Humans have felt compelled to make what we now call "art" for millennia; clearly, the drive to create and express is a pressing one in our species. Can we define that drive? The title of this course encompasses multiple questions. What do we mean when we say "art," and is there a way to legitimately wield or deny that designation? Does that designation have universal meaning? Is there an inherent exclusion, or exclusivity, within it? Also, what is art communicating? Is there a common thread or purpose to what we call art? Can there ever be a "right" answer to that question? Or, put another way, if art means one particular thing, does it then cease to be art? Several thinkers in several disciplines, from art history and practice to philosophy to sociology to religion to feminist thought, have weighed in on this question; we will read and analyze some of their arguments and, because this is a writing course, students will have the chance to formulate their own. We will also visit the Davison Art Center, the Yale Art Gallery, and other locations where art can be viewed, experienced, and discussed firsthand. |