This class is rooted in an in-depth and intimate investigation of what artists can teach us about the power, possibility and limits of using art in efforts to document, make sense of and communicate in times of great change. The class will focus on pivotal years in history such as 1776, 1969, and 2020, with an eye towards the role art and artists played in making sense of what was happening. At the end of the semester, students will work together to create a resource that shares key insights from over the course of class. Course material examples include: looking at the painting and crafts that epitomize the founding of the US through Pam Holland's "1776: Heartache, Heritage, and Happiness", consider the impact of 1970s US independent cinema through the lens of Pauline Kael’s article “Trash, art, and the movies,” and the work of artist Kerry James Marshall, and his exploration of public health issues through paint.