ART 101 Art and Visual Culture

Fall/Spring/Summer

What is art? How do we make it? Why do we have it? What does art “do”? What is its role in society? What do we mean by visual culture? Why is it important to be visually literate today? These and other questions are addressed in this course, an introduction to art and visual culture in which the student learns about the materials and processes by which art and images are created, as well as the methodologies for their analysis, interpretation and evaluation. Traditional and digital media are studied, skills for navigating life in a visual environment are developed, and a foundation is built for further study in other areas of the visual arts. The student will make art using various tools and materials, study art objects and images for their divergent meanings, and investigate timely issues such as advertising images and the psychology of choice, the parameters of freedom of expression, the ethical use of images and threats to cultural heritage. This class is the introductory Disciplinary Perspectives in Art course that familiarizes the student with all aspects of the visual arts. Students will learn to read and respond to images, cultivate their creative or problem-solving self, and learn the professional standards and practices of the visual arts field.

3 credit hours