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Syllabus This course focuses on the history of mobility in modern and contemporary art and architecture. Lectures will cover the following topics: 19th-century mobility, the train in Impressionism, Cubism, Futurism, modern architecture and the car (Frank Lloyd Wright and Buckminster Fuller), Sigfried Giedion and Norman Bel Geddes on the highway, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy and “vision and movement,” kinetic art, paradigm shifts mid century from being to becoming, the neo-avant-garde, the automobile and transformed landscape, the car and art literally and the car and art perceptually ontologically and epistemologically, Conceptualism and the car, moving image art (film and video) and new media art. Goals of Course
Readings You are required to attend every lecture that is scheduled on the syllabus and complete the assigned reading prior to class. The reading assignments are available online at Docutek. Go to the following website and enter the password “cave”: Gallery Visits and Written Assignments There are two short written assignments that are organized in conjunction with exhibitions at Centraltrak: The UT Dallas Artists Residency at 800 Exposition Ave in Fair Park. For each, you must write a 750- to 1000-word review.
While describing is essential to these assignments, your end product in each instance should be synthetic. That is to say, you should make a statement about the exhibition – take a position – and write about the elements of the works of art as they relate to your argument. Your description should be part of your main idea. By “taking a position” your argument might take up some of the following points:
You should model your voice after the arts journalists of the New York Times. In preparation for these assignments you must begin reading the reviews – art, architecture, theater, music, and film – in the newspaper. As proof that you have been doing this, you must submit a review from the New York Times with your essay. Each essay must comply with the following requirements:
Tips: In terms of writing style, please avoid the passive voice, hyperbole and cliché. Simplistic and unfounded descriptions of art, such as “it is beautiful,” “he is a genius,” or “this is an amazing masterpiece,” are banned from this writing assignment. Your textbooks will be helpful to you. Though it is not mandatory, you are welcome to do extra research on the artists. In preparation for these written assignments you should familiarize yourself with the art criticism of the New York Times. It is the voice and stance of the critic (art, architecture, film and book) that you will assume for this writing. Remember that plagiarism is grounds for expulsion from the university. The written assignments must be submitted in paper: I will not accept electronic documents. Exams There are two exams in the course: a mid-term on Wednesday October 7 and a final at 2 pm, Friday December 11. The exams will consist of slide identification, multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank and matching. The exam material will be culled from the lectures, reading assignments and class discussions. The final exam will be cumulative. NOTE ON DATES: There are absolutely no make-up exams for people who mis-schedule the exam. I do not accept late papers. Grading Your grade in the course will be calculated from the following percentages:
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The History of Mobility in Art