Course_Painting_The Body & Technology

Course Director: Janet Jones
Office: 306 A / Office Hrs: Wed. 10:30-12:30

jjones@yorku.ca.
www.yorku.ca/jjones/

This course introduces students to the critical issues and debates surrounding contemporary painting. It begins by considering the wider social and cultural implications of modernism and postmodernism and then relates these ideas to painting by looking at the works of a number of modern and contemporary painters. Following this analysis and comparison, key issues in postmodernist painting are examined.

-The relation of modernism to modernist painting
-The relation of postmodernism to postmodernist painting
-Differences/similarities of modernist and postmodernist painting strategies
-‘Pure’ and ‘Impure’ Painting
-‘Old’ and ‘New’ Abstraction
-Appropriation and Simulation
-Integration of mass media and kitsch
-Women and Painting
-Painting and the Body
-Painting and Digital Media

Group presentations of selected readings are an important aspect of this course. Readings are selected that focus on each of the themes and present differing points of view.

Group presentation of a selected article from the Course Reader. Each group will be composed of 4-5 class members. Each group member is responsible for presenting a section or a theme from the article and providing handouts to the class (Please make sure to put your name on your handout.) and/or accompanying the presentation with slides of the artists’ works under consideration. The group presentation, with class interruptions and discussion, will take approx. 1.5 hour.
(See Class Schedule for Presentation Dates)

B.Review of a selected Painting Exhibition…………..20%

I will provide a list of a number of painting exhibitions to choose from in Toronto. If you wish to choose an exhibition not listed please discuss it with me. An outline of the review format and exhibitions will be handed out and discussed in an upcoming class. (3 pages) Due: October 21st, 2002.

An outline of the format for the Artist Statement will be handed out and discussed in an upcoming class. (3 pages)

An outline of topics will be handed out in an upcoming class
Length: 10-12 pgs. + Bibliography. Written in appropriate academic form with end or footnotes.
Due: November 25th, 2002.

Note: The last day to drop this course without receiving a final grade is November 8, 2002.

Total 100%

A course reader has been prepared which contains all of the required readings. It is available through the York University Bookstore in York Lanes.

David Moos, Painting in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Art & Design, Profile#48, London: Academy Group, 1996.

David A. Ross, Endgame: Reference and simulation in Recent Painting and Sculpture. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1986.

Griselda Pollock, Vision and Difference: Femininity, Feminism and the Histories of Art. London, Routledge, 1988.

Frederic Jameson, “The Cultural Logic of Later Capitalism”, in Postmodernism or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism. Durham: Durham Univ. Press, 1991.

Brian Wallis. Art After Modernism: Rethinking Representation. N.Y. & Boston: D.R. Godine, 1984.

David Harvey. The Condition of Postmodernity: An Enquiry into the Conditions of Cultural Change. Oxford: Blackwell Pub., 1990.

Jessica Bradley, Perspective 96: Cora Cluett, Eric Glavin, Angela Leach and Steven Shearer. Exhibition Cat. From A.G.O. Exhibition, 1997.

Mira Schor, Wet: on painting, feminism, and art culture. Durham: Duke University Press, 1997.

Gregory Salzman, Moira Dryer, Paintings 1989-92, Catalogue. Toronto: Art Gallery of York University, 2000.

Andrew Benjamin, What Is Abstraction? London: Academy Editions; Lanham, Md.: 1996.

Jeremy Gilbert-Rolfe, Beauty and the Contemporary Sublime. New York: Allworth Press, 1999.

September 9th: Introduction to the Course
-Review of the course outline
-Viewing of the video Painters Painting as background material to set the ‘scene’ for this course. (Video # 2517 – 116 min)
-Purchase course reader for the next class and review the articles
-Reading for next class: “ Modernist Painting” Clement Greenberg
“ Louis and Noland” Clement Greenberg

-Divide up into class groups for discussion and article presentation (3-4 members per group). This will be your group throughout the class.
-Exchange of group email addresses
-Discussion of readings in groups
-Seminar Presentation:
    -What is Greenbergian Modernism?
    - How are the ideas of Greenbergian Modernism reflected in Modernist painting of the 1940’s – 1960’s?
   - Why did ‘Greenberg and the group’ become so powerful both in New York and internationally?
   - Image presentation
   - Audio interview of Clement Greenberg with Janet Jones
   - Video interviews with Clement Greenberg from the videos In Our time (#2195) & The Empire of Signs (# 4516)

Reading: “ Modernist Painting” Clement Greenberg
“ Louis and Noland” Clement Greenberg
(All articles are available in your reader unless otherwise noted)

-Readings for Next Class: “Avant-Garde Attitudes: New Art in the Sixties
“Fabulous Confusion! Pop Before Pop? Dick Hebdige

September 30th: Avant-Garde and Avant-Gardism: Greenbergian Modernist Painting and Pop Art

- What happened in the early 1960’s that foretold the beginnings of postmodernist painting strategies?
- How were these strategies in opposition to Greenbergian Modernism?
- Discussion of the articles in Groups (1/2 hr.)
- Presentation/Discussion: “Avant-Garde Attitudes: New Art in the Sixties”
Greenberg

Reading for Next Class: “The Cultural Logic of Later Capitalism”, Frederic Jameson.

October 7th:Modernism /Postmodernism and Modernist Painting/Postmodernist Painting

- What is the relationship between modernism and postmodernism?
- What is the relationship between modernist painting and modernism?
- What is the relationship between modernism and postmodernism?
- What is the relationship between postmodernism and postmodernist painting?
- Viewing of a selection from the video Andy Warhol (Video3006 – 78 min)
- Discussion of the article in groups: (1/2 hr.)

Group Two Presentation: “The Cultural Logic of Later Capitalism”, Fredric Jameson.
Reading for next class: “ Modernism and Modernity”, David Harvey
“ Postmodernism”, David Harvey

- How did Modernism develop?
- What are some of the differences between modernism and postmodernism /
- How are David Harvey’s ideas on modernism/postmodernism different or the same as Fredric Jameson’s?

Group Discussions of Selected Readings; Group three Presentation: “ Modernism and Modernity”, David Harvey
- Group Four Presentation: “ Postmodernism”, David Harvey

Reading for next class: “ Figures of Authority, Ciphers of Regression”, Benjamin H. D. Buchloh

-Viewing the video Painting the Eighties (1hr) that profiles a number of Neo-Expressionist Painters.
-(See as well, the cat. N 6868 C44 1985 The European Iceberg: creativity in Germany and Italy today / by Germano Celant)
-What is the relationship between neo-expressionism and postmodernism?
-Is neo-expressionism a continuation of modernist beliefs?
-How do the ideas of the film’s commentator, the art critic, Douglas Crimp differ from the ideas put forth by Buchloch?

Group Discussions of Selected Readings
Group Five Presentation: “ Figures of Authority, Ciphers of Regression”, Benjamin H. D. Buchloh

-Group Discussion
-Group Six Presentation “Painting the Task of Mourning”, Yve-Alain Bois
-Group Seven Presentation: “The Last Picture Show”
-Reading/viewing for next class: <www.faithringgold.com>

Seminar: Janet Jones
An historical survey of how women have been represented through painting. (1.5 hr)
-Viewing of Video on the Afro- American painter Faith Ringgold (# 4974) 1/2 hr

Reading for next class: Wet: on Painting, Feminism and Art Culture
Interviews with: Moira Dryer / Shirley Wittasalo

-Group Discussion
Group Eight Presentation: Wet: on Painting, Feminism and Art Culture
-Presentation/Discussion: Moira Dryer / Shirley Wittasalo (& other cont. women painters)
Reading for next class: “Introduction: Life on the Screen”, Sherrie Turkle
“Perspective 96”

-Group Discussion (1/2 Hr)
-Group Nine Presentation: “Introduction: Life on the Screen”, Sherrie Turkle
-Slide Presentation/Discussion: on the artists in Perspective 96 & others

- Michel Daigneault and Janet Jones will each present /discuss their work in relation to postmodernist painting strategies.

FACULTY OF FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT OF VISUAL ARTS FA/VISA 3001D 3.0 Monday 2:30 – 5:30 Rm. 322 THE PAINTER IN POSTMODERNITY

FACULTY OF FINE ARTS
DEPARTMENT OF VISUAL ARTS
FA/VISA 3001D 3.0 Monday 2:30 – 5:30 Rm. 322
THE PAINTER IN POSTMODERNITY