Art Criticism
WRCT 214
Spring 2025
| Section:
01
|
| Crosslisting:
ARHA 215, COL 211 |
| Course Cluster and Certificates: Christianity Studies |
As a young critic, the art historian Hal Foster wrote: "I do not demystify the work which I discuss so much as I am demystified by it." Beyond criticism's primary object -- the artwork to be judged, rejuvenated, revealed -- what does it let slip about its own function as a cultural practice? This course will introduce students to art criticism while also attempting to understand the rapidly changing social and economic conditions that make it possible (or not). Students will be assigned to write six works of criticism on different media -- sculpture, photography, painting, print, video, and performance -- with each assignment modeled on a different genre of art writing (e.g., the exhibition review, the catalogue essay, the "critic's pick," the retrospective, the single artwork study, and the "hybrid" review-essay). The course will give students a chance to work closely with Wesleyan's Davison Art Collection and the Zilkha Gallery, as well as artists and critics who will visit from New York. |
|
| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA WRCT |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
|
Fulfills a Requirement for: (ARHA) |
|
Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
| Instructor(s): Fine,Zachary Times: ..T.R.. 10:20AM-11:40AM; Location: TBA |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 12 | | SR major: 0 | JR major: 0 | | |
| Seats Available: 12 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 3 | JR non-major: 3 | SO: 3 | FR: 3 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
|
|