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Art Since 1945: Mainstream and Margin

This contemporary art history course provides students an in-depth investigation of modern and postmodern arts practices emerging in the post-WWII era. We look at those established artists and movements as well as more recent and less mainstream ones addressing social and political issues.

Link to Project Row Houses

How to use this website:

The two columns in to the left have links and information needed for the class.

If the text is in blue, it is a link to a reading or website. click on it. 

The button links are the lectures (some are white and some are blue). Most are PDF files you can download and watch as many as you want. 

email Yontz:
[email protected]

This is a web link to the Met Museum timeline of art 1900-now. Check it out.
MoMA 1900-now
Download and read syllabus and course outline carefully. Syllabus contains important information about grading and the course outline has all needed information about week to week materials covered, readings and assignments due. 

Course Syllabus and Outline

POINTS TO PERCENTAGE

Read this.

This class is about the time period and artwork created since WWII. Art has always corresponded to cultural, social and political contexts of culture. No time has been more clearly obvious than the past 70 years.

The work we are looking at may be difficult to understand. Please try to realize, all the work exists in a context. It has meaning and our job is to understand why.

Some acceptable Websites for this class:

Art Terms_Definitions
Open Culture
Museum of Modern Art 
Metropolitan Museum
Grove Art On-line

Post WWII America

















​

Week 1- introduction

January 21
Web links for Week 1:
Modernism
Modernism 2 (better?)

Marcel Duchamp
Dada
Duchamp and readymades

Lectures for week 1: watch both
Lecture 1 week 1
1. is an introduction and a brief history of art
lecture 2 week 1
2. is an introduction to Modernism, including Dada and Surrealism
Essential to understand Marcel Duchamp.
​ He changed everything. 

Homework week 1

Carefully watch Lectures 1 & 2 posted to the website.  
 
Write 2 pages in which specific evidence of having viewed the lectures (especially lecture 2) and weblink is evident. Use examples to make points about modernism and DaDa. Include a definition of Modernism, DaDa, Marcel Duchamp.
Use information provided. No dictionary. No Wiki sites. Write in your own words. No quotes and no copying.

​Grading Rubric for Assignment 1.
See if this helps you understand the points I'll be evaluating. 


Send via email to [email protected]
​Saturday, January 25 by noon.

​
Label file with your name.
Ex. Student name_week 1

​
Picture
Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, 1917
Watch this Khan Academy video discussing Duchamp's Fountain, 1917


Week 2- New York School

January 27
Reading for 1945 to 1960

lecture for this week:
New York School Lecture week 2
​
Web links for Week 2. Use these if you need them for your definitions.
Surrealism

Abstract Expressionism_MET

Jackson Pollock

Mark Rothco

​
Watch this video to understand Pollock better. 
Picture
Jackson Pollock, Number 1, 1950, MoMA with school children. 
STAC Museum Visits this semester:
This will be posted once I get the information from student life. 
​

Homework week 2

Write 1-2 pages in which specific evidence of having viewed the lectures and weblinks.

Include clear definitions of each: Surrealism, New York School (or Abstract Expressionism), Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothco. This should indicate your understanding.
Use information provided. No dictionary or encyclopedia. No Wiki sites. Write in your own words. No quotes and no copying.

Grading Rubric for week 2


Send via email to [email protected]
Saturday, by 12:00 PM

​
Label file with your name.
Ex. Student name_week 2

​
​



 

Week 3-pop 

Feb 3
Reading for this week and all subsequent weeks are listed on the course outline. The are in our book. This week is Page 7-middle of 43. ​
​
Post WWII consumerism
​This link above discusses important social context for Pop. 

Lectures for this week watch both and view links and videos:
Pop Lecture 1
Pop Lecture 2
Link to information on Pop Ar​t from the MoMA website
Read this page before doing your object analysis. 

Andy Warhol, Campbell's Soup Cans, 1962, paint on 23 canvases
Picture
Instructions and example for Object Based Analysis
You can use this instruction for all subsequent weekly papers. 
Watch this Khan Academy video on Warhol.
Watch this video on Rauschenberg's, Bed.

Homework week 3_Pop

(This week you will be doing your first Object Based Analysis -- 
See instructions to the left under the image of Campbell's Soup Can.

Send via email to [email protected]
Saturday,  by 12:00 PM
​Here are the instructions:
Choose one artwork from this lesson to describe, and discuss (It cannot be Warhol's Campbell's Soup). The piece of art should be from the book, lectures or links I've given you. Use these sources to discuss the points listed in the grading rubric. Use the rubric below to see how your analysis will be evaluated. Even though you are discussing a specific work, use it to tell more about the time period, style, artist, etc. You are basically using the art to tell what you know about Pop. I’m looking for evidence you did the reading, looked at the lecture and checked out links.
​2 pages minimum. 
Campbell Soup is NOT an opinion. 
Here is your grading rubric.


Note: the link to the first analysis paper is posted below. Paper is not due for two weeks but I've given it to you to begin as the first of the two artworks was in the lecture last week and the second is this week.

Analysis Paper 1 (most will use)
Analysis Paper 1 (alternative for students who already wrote about "Bed")

​Due February 22, Saturday, noon.
I have posted it so you can begin working on this longer paper. These are worth more percentage points so please take time and edit carefully. 
​ 
Please note: You have a weekly paper due on Saturday for Minimalism. See instructions in the next column. 

​

week 4- minimalism 

Feb 10

Students: view lecture, watch all videos and take notes. Link to all buttons and take notes.
Lecture_minimalism
Minimalism--define

These links below give some additional information about this important and varied movement. 
Minimalism_Link
Guggenheim_minimalism
Richard Serra_video
Picture
(above) Richard Serra's large scale steel sculptures. Notice how people are walking into and around them. 
Picture
Robert Morris, industrial felt (above)
Watch this video on Maya Lin's, Vietnam Veteran Memorial design.
​You are not allowed to write about this piece this week because it is in your Longer Analysis Paper. Use the video for that. 

Instructions and example for Object Based Analysis
You can use this instruction for all subsequent weekly papers. ​

Homework week 4

Object Based Analysis -- 
Send via email to [email protected]
Saturday,  by 12:00 PM
​Here are the instructions:
Choose one artwork from this lesson to describe, and discuss. It can not be the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The piece of art should be from the book, lecture or links I've given you. Use these sources to discuss the points listed below and find museum website or other legitimate sources. Use the rubric below to see how your analysis will be evaluated. Even though you are discussing a specific work, use it to tell more about the time period, style, artist, etc. You are basically using the art to tell what you know about Minimalism. I’m looking for evidence you did the reading, looked at the lecture and checked out links. 2 pages minimum. ​

Object Based Rubric used for Grading


Please note: your first longer analysis paper is due this week. No weekly paper due on the lecture but there are points to make concerning the topic for your analysis paper. So, please read and watch. 

​Analysis Paper 1 (most will use)
Analysis Paper 1 (alternative for students who already wrote about "Bed")

Due February 22, Saturday, noon.
Paper due end of this week.

 Week 5- 
Conceptualism and
​Land Art

Feb 17
​Conceptualism and Earthworks
I don't have an introduction video this week. Please read the information on this page for this week. 

see lecture below. Note: there is information pertinent to the Analysis Paper due Saturday. Check it out for sure.
lecture_conceptual & land
Picture
Link to MoMA Learning on Conceptualism
No weekly paper due this week.
​
Longer Analysis Paper due Saturday, Feb. 22. See instructions to the left. 
Robert Smithson, Spiral Jetty
click the link below to take a virtual tour.
virtual tour
Short video on Smithson's Spiral Jetty.
and
​Sol LeWitt wall drawing at Mass MOCA

Watch the video above about some of the artists involved in the Land Art movement. 


Week 6- Performance and Feminism

Feb 24

Performance and Feminism
lecture_performanc & feminism
Picture
 
Picture
Marina Abromovich-- link to more about her.

"The Artist is Present"
at MoMA

 Remember: blue text is a link.

​Object Based Analysis -- Land Art or Feminism
​Send via email to [email protected]
Saturday, by 12:00 PM
​Here are the instructions:
Choose one artwork from this lesson to describe, and discuss. The piece of art should be from the book, lecture or links I've given you. Use these sources to discuss the points listed below and find museum website or other legitimate sources. Use the rubric below to see how your analysis will be evaluated. Even though you are discussing a specific work, use it to tell more about the time period, style, artist, etc. You are basically using the art to tell what you know about either Land Art or Feminist Art. I’m looking for evidence you did the reading, looked at the lecture and checked out links. 2 pages minimum. 
​Use the same rubric we've been using. 

Here is your next Analysis Paper.
In this one you will choose two of three images I've given you to discuss. 

I am posting it now because the first image is from last class. The second is from this class and the third is from next. Use the lectures as context. If you choose one of the pieces for your weekly paper, you must do the other two.
Analysis Paper 2-- due March 28. Noon.
Alternative Analysis Paper-- use one from this set if you have already written about two of the artworks on the first. 
​
Please read instructions carefully. 
Grading Rubric is included in the assignment sheet. 

 Week 7  Postmodern Directions

March 2

Watch this video for important information.
​lectures are divided for size. Please watch both. ​
Public Art Lecture 1
Postmodern_paint lecture 2
 Modernism definition

Postmodernism definition
​



Watch this video on Maya Lin by clicking on this link about 'Wave Field' that is installed at Storm King Art Park, about 30 minutes north of Sparkill.
Maya Lin Wave Field
My sister and I went last Fall. It was really fun.

​
And this video below.
Picture
A montage of works by Christo and Jeanne Claude.
Object Based Analysis -- Public Art or Postmodern Painting
​Send via email to [email protected]
Saturday, by 12:00 PM
​Here are the instructions:
Choose one artwork from this lesson to describe, and discuss. The piece of art should be from the book, lecture or links I've given you. Use these sources to discuss the points listed below and find museum website or other legitimate sources. Use the same rubric  to see how your analysis will be evaluated. Even though you are discussing a specific work, use it to tell more about the time period, style, artist, etc. You are basically using the art to tell what you know about either Public Art or Postmodern Painting. I’m looking for evidence you did the reading, looked at the lecture and checked out links. 2 pages minimum. 


SPRING BREAK MARCH 9-15

Picture
Watch the video attached here to see the work that used to be at 5Pointz, Long Island City, NY.

Graffiti City, Graffiti Art



Analysis Paper 2-- due March 28. Noon.


Alternative Analysis Paper-- use one from this set if you have already written about two of the artworks on the first. 

week 8
Graffiti & AIDS bring art to the streets

March 16 
Special Message: READ THIS
Hi everyone, no doubt it is strange to be coming off of Spring Break to find yourselves in an unusual situation with regards to other classes. Since we have been on-line all along, things here should be somewhat seamless. Please let me know however, if you have any extenuating circumstances. 

This part was always part of the information for Week 8:
The comment by Fredrick Jameson we read last week that "aesthetic and commodity production had become indistinguishable," influenced many artists as they did not want their work to be considered part of the capitalist enterprise-- as merely another commodity. We say this influence artists involved with Minimalism, Conceptualism, Land Art, Performance Art and Public Art at least. Graffiti also falls into this category as
​Graffiti Art began as a reaction to commodity art. But, as we see, was quickly absorbed by the art market. And so it goes...
Graffiti: taking it to the street
Artists this week continue to try to make art more relevant by bringing art outside the gallery and museum and into the streets and communities. 
We also see how the AIDS epidemic changed the conversation about art as many artists were directly affected. 

Watch the videos.
​

Picture
Click this link to read more about this ad campaign "Kissing Doesn't Kill."
Watch this video on Tim Rollins and KOS. It's part of a 7 part video. The link below if another part. part 1.
Tim Rollins and KOS
Click on the links below to learn more about arts and gay activism in NYC.
​
Act Up.

Why we fight
Picture
David Wojnarowicz
Object Based Analysis -- Graffiti or AIDS related art.
​Send via email to [email protected]
Saturday, by 12:00 PM
​Here are the instructions:
Choose one artwork from this lesson to describe, and discuss. The piece of art should be from the book, lecture or links I've given you. Use these sources to discuss the points listed below and find museum website or other legitimate sources. Use the same rubric  to see how your analysis will be evaluated. Even though you are discussing a specific work, use it to tell more about the time period, style, artist, etc. You are basically using the art to tell what you know about either graffiti or a piece or project related to AIDS.  You cannot write about Keith Haring, Untitled 1982. This one is on your Analysis Paper. I’m looking for evidence you did the reading, looked at the lecture and checked out links. 2 pages minimum. 1 1/2 line space please. 




Picture
Andreas Gursky

Analysis 2 due this week. No weekly paper due. Please note: the grading rubric is included.
​Analysis Paper 2 and grading rubric-- due March 28. Noon.
​

Alternative Analysis Paper-- use one from this set if you have already written about two of the artworks on the first. 

week 9- Identity-Photography 

March 23
This is a super important lesson on Identity and believability of the photographic image. Since the longer Analysis paper is due this weekend, I am not assigning a paper on this lesson until next week. Please take a look and read carefully the information on Identity Politics. All should take a look for the Analysis Paper but if you write about Barbara Kruger, this lecture is important for you.
It's important for Art and pretty much everything else. It will also greatly help with your paper when identifying what the earlier artwork will influence. 
Lecture_photo
Picture

Click this link to see a video on Carrie Mae Weems

Learn more about these artists by clicking on the link or googling:
​
Cindy Sherman
Carrie Mae Weems
Barbara Kruger

Andres Serrano
Robert Mapplethorpe
Jeff Wall

Analysis Paper 2 Due.  
Analysis Paper 2-- due Saturday  March 28. Noon.
Alternative Analysis Paper-- use one from this set if you have already written about two of the artworks on the first. 

Please read instructions carefully. 
Grading Rubric is included in the assignment. 

​​No weekly paper this week. 
​


Picture
David Hammons selling snowballs on the street of various sizes--different prices for different sizes. Comments on the absurdity and arbitrary nature of commodity. 
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MUSEUM PAPERS
This is the one extra credit assignment in this class. Due to the restrictions with the current virus, it will be adapted to a virtual options. 
You can search the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, The Whitney Museum, The MET and/or the Guggenheim Museum. Choose a piece of art that fits into the context of this class, preferably after 1970. Do an object based analysis in the same way we have been working the entire semester.  
Here are some options:
Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History__ MET Museum. Explore and choose from our time period. Dig Deep.
Guggenheim Virtual Tour_ you will need to do more research on the pieces. 
Guggenheim On-Line Database
MoMA collection_ choose and research.
More to come.
​
Help with context:
MoMA Learning

 
This said, at some point things will return to normal, or more normal then now. I hope you take advantage of the museums and galleries in NYC and that you are able to understand and analyze the artworks being viewed. ​

week 10- 
assimilation_installation

March 30

​lecture this week: please note I have moved the artists around a bit from the book. I did this because organizing them this way, makes more sense to me. Hope it makes more sense to you as well.
Also, note my comment on the last slide as to some thinking you may do in addition to writing about the artists.
Assimilation_installation
I did not include information in this lecture on Krzysztof Wodiczko.  
Click on the link to Art 21 or cut and paste. 

http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/krzysztof-wodiczko
Artists for this week:
Christian Boltanski
Rachel Whiteread
Damien Hirst
Mike Kelley
Jeff Koons

David Hammons
​Felix Gonzalez-Torres--

Object Based Analysis -- Identity or Installation
​Send via email to [email protected]
Saturday, by 12:00 PM
​Here are the instructions:
Choose one artwork from this lesson or the one from last week on "Identity" or this one on "Installation" to describe, and discuss. The piece of art should be from the book, lecture or links I've given you. Use these sources to discuss the points provided on the rubric and find museum website or other legitimate sources. Use the same rubric  to see how your analysis will be evaluated. Even though you are discussing a specific work, use it to tell more about the time period, style, artist, etc. You are basically using the art to tell what you know about Identity in either lecture this week or last.  I’m looking for evidence you did the reading, looked at the lecture and checked out links. 2 pages minimum. 1 1/2 line spacing. 
 

Picture
Analysis Paper 3
Due Saturday,   April 25 noon.​

​ No late papers.
​GRADING RUBRIC FOR ANALYSIS 3
​

week 11- 
global art & video art

April 
Video_global

As we move through this class I hope you are seeing how the art being made is responding to market concerns, cultural realities, art historic precedents as well as individual interests. This continues as the Modernist tendency for 'movements' gives way to an expanded field where it becomes more difficult to label artists into groups. 
This week we look at another group of artists who are being affected by new technologies, (photo, video), and a continuation of Duchamp's questions of 'who is the artist and what constitutes art'? 

Also, because there are a number of video artists this week, I've given you fewer artists but really want to see evidence of watching the videos in your papers. 
​
see links to see more on highlighted artists (not required but always useful):
Shirin Neshat
Matthew Barney
    Cremaster Cycle

Rirkrit Tiravanija
Zhang Huan
Kim Sooja
William Kentridge

Bill Viola
Gary Hill
​Krzystof Wodiczko
​​



Object Based Analysis -- 
​Send via email to [email protected]
Saturday,   by 12:00 PM
​Here are the instructions:
Choose one artwork from this lesson on global or video and describe, and discuss. The piece of art should be from the book, lecture or links I've given you. Use these sources to discuss the points provided on the rubric and find museum website or other legitimate sources. Use the same rubric  to see how your analysis will be evaluated. Even though you are discussing a specific work, use it to tell more about the time period, style, artist, etc. You are basically using the art to tell what you know about the lecture this week.  I’m looking for evidence you did the reading, looked at the lecture and checked out links. 2 pages minimum. 1 1/2 line spacing. 




Mel Chin, Revival Field 
Picture
Picture
Thomas Hirshhorn, above and the Gramsci monument below.
Picture

Dia: Gramsci Monument

Click link above for information about this important project. 

week 12-  
social practice art-- social & political

April 13
Lecture for this week.
social lecture
Make sure you mention the artists within the  levels of viewer participation as set forth by Helgera, as well as discussing the work.
​
In your weekly paper, note the links and videos you visited. 
Analysis Paper 3
Due Saturday,   April 25 noon.

​ No late papers.
​GRADING RUBRIC FOR ANALYSIS 3

Important Note to Students: If you choose the second pair of artists to discuss you will need to read the final lecture first. See next week. 
​
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MUSEUM PAPERS
This is the one extra credit assignment in this class. Due to the restrictions with the current virus, it will be adapted to a virtual options. 
You can search the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, The Whitney Museum, The MET and/or the Guggenheim Museum. Choose a piece of art that fits into the context of this class, preferably after 1970. Do an object based analysis in the same way we have been working the entire semester.  
Here are some options:
Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History__ MET Museum. Explore and choose from our time period. Dig Deep.
Guggenheim Virtual Tour_ you will need to do more research on the pieces. 
Guggenheim On-Line Database
MoMA collection_ choose and research.
More to come.
​
Help with context:
MoMA Learning

 
This said, at some point things will return to normal, or more normal then now. I hope you take advantage of the museums and galleries in NYC and that you are able to understand and analyze the artworks being viewed. 
Watch this trailer about Project Row Houses.
You don't need to discuss all these artists for your weekly paper. However, you may want to look at them for your third longer Analysis paper. All artists names in blue are links. 
Thomas Hirshhorn-- 
Mel Chin--  
Rick Lowe-- 
Wangechi Mutu
Kara Walker
Takashi Murakami
​Kerry James Marshall

Mel Chin and Rick Lowe at MIT
Object Based Analysis -- 
​Social Practice Art

​Send via email to [email protected]
Saturday, by 12:00 PM
​Here are the instructions:
Choose one artwork from this lesson on Social Practice Art and describe, and discuss. The piece of art should be from the lecture or links I've given you. Use these sources to discuss the points provided on the rubric and find museum website or other legitimate sources. Use the same rubric  to see how your analysis will be evaluated. Even though you are discussing a specific work, use it to tell more about the time period, style, artist, etc. You are basically using the art to tell what you know about the lecture this week.  I’m looking for evidence you looked at the lecture and checked out links. 2 pages minimum. 1 1/2 line spacing. 

Nick Cave
Picture
Jenny Saville
Picture

week 13

April 20
​Art and Artists Today
Final Lecture part 1
final lecture part 2
here we are, last Lecture.
Please view both for the whole picture.

Analysis Paper 3
Due Saturday,   April 25 noon.

​ No late papers.
​GRADING RUBRIC FOR ANALYSIS 3

Important Note to Students: If you choose the second pair of artists to discuss you will need to read this final lecture first. Find the artists and context in the lectures above. 
​

​Gramsci Monument Links:
General page-- click on different text for info on the project, the artist etc. 
 
​
​No Weekly Paper due this week because your Final Analysis paper is due. 

This lecture will be written about for the final paper unless you chose the pair of works that are in these lectures. See next week. :)
​
Cai Guo-Qiang-- If you have been to my office you will see a poster for an exhibit by Cai Guo-Qiang. 
​
Nick Cave
Yinka Shanibare--
Matthew Ritchie--
Cai Guo-Qiang-- ​
​Cory Archangel
Some painters:
Lucian Freud
Laura Owens
​Jenny Saville
 


Kara Walker --I added this link because last year when I taught the course, Walker was on the cover of New York Magazine. 
Use this link for more.
Picture

final week 

April 27
​​

Final Object Based paper--Art Today or Student Choice
​You have two choices for this last paper and it depends on what you are really interested in. 
If you are an art major, you may decide to write about the contemporary artists presented last week. If not, you may have found something else more interesting. But, really, it's totally up to you. 

​Here are the instructions:
1
. Choose one artwork from the lesson for last week.  Same as usual, describe, and discuss. The piece of art should be from the  lecture or links I've given you. Use these sources to discuss the points provided on the rubric and find museum website or other legitimate sources. Use the same rubric  to see how your analysis will be evaluated. Even though you are discussing a specific work, use it to tell more about the time period, style, artist, etc. You are basically using the art to tell what you know about Identity in either lecture this week or last.  I’m looking for evidence you did the reading, looked at the lecture and checked out links. But also, say why you chose that piece.
 2 pages minimum. 1 1/2 line spacing. 

2. Go back through the semester and choose any one piece of art you have not written about. Do a simple Object Based Analysis but spend most of the time on context and saying why you chose that piece. You know me, I don't want a lot of opinions that aren't connected to meanings. Tell what the piece means to you and why. 
​ 2 pages minimum. 1 1/2 line spacing. 
​
Send via email to [email protected]
Friday, May 1  by 12:00 PM
All work must be completed and submitted by Friday, the last day of the semester, to be considered for grading.  

My best to you all and especially those who are graduating this semester.

Go out and do good work. 
​

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