SDSU Art 760 -- Fall 2004
Syllabus [.pdf].
Research Paper Directions [.pdf].
Sample Reading Response [.pdf].
Course Description
This course is a graduate seminar designed around two parallel themes: to facilitate dialogue about (your) art practice and its relationship to history and theory, and to begin a deep examination of the intersection between theory and practice. Students are not expected to already possess extensive knowledge of art theory; this course will provide a broad groundwork on several of the major problematics.
Central to this course are the recurring questions: why is theory important, and how does it affect my practice? Why should art students (studio or history) need to learn about art theory and methodology? The answer to these questions is simple, but actually answering them is more difficult: learning about art theory and methodology will give you a greater awareness of your own and other's art practices. However, grasping these theories is not easy; it will take much reading and rereading to unpack and comprehend the material. Like any piece of art, exploring it with an open mind will help you both understand and appreciate the ideas at hand.