students will introduce the ideas from the article in a multi media presentation to the class, emphasizing some of the visual artists, theorists, etc. connected with events in the document, and why and how they came to the fore.
Present in week 8 through 11
Feminist Public Project
Course Action :: final project
As a culminating activity, the class will engage in a collaborative project that speaks to a personal or political theme the group wishes to shed light on. This work will be activated in a public setting. The work can remain on campus and may extend into the village and beyond.
- Create a flyer for your event.
- Create a one page media release for your event noting Title, Location, Date, Time, image.
- Create the elements for your event and be fully engaged in the collaborative process.
- Following the event, create an individual analysis about why you became involved with this particular action and what did you hope to achieve? Do you believe it was successful?
- Speak to what was learned from course readings. In particular, how you placed yourself in the idea of the project, how you developed it and the overall process of collaboration?
- Would you consider this statement to be true? “The process of collaboration extends beyond the maker."
- Can a personal action also be a political one?
- Explain with supportive evidence.
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| Guerrilla Girls . poster . 1989 |
undergraduate grading policy
Grades calculated in grade point average (GPAs) + numerical scale
A = 4.0 A- = 3.67
B+ = 3.33 B = 3.00 B- = 2.67
C+ = 2.33 C = 2.00 C- = 1.67
D+ = 1.33 D = 1.00 F = 0.00
A 93 – 100% A- 90 – 92%
B+ 87 – 89% B 83 – 86% B- 80 – 82%
C+ 77 – 79% C 73 – 76% C- 70 – 72%
D+ 67 – 69% D 63 – 66% D- 60 – 62% F below 60%
standards for grading
students should set high standards for their work, always.
A: The typical "A" student will consistently conduct research, will participate fully in class, asking questions and listening to others intently. These individuals may even engage in extra work when needed in the pursuit of knowledge and greater understanding. The “A” student may integrate information from other classes and experiences while challenging themselves continually. The work this student produces is exemplary and sets a benchmark for other students; actively participating in class discussions with a sustained high level of curiosity. In short, the “A” student will be a responsible and active learner throughout, producing superior work.
B: Attend all classes and be an active participant in discussion, complete all assignments on time, and will demonstrate above average skills in research, writing, analyzing and discussion. This student will consistently submit good work. Good work.
C: Have less than perfect attendance; complete all assignments with average skills, attitude and creativity demonstrating limited commitment to the learning process. This student will occasionally contribute to class discussions and overall perform satisfactorily.
D: Have poor attendance; seldom meet deadlines, have an unconcerned attitude, has less than adequate performance; contribute very little to class discussions. Barely passing.
F: Have poor attendance; seldom meet deadlines; turn in poor work; have a bad attitude, and/or impervious to the learning process.
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| Barbara Kruger . 1986 |
special needs students
Notify the instructor if you are a student who requires accommodations in classroom studio or outside work due to special needs. Appropriate accommodations will be made in cooperation with the Office of Special Services @ 315-655-7170
academic honesty policy
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Any student who turns in plagiarized work will fail the course and be possibly dismissed from the college. A description of plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty are to be found in the on-line Student Handbook @ www.cazenovia.edu
FA311.01 meets three times a week Eddy 105
