About The Course
This class introduces students to the visual arts from a global perspective in order to equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to engage critically with the artistic and cultural landscape of the United States today. In particular, this course helps students master the skills necessary to analyze artworks according to the basic elements and principles of design. It also exposes students to canonical artworks from many of the world’s artistic traditions, helping them appreciate how artists, both inside and outside of the United States, have engaged with art’s global histories to make work that reflects the rich diversity of the American experience.
Course Goals
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Identify and analyze a varied collection of artworks from across time and geographical regions.
- Identify and explain key art historical terms and concepts.
- Explain the various meanings of the term "appreciation," and apply those meanings to the appreciation of art.
- Identify the elements and principles of art, and apply these to the creation of an artwork of your own.
- Identify and describe some of the major art historical methods (including iconographic analysis, contextual analysis, feminist analysis and critique, critical race analysis and critique, and post-colonial analysis and critique, etc.).
- Carry out visual and contextual analyses of artworks using the elements and principles of art as well as multiple art historical methods.
- Identify some of the perspectives/artworks that have shaped the discipline of art history, along with how those perspectives resonate or conflict with current values regarding inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility.
- Identify artists whose biographies and/or artworks enrich our understanding of the historical processes and contemporary experiences characterizing social and cultural differences within the United States.
- Analyze artworks that consider the complexity and nuances of important issues related to the history of art and the diversity within the United States.
- Practice both oral and written communication as you engage with historical material and reflect on its relevance to your own life.
Satisfied High School Graduation Requirement Subject: Humanities
High School Credit: 0.5
Dual Enrollment