PLAH
2090

African American Art History: From the 19th Century to Today

Parsons School of Design: Art and Design History

Liberal Arts
Undergraduate Course
Degree Students
African American Art History
Fall 2023
Taught By: Faculty TBA
Section: A

CRN: 16187

Credits: 3

Invested in a polyphony of media and creative networks, this chronological survey begins in the antebellum era and tracks artistic practices of African American artists through today. This course defines African American visual art broadly both in its disciplinarity and geography: students will consider visual artistic practices such as painting, sculpture, photography, performance, and collage as they intersect with other cultural spheres, including literature, theater, and music across the Americas. Each class meeting will focus on specific networks, cooperatives, or communities of visual art production (including but not limited to: Gee’s Bend Quilters, Spiral, Studio Z, Where We At, Kamoinge Workshop, Umbra, Black Arts Repertory Theater/School, Dark Room Collective, and Black Women Artists for Black Lives Matter) to establish a critical network of thinkers and creatives destabilizing the notion of the artist as a singular creative genius. The course will also elucidate a sociopolitical context that scaffolds the multivalent practices covered. Class topics and requisite readings will come from the field of art history as well as from critical race theory, cultural studies, and diasporic histories of the Americas; the course will include trips to area museums, galleries, and artist studios, as well as guest speakers and interlocutors.

Open to: All university undergraduate degree students. Pre-requisite(s): first-year university writing course and at least one prior history or methods course in art, media, film, or visual culture.

College: Parsons School of Design (PS)

Department: Art and Design History (PLAD)

Campus: New York City (GV)

Course Format: Seminar (R)

Modality: In-Person

Max Enrollment: 20

Add/Drop Deadline: September 11, 2023 (Monday)

Online Withdrawal Deadline: November 19, 2023 (Sunday)

Seats Available: Yes

Status: Open*

* Status information is updated every few minutes. The status of this course may have changed since the last update. Open seats may have restrictions that will prevent some students from registering. Updated: 7:20pm EDT 5/28/2023

Meeting Info:
Days: Tuesday
Times: 4:00pm - 6:40pm
Building: TBD
Room: TBD
Date Range: 8/29/2023 - 12/5/2023