ART 393 - Art in the Public Sphere

This class will look at art as a culturally-specific network made up of objects, people, and institutions. We will look at the various roles of artists, curators, writers, gallery dealers, auction houses, and non-profits-on scales both large and small-to ask: how does art connect to the culture in which it is made? How does art impact cultural visibility? We will follow historical case study examples such as the arrival of modernism in the U.S. as it was supported by galleries, patrons and, ultimately, museums; we will look at the more recent rise of international biennial culture and the new “public” sphere online; and we will look to greater Los Angeles for our contemporary case studies. The class will focus on connections and communication, and the dynamics of power and visibility: how is art circulated and seen? Who writes about it, how, and for what audience?
Juniors and Seniors only.

3 credits