16 Weeks Trad
This Course Requires Departmental Approval
It has been argued that the human experience today is more visual and visualized than ever before. We read graphic novels and watch animations of Edgar Allan Poe. We can look at photos of our homes taken from an orbiting satellite or our internal organs taken by MRI, share our photos via Instagram and Facebook, digitally manipulate any images we choose, even create virtual realities. So visual culture is a pretty broad category. Because visual culture can encompass art, design, digital imagery, fashion, architecture, film, landscape, animations, advertising, folk culture, and just about everything in between, the class cannot be comprehensive in any sense, but, armed with some critical theory, we’ll begin the journey, focusing not just on images, but on the relationship between images and consumers.
The class will be explore four methodologies for approaching visual culture: Iconology; formalism; ideology; and hermeneutics. Don’t let the terms scare you; you’ll be able to use them in no time. Material for discussion/ analysis is everywhere: pop culture, posters, videos, infographics, sports, music, propaganda, web memes, fine arts.
I want and expect students to play a large role in creating the class—finding and analyzing examples, posting photos on instagram, developing and presenting projects on visual cultures you find interesting. It’s mostly a “think” class with analytical assignments, but there will be a couple production assignments.
Cross-listed with ENG 3777
IDS - Interdisciplinary Course
