Syllabus

Course Objective
As photography moves into the 21st century it is at the center of a discourse surrounding culture and the contstruction of history, memory, truth, and identity. Invented during the industrial revolution, its continued relevance in the new visual and virtual era cannot be denied. It is therefore important that as contemporary creators and consumers of images we all understand the complex history of the photograph as cultural object.

Course Format
This objective will be addressed through a combination of class lectures, assigned readings, online discussions, and writing assignments. As stated, instruction will be centered on the photograph as cultural object and will include a historical examination of the varied functions of photography. Visual literacy, contemporary art history, and the technological development of the medium will also be addressed.

Assignments
There will be two major writing assignments required. For the first assignment you are to find two original photographs created between 1945 and the present and write a 4-5 page research paper comparing the images and placing the photographs in both their historical and cultural contexts. For the second assignment you are asked to research an artist, image, or movement from the period and prepare a 10-12 page paper. Thesis statements, bibliographies, and outlines for this paper will be due throughout the semester.

In addition to the primary writing assignments, students will be required to participate in a series of online discussion forums.

Grading Policy
Midterm Exam 20%
Final Exam 20%
Research Paper #1 15%
Research Paper #2 25%
Online Discussion Forums 20%

Attendance Policy
I expect students to attend all classes. Be aware that failure to attend class will inevitably be reflected in overall class performance and can therefore significantly affect your final grade.

Textbook
The suggested texts for this course are Photography/ A Cultural History by Mary Warner Marien and The Photography Reader edited by Liz Wells.

Reasonable Accommodation Policy
Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent him or her from fully demonstrating his or her abilities should contact me as soon as possible so we can discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation and facilitate your involvement in this class.

Course Schedule

The following major themes will be addressed during the semester

The Photograph and History
Lecture 1 Slides
Lecture 2 Slides

The Photograph as Document: Walker Evans, Robert Frank, New Documents, andNew Topographics
Lecture 1 Slides
Lecture 2 Slides
Lecture 3 Slides

The Photograph as Metaphor
Leture Slides

The Photographic Narrative
Lecture 1 Slides
Lecture 2 Slides

Photography, Painting, Performance, and the Neo-Avant-Garde
Lecture Slides

Art and Photography: The 1980’s and Postmodernism
Lecture Slides

Art and Photography: 1990’s to the present
Lecture Slides

Final Exam

Final Exam - Please respond in detail to each of the following questions and include thumbnails of all images cited. Written responses are due by 12:00 pm Tuesday, December 16.

Postmodernism

In an early postmodern work, Sherrie Levine, in 1979, appropriated Walker Evans’ photograph of Allie Mae Burroughs. What makes Evans’ photograph a modernist image and Levine’s image postmodern? Using the two images as a point of reference, describe in as much detail as possible the characteristics of each of these aesthetic and cultural movements of the 20th Century.

Narrative

Narrative has been a common theme in contemporary photography. Select three photographers from those discussed in class who work in this manner and describe the importance of performance, tableau, sequence, and, or, other significant factors in the photographic construction of narrative. Use specific images to illustrate your ideas.

Artists and Photography

During the 1960’s and 1970’s several artists who worked primarily in other media began to use photography. Select two such individuals and describe how and why the integration of photography was important in their art. In addition explain how this method of working might be seen as a precursor to postmodernism.

Research Paper #2

In this writing assignment you are asked to research an artist, image, or movement from the period and prepare a 12 page paper. Graduate students are required to submit 20 pages. The critical analysis of photographs is expected to be a central element of the work. Although some biographical information may be necessary in addressing the topic, the paper should not be a biography. Thesis statements, bibliographies, and outlines for this paper will be due throughout the semester. The paper must include proper citations and a bibliography with ten or more sources - at least four of which must be journal articles. Please include prints or photocopies of all images.

Midterm

Midterm Exam - Please respond in detail to each of the following questions and include thumbnails of all images cited. Written responses are due at the beginning of class on Thursday, October 23.

Walker Evans and Robert Frank

In our discussion of Robert Frank’s book the Americans, I stated that Walker Evans’ photography of the 1930’s was influential in the creation of this work. From the images we have looked at in class, select one photograph by each photographer and compare and contrast the two images.

Luc Dulahaye

French photojournalist Luc Dulahaye blurs the distinction between art and document. Compare and contrast one of Dulahaye’s images from the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East to a photograph by one of the other war photojournalists we have discussed.

William Eggleston

When William Eggleston speaks of the “Democratic Forrest” what does he mean? To illustrate your answer describe and interpret three of his photographs.

New Topographics

The New Topographics exhibition organized by the George Eastman House in 1975 was a direct response to the history and practice of landscape photography, as well as, the growing cultural awareness of issues surrounding land use and interpretation. In response to this statement describe and interpret images by at least two photographers included in the exhibition.

Research Paper #1

In this writing assignment you are asked to compare and contrast two photographs of the same, or a very similar, subject. The images you select must represent two distinctly different points of view (varying cultural, political, social, ethnic, or religious perspectives for example). Your thesis should concentrate on how these differing perspectives inform the photographer's work and contribute to the construction of photographic meaning. The paper must be 4-5 pages in length and contain a bibliography with five or more sources - at least two of which must be journal articles. Please include prints or photocopies of the two images.

Due October 9th