HNAR-321: Readings in Fine Art

Re-Viewing Postmodernism: From Appropriation to Identity Politics to the Public Sphere. Because theories and definitions of postmodernism have relied heavily on advances in the arts, this course will consider what is at stake with this designation for the fine arts themselves. Since the term "postmodern" denotes neither a style nor a cohesive critical theory in itself, this course is primarily a summary of the main threads that have come to be tied up in this historical knot. The course will proceed thematically, rather than strictly chronologically, by highlighting paradigmatic methodologies that have come to define postmodernism in the realm of visual culture. This will be achieved by a thorough study of the central critical texts on postmodernism. Ultimately, we will consider the ways these various political and theoretical debates have been taken up by practicing artists, thus blurring the boundaries between politics, theory, and praxis.