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Art Course Descriptions

Drawing (Art 130) is recommended as an introduction to the studio courses in the department and Principles of Art (Art 149) is recommended as an introduction to the art history courses. Some are required prerequisites to other art courses. Although not strictly required, it is recommended that students complete either Art 160 or Art 261 before registering for advanced courses in Art History (i.e. Art 262, Art 265, and selected topic courses).

 

130 DRAWING I

This studio course is an introduction to a variety of drawing media and techniques. Three basic approaches are pursued: drawing as observation and analysis, drawing as problem solving and invention, and drawing as independent expressive statement. Students explore a variety of themes and subject matter, including the human figure. Theoretical components include group critiques and slide lectures. Two three-hour periods per week. Every semester. (4 credits)

 

149 PRINCIPLES OF ART

A philosophical approach to understanding creative arts, relating art to a larger context, the creator to the viewer; and to the social and psychological. The major thrust of the course is a fundamental grasp of concepts and elements in order to gain a critical and analytical approach to appreciating and communicating artistic concepts and aesthetics. The course is comprised of activities, papers, guest lectures, and various investigation of disciplines and genres of creative arts. Three hours per week. Every semester. (4 credits)

 

160 HISTORY OF ART I (Same as Classics 160)

This course offers an introduction to major monuments and periods of art from Ancient Antiquity through the Middle Ages. Its purpose is not only to acquaint students with key works of Prehistoric, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Aegean, Greek, Etruscan, Roman, Early Christian, Byzantine, Hiberno-Saxon, Carolingian, Ottonian, Romanesque and Gothic art, but also to help them develop a vocabulary for the description and analysis of works of art. The course also provides a basic understanding of the methods and aims of art historical study while examining a broad range of issues such as patronage and the art maker, the changing roles of artists in society, and the changing functions of art. Three hours per week. Fall semester. (4 credits)

 

170 CHINESE ART AND CULTURE (Same as Asian Languages and Cultures 170)

This course provides a broad thematic survey of artistic production in China from prehistoric jades to experimental installations in contemporary Beijing. While encouraging the close analysis of visual materials and exploring the methods appropriate to interpreting works of art, this course also emphasizes the specific historical, political and religious contexts that made, used and inspired these materials. Topics include the funerary art of early tombs, Buddhist cave temples and monumental ink landscape paintings. Fall semester. (4 credits)

 

171 JAPANESE ART AND CULTURE (Same as Asian Languages and Cultures 171)

This course provides a survey of the art and architecture of Japan from the archaic pottery of the Jomon period to the impact of Japanese animation on the global art market. While the chronological scope of this course is defined broadly, works of art are studied within their specific social, religious, and political settings. Topics include Zen temple gardens, the decoration of feudal castles, woodblock prints of the pleasure quarters and contemporary Japanese manga (comics) culture. Spring semester. (4 credits)

 

232 FIBERS I

This course is an introduction to fibers as an expressive medium. The techniques of on-loom and off-loom weaving, surface design, dyeing, paper making, felt making, stitching and container forms will be explored. The course emphasizes creative, imaginative, and original applications of traditional techniques. Two three-hour periods per week. Every semester. (4 credits)

 

234 PAINTING I

An introduction to the studio practice of painting, using oil paint on a variety of supports ranging from paper, board and canvas to non-traditional painting surfaces. Exploration of the practical techniques and mechanics of painting as well as a consideration of content and meaning. Readings and class discussions of historical and contemporary painting practices and issues will develop a visual vocabulary as well as critical/theoretical knowledge to complement technical skills. Slide lectures, critiques and a gallery/museum visit will supplement studio work. Three two-hour periods per week. Prerequisite: Art 130 or permission of instructor. Every semester. (4 credits)

 

235 SCULPTURE I

An introduction to a basic visual language of sculpture and an exploration of the creative process and the nature of materials. The course includes training in the safe use of a range of hand and power tools, in support of a series of projects in wood, clay, and other sculptural media. Every semester. (4 credits)

 

236 PRINTMAKING I

A hands-on introduction to original printmaking in the media of relief, etching, lithography and handset type. Included are discussions of aesthetics, the impact of printed imagery on our society, printmaking practices from around the world and field trips to local exhibits and museum collections. Emphasis is on individual expression and appropriate techniques for the content. Two three-hour periods per week. Every semester. (4 credits)

 

237 CERAMIC ART I: HANDBUILDING

This course serves as an introductory study of the techniques and aesthetics of clay as an art medium. Class emphasis is on the basic processes for handbuilt forms: pinching, coiling, slabs and molds. Students are challenged with progressively more difficult projects requiring creative problem solving skills that also allow opportunities for personal expression. Through demonstrations, slide lectures and critiques, students learn to create and evaluate, as well as appreciate the relationship of art to our lives. Two three-hour periods per week. Every semester. (4 credits)

 

238 CERAMIC ART I: WHEEL THROWING

This course serves as an introductory study of the techniques and aesthetics of clay as an art medium. Class emphasis is on the basic processes for wheel thrown forms. Through the semester students are challenged with progressively more difficult projects that explore possibilities for wheel-thrown forms, as well as basic decorating, glazing and firing techniques. Through demonstrations, slide lectures and critiques, students are exposed to ideas and attitudes for understanding ceramic aesthetics in a contemporary, social and historical context. Fall semester. (4 credits)

 

252 WOMEN IN ART

This course is designed to introduce and explore issues concerning women and art with a focus on the twentieth century. Students will learn about works in a variety of media: painting, sculpture, photography, conceptual and performance art, video and film among them, by artists from the sixteenth century to present. Gender, race, class and sexuality along with issues of aesthetics, creativity and access will be discussed in relation to art practices. The impact of feminism and the changing role of women in society on the history, theory and practice of art will be the central theme of this class. Three hours per week. Spring semester. (4 credits)

 

257 THE IMAGE IN 20TH CENTURY CHINA (Same as Asian Languages and Cultures 257)

This course investigates the function of images in the social and political life of 20th century China. From the last decades of dynastic rule through the rise of Communism and ending with China's current presence on the global stage, we explore the role of the image in representations of cultural identity, the relationship between tradition and modernity, and changes in technology and media. Every year. (4 credits)

 

258 CITIES AND SANCTUARIES IN THE GRECO-ROMAN WORLD (Same as Classics 258)

This course examines the development and the architecture of ancient cities and sanctuary sites, as well as the archaeological methods used to uncover them. The course focuses on the political, ideological, and religious importance of art and architecture and how scholars interpret architectural statements and built environments. The political use of space, the city as an institution, and the interpretation of material culture are prominent issues in the course. Prerequisite: 123 Introduction to Archaeology, 160 Introduction to Classical Art, or 155 January in Rome. Instructor permission required. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

259 ROMANTICISM, REALISM, AND IMPRESSIONISM

A study of European and British painting and sculpture from the French revolution to 1900. Through consideration of the principal artists of the period, emphasis is placed on the multiple ways in which one may talk about a work of art. Three hours per week. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

261 HISTORY OF ART II

 

This course is a survey of topics in European art from the late 14th century to the second decade of the 20th century. Stylistic periods covered include Italian and Northern Renaissance; Mannerism; Baroque art in Italy, Spain and Northern Europe; Rococo; Neoclassicism; Romanticism, Realism; Impressionism; Post-Impressionism; Expressionism; and Cubism. In addition to questions of style, the course addresses other issues such as the identification of subject matter, the function of art and its relation to the culture that produced it. Three hours per week. Spring semester. (4 credits)

 

262 CONTEMPORARY ART

This course examines visual arts in the United States and Europe from mid-1970s to the present. It analyzes major artists and art movements that shape the character of contemporary art within sociopolitical and cultural context in which they have been produced. The course includes exploration of Post-Modernism and the most current debates in visual arts such as globalization, internationalism, and multiculturalism. Offered in alternate years. Pre-requisite: Principles of Art (149), Art History Survey II (261) or any other upper-division art history class. Spring semester. (4 credits)

 

263 20TH CENTURY ART

This course explores the major topics in 20th century art. It will be a comparative analysis of modern international movements with emphasis on art since the turn-of-the-century in cultural, political and social contexts. Relevant discussion of contemporary art movements will be included. The course will make use of resources available in area museums and art collections. Three hours per week. Prerequisite: Art 261 or permission of the instructor. Fall semester. (4 credits)

 

265 RENAISSANCE ART

This course offers a broad view of the painting, sculpture and architecture produced in Italy in the years between 1250 and 1500. It will study a wide range of commissions in the various Italian city-states, as well as in papal Rome, in an effort to understand the many ways in which art played a political role in this period. Works by artists such as Giotto, Cimabue, Duccio, the Lorenzetti brothers, Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, Donatello, Masaccio, Fra Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Alberti, Piero della Francesca, and Botticelli, among many others, will be thoroughly discussed. In order to address the most important historical developments of this period, issues such as the Black Death, the French invasion of Italy, and the fall of the Medici in Florence, will also be explored. Three hours per week. Prerequisites: Art 160, Art 261, or permission of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

270 ART AND RELIGION ALONG THE SILK ROAD (Same as Asian Languages and Cultures 270)

This course investigates the intersection of art and religion through the cave temples of Dunhuang, the vast site of Buddhist art and architecture along the Silk Road in northwest China. The nearly 500 decorated caves from this site and the thousands of paintings and manuscripts discovered there in 1900 provide multiple perspectives into 1000 years of Chinese religious art and social history (400 CE to 1400 CE). Accordingly, this course introduces the basic styles, iconography and narratives of Buddhist art in China, while emphasizing the function of these images within their social and cultural contexts. Every year. (4 credits)

 

277 ART OF AFRICA, OCEANIA AND THE AMERICAS

A comprehensive view of the cultures of Africa, Oceania and the Americas with particular emphasis on ritualistic objects and the role art plays in everyday life. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

334 FIGURE DRAWING

This studio art class focuses on representations of the human figure in contemporary painting. Students will learn how to paint the human figure by first drawing from the skeleton and models. Portrait painting as well as full figure painting will be taught. The class will situate figure painting as a studio practice within the context of art history and address problems of representation. Projects will focus on topics such as the psychological body, the political body and the abstracted body. Slide lectures, critiques and a gallery/museum visit will supplement studio work. Three two-hour periods per week. Prerequisite: Painting I (234) or permission of the instructor. Alternate years; next offered Fall 2007. (4 credits)

 

366 2-D DESIGN

A series of two-dimensional projects through which the components of design are introduced and applied. Discussion includes the aesthetics and history of modern design, propaganda and commercial advertising and a review of contemporary design via the graphic novel, posters, web design, etc. Hands-on work includes concepts, layout, and production both manually and computer generated. Three two-hour periods per week. Fall semester. (4 credits)

 

367 3-D DESIGN

A series of three-dimensional projects using a basic visual language of line, texture, shape, plane, space, volume, and form will be explored. Critiques and structural testing of the projects lead to an understanding of functional and aesthetic relationships. The problem solving approach used in this class contributes to a resolution of spatial problems in a series of projects with references to sculpture, architecture, industrial design and interior design. Three two-hour periods per week. Fall semester. (4 credits)

 

369 MURAL PAINTING

This course will consider the historical and contemporary uses of mural painting ranging from Pompeiian frescoes to modern and contemporary social activist murals, graffiti and commercial applications (film, theater, etc.). A combination of Art History/Theory/Studio course, students will be required to research, develop and design projects, and create scale models of their designs in addition to class readings, discussions and slide lectures on the topic. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

370 DRAWING II

Building on Art 130, this studio course seeks to enlarge the student's visual vocabulary and inventive capacities. Projects are more complex and require a sustained effort. Students have an opportunity to find content and styles most suited to their individual needs. Weekly group discussions and critiques, slide lectures, and field trips are included. Two three-hour periods per week. Prerequisite: Art 130, Drawing I. Spring semester. (4 credits)

 

371 PAINTING II

A continuation of Art 234, expanding both technical and critical/theoretical knowledge through projects which demand the development of each student's individual interests. Required projects will encourage increasing self-direction and development of the students' own artistic vision. Readings will supplement students' art historical critical, theoretical understanding of contemporary or postmodern art practices. Weekly group discussions and critiques. Three two-hour periods per week. Prerequisite: Art 234. Every semester. (4 credits)

 

372 SCULPTURE II

This course is the continuation of Art 235, so it extends the information about basic sculptural processes like mold making, stone carving, and welding, as well as a series of more complex and sustained assignments. Three two-hour periods per week. Every semester. (4 credits)

 

373 PRINTMAKING II

This course is a continuation of Art 236, focusing on individually generated projects. There is an introduction of new techniques appropriate for content such as monoprint, collograph, screenprint, photo-printmaking and computer-based processes. Field trips, and arranged meetings. Every semester. (4 credits)

 

374 CERAMIC ART II

A continuation of Ceramic Art 237 taken in the fall or spring semester with emphasis on furthering skills and developing individual expression. Two three-hour periods per week. Every semester. (4 credits)

 

375 RACE, CLASS AND GENDER IN AMERICAN ART

This course provides an introduction to the diversity of twentieth century visual culture of the United States, within the historical, social, and cultural contexts in which it is created. It will analyze ways in which American visual artists chose to respond to the issues of race, ethnicity, class and gender and explore how these concepts shaped their individual and identities and those of various cultural groups. Throughout the course we will endeavor to answer several questions: What is the significance of race/ethnicity, class and gender in 20th century and contemporary American art? In what ways have the intersections of these categories shaped the experiences of American artists and their audiences at various historical moments during this century? How do race, ethnicity, class, gender and sexuality inform representation in art and media culture? We will also study how academic and public discourse explain/camouflage/reproduce race, class, and gender. Discussion will be focused on individual works of art, including photography, film, installation and video, and on historical and theoretical writings related to the problematic of human difference. Prerequisite: Art History II (261), Contemporary Art (262), or 20th Century Art (263). Every fall. (4 credits)

 

378 FIBERS II

In this course students will have the opportunity to continue to develop the work they begin in introduction to Fibers (Art 232). Students will explore a variety of materials and processes as they choose a focus for their work. Each student will be encouraged to work towards developing one idea into a small body of work. Beyond this the class will have a topics focus. Choice of topic will rotate and be tied to relevant activities in the Twin Cities arts community such as exhibitions, speakers and/or activities taking place nationally in the media. Fall semester. (4 credits)

 

487 ART HISTORY METHODOLOGY SEMINAR

Students wishing to do advanced work in Art History will discuss readings on the writing of Art History and methodological approaches and will also work on an extended research project of their choice culminating in a formal paper and oral presentation. One three-hour period per week. Spring semester. (4 credits)

 

488 SENIOR STUDIO SEMINAR

This course provides a setting in which art studio majors complete their capstone projects, including mounting a professional exhibition of recent work. It provides a look ahead to post-Macalester opportunities and the challenges of graduate school, jobs, and career opportunities in art. Arts professionals make presentations to the class and readings provide theoretical grounding for putting contemporary art in context. Students prepare artist statements, professional resumes and learn grant and application writing techniques. Two three-hour sessions per week. Spring semester. (4 credits)

 

490 ART APPRENTICESHIP

A course for the students who have completed undergraduate degree work at Macalester and who will benefit from working closely with an instructor by dividing their time between developing their own work and assisting the teacher with course instruction. The instructor will initiate the agreement which will be considered a full time load at the college. The extent and level of work by the student will be expected to be beyond normal undergraduate work. Approval of the art department chair is a prerequisite. Every semester. (4 credits)

 

604 TUTORIAL

Supervised individual or small group study with a faculty member in studio or art history allowing the student to explore the field beyond regular course offerings. Tutorials for more than 4 credits are subject to prior approval by the Educational Policy and Governance Committee. Every semester. (1–8 credits by prior arrangement)

 

614 INDEPENDENT PROJECT

Independent work in any art medium or in the history of art. Every semester. Independent projects for more than 4 credits are subject to prior approval by the Educational Policy and Governance Committee. (1–8 credits by prior arrangement)

 

624 INTERNSHIP

May be used in the art concentration only with approval of the department chair. Every semester. (1–4 credits by prior arrangement)

 

634 PRECEPTORSHIP

Preceptorships may be used in the art concentrations only with approval of the instructor and the department chair. Every semester. Preceptorships for more than 4 credits are subject to prior approval by the Educational Policy and Governance Committee. (1–8 credits by prior arrangement)

 

All studio courses in the art department involve the use of materials and equipment that may be hazardous if used improperly. Proper instruction and safety training are an integral part of every studio art course.

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