1. Explain the major modernist art critical and theoretical positions.
(See Term Paper Readings Part 1)
2. Explain the theories of representation that underlie much of the practice in contemporary art history, criticism, and theory: semiotics (Saussure and Barthes), deconstruction (Derrida), simulation (Baudrillard), and discourse analysis (Foucault). (See Term Paper Readings Part 2)
3. a). Explain the effects the theories in Part II have had on recent practices of art history, art criticism, museology, visual culture studies, institutional criticism, and other related artistic practices.
b). Explain the topics, aims, theories, and strategies of some recent artists, theorists, or historians/critics concerned with gender and gendered identity (second-generation feminism, performativity and masquerade).
c). Explain the topics, aims, theories, and strategies of some recent artists, theorists,
and historians/critics concerned with ethnicity, cultural identity and colonialism. (See Term Paper Readings Part 3)
4. Explain the ideas Morgan presented in his essay assigned for class. Do these ideas agree or disagree with any of the recent theories in the class? Do these ideas align with modernist art theory? Has art ended? Has a kind of art ended? Explain your answers. (See Term Paper Readings Part 4)
5. Choose ONE item of visual culture (a single still image or object such as a painting, a piece of architecture, a still from a movie, a tattoo, whatever) and use it in your discussion in parts 2 and 3 above. Be sure to integrate the chosen item into your discussion by using the ideas you learned in this course to discuss it. Paste the image
into the text.
