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6000 Level Art History, Theory, and Criticism
Course Descriptions
ARTHI 6011
Alternative Curatorial Practices
This seminar examines alternatives to traditional commercial and museum
exhibition practices and, in particular, practices that contemporary
artists have developed in order to assume greater control of and responsibility
for their work outside of the studio. A redefinition of the relationship
between artists and the audience/viewers and an expansion of the means
of distribution of artwork challenge concepts of curatorial practice
to include artist-run and cooperative galleries, billboard and bus projects,
cable-access and public-video projects, artist-published books and magazines,
community-based public art projects, and politically motivated graphics
(e.g., Women’s Action Coalition, the Guerrilla Girls, and ACT UP–Gran
Fury). Organizational structures and distribution strategies are discussed,
with an emphasis on practical applications (i.e., writing grant
proposals, becoming involved in a not-for-profit organization, etc.).
ARTHI 6014
Exhibition Seminar: History and Practice
This seminar focuses initially on the history and theory of exhibitions
and continues with an analysis of contemporary exhibition practices.
A wide range of exhibition paradigms will be explored, from early encyclopedic
notions of the exhibition as source of authority and connoisseurship,
to current dialogic and contestatory models linked with issues of access
and globalism. Basic curatorial issues, including that of the relationship
of the curatorial thesis to the artist’s intent, and of the role
of curator as interpreter and arbiter, will be discussed. Students develop
and present their own exhibition proposals for the final project.
ARTHI 6015
Publication as Curation
There has been a proliferation of compilation activities in the literary
world and in such fields as music, sound art, and CD-ROM production.
What assertions can be made about connections and differences between
the individual parts and the outcome of the whole? How does order affect
perception, and does the curator serve as editor and arbiter? What does
it mean to select works, and what is our notion of the archive? Is it
the responsibility of the curator to be objective, and can one escape
personal preference and conflict of interest? Publication as a form
of curation can be explored through the examination of the small press,
literary journal, artist book, home publishing, CD-ROM production, archival
series as museum, and multimedia hybrid. The preparation and organization
of materials for commercial and non-commercial distribution, from limited
edition to mass production and dissemination, question the common ground
between curation and the editorial. From representation to the review
panel, from the implied curator authority to conflict of interest, this
course will examine this genre both from a theoretical consideration
and with hands-on pragmatic experience.
ARTHI 6030
Museum Education
This seminar examines and analyzes the American art museum as a teaching
institution based on observation, analysis, and critique of current
museum education practices. Themes explored include audience analysis,
evaluation methods, and the use of media, exhibition concept and design,
and teaching methods. Efforts by museums to reach out to various communities,
collaborations between museums and other institutions, and the way artists
interact with and comment upon museums are also examined. Participants
gain a detailed understanding of museum education practices in contemporary
art museums.
ARTHI 6040
Museum Education:
Contemporary Issues
Utilizing Chicago area museums, this seminar analyzes all kinds of visual
arts programming and concomitant visitor behavior. Exhibition design,
interactive technology, integrative learning environments, interpretation,
catalogs, and teacher curriculum guides are evaluated for efficacy and
audience appropriateness. Educators learn to access the goals and objectives
of the program design, determine whether the goals are reasonable for
the targeted audience, evaluate the program’s success, and make
relevant recommendations. Pertinent audience constituency issues are
addressed. Course requirements include field observations and the design
of a developmentally appropriate program for a specific audience.
ARTHI 6999
Thesis Tutorial II
This independent study program for Master of Arts in Modern Art History,
Theory, and Criticism candidates is taken in the final term of coursework.
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