AHS-144 Art in the Museum (1 credit)
Explore local and global museums in virtual and face to face formats while viewing current exhibitions and behind the scenes tours. Discuss and interpret virtual museum programs and live community experiences to develop a research focus based upon your interests. The museum to visit will be announced. Open to all students. No prerequisites.
AHS-210 Ancient to Byzantine Art (2 credits)
In this course, the student explores cultural artifacts classified as art and identified and/or collected and studied as "art history." This course examines the visual arts, including the built environment, from approximately 35,000 BCE to 1400 CE in Africa, the Americas (including Wisconsin), Asia, and Europe, emphasizing analysis of historical and cultural contexts for artmaking.
Prerequisite(s): FA 100 Series, HUM-150 series course, CM-125
AHS-244 Art in the Museum (1 credit)
This course is designed for the student who has completed level 1 and 2 of Aesthetic Engagement and wishes to expand their creative engagement to intermediate study through study of arts in the museum or gallery space. Students will examine artistic/creative choices made within one credit workshop activities designed to introduce reflection and group discussion across a variety of media and complex exhibition concepts presented at the museum. The student will apply past knowledge and experiences in creative fields to enhance an understanding of the current topics or artists at the museum. Students will apply intermediate level aesthetic engagement criteria to their practice and assessment of the workshop content.
AHS-250 Asian Art (4 credits)
In this hybrid course we will take an in-depth study of the evolution of Chinese Art from the early oracle bone inscriptions to the powerful "Scar Art" after the Cultural Revolution to Contemporary Chinese activist artists Ai Wei Wei and Cai Guo-Qiang. Students will analyze how art, geography, politics, economics, philosophy and religion intersect in a variety of historical contexts in China. This course will integrate technology and game-based learning to study how Chinese artworks evolved in function, technique and materials by looking closely at their social and cultural incubators. The course requires a commitment of five (5) face-to-face classes (including off-campus site visits to museums) and eight (8) online courses. Preference given to students required to take this course if enrollment exceeds limit.
Prerequisite(s): FA-110 series course, HUM-150 series course, CM-125
AHS-251 Pages Through Time: Art of the Book (4 credits)
Students learn about the physical nature of information and books across history. From the earliest pictures on cave walls to the e-book, students analyze technology, composition, typography and production and distribution of communication. Students will also learn basics of book binding, papermaking, calligraphy, printmaking and digital art to make their own series of books. They will use their own stories and historical research to investigate cultures and the messages they have left behind. Active class time includes research, practice with legacy media, guest artists, visits to book exhibits and the production of contemporary books. Students expand their active reading skills by visiting book exhibitions and collections, and investigating the social and cultural contexts of creativity that influence the development of contemporary artist's books. Research and class discussions include such topics as the invention of paper and movable type, the do-it-yourself (DIY) publishing movement, and the electronic book. Preference is given to students required to take this course if enrollment exceeds limit.
Prerequisite(s): FA-110 series course, HUM-150 series course, CM-125
AHS-252 Medieval to Modern Art (4 credits)
This second semester course covers the 14th-19th centuries, chronologically following AHS-210 Ancient to Byzantine Art. In this class, students analyze and form perspectives about the aesthetic, social, and valuing components of art created in Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Neo-Classical, Romanticist, Realist, Impressionist, and Post-Impressionist periods. Through individual research, group discussion, hands-on material processes, and attendance at local museum exhibitions, students practice a variety of integrated communication strategies to articulate their viewpoints about art across time and cultures.
AHS-311 Art Topics: (2 credits)
Rotating Topics in Art is a course designed to create many options for students to explore theories and hands-on art processes from a variety of cultural, historic or contemporary perspectives and contexts. Students complete research, site visits or discussions with artists, art projects and presentations about their learning. Some past topics have included Women Artists, Papermaking and Textiles, Sustaining Arts & Crafts of Latin America, Art, Environment & Sustainability, and Contemporary American Painters. The course counts as an HFA-310 elective or as an art history elective. No prior experience with the topic is necessary. The Registrar's Office will have the course description for each semester's topic course.
Prerequisite(s): HFA-210, Level 3 ICM Validation
AHS-311A Art Topics: Sustaining Arts & Crafts of Latin America (2 credits)
Sustainable art is art that is produced with consideration for the wider impact of the work and its reception in relationship to its environments (social, economic, biophysical, historical and cultural). Students will build a virtual gallery dedicated to understanding arts and craft of a selected country or region of Latin America. Explore the broad range of artistic expression and craft movements across diverse countries of North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Students select their interest in a country or region and focus upon aesthetic history, cultural traditions, natural resources, fair-trade, social or political craft movements well-being of artisans and sustainability of arts and crafts in the lives of citizens. Students build a gallery of research including diverse art and craft forms significantly representing media from weaving, dyeing, costumes, fabric construction, ceramics, painting, sculpture or other functional ware made by individual artists or in workshops or groups. Students educate peers about factors that endanger the ancient roots and contemporary innovations in art and craft. They develop educational materials and links to organizations that work to sustain historic symbolism and master techniques for the future. From famous artists in fine arts museums to family artesanias (art workshops) and cooperativas (cooperative workshops) in communities, the arts and crafts have valuable lessons to teach about heritage, ritual and spiritual meanings. Through research and discussion students build a repository of knowledge and interpretation about the voices of expression in Latin American countries.
Prerequisite(s): One Communication Level 3 ICM completed; one course in HFA-210 elective completed.
AHS-311B Great Art Quest (2 credits)
This on-line course is designed as a game with specific challenges. Ancient art is disappearing into Oblivion, and taking with it, the memory of five civilizations that created it. Students become defenders of five ancient cultures by collecting their art and preserving it in personal galleries. Each civilization has its challenges that the student must overcome in order to save the art. The five ancient cultures are: Egypt, India, China, Maya/Aztec, and Greece. The art works are not merely saved and displayed in the galleries, but also analyzed in terms of what they represent for civilization and why they are important for us to treasure.
Prerequisite(s): One Communication Level 3 ICM completed; one course in HFA-210 elective completed.
AHS-311C Women in Art (2 credits)
Women in Art will focus on the life and work of women in the arts involved in the production of visual arts and culture. Students will: View and analyze artworks created by women in art history and contemporary artists working with issues of gender and identity. Students will deconstruct art history and synthesize meanings and Feminist interpretations about art created by women. Primary learning experiences include reading, researching, writing, and discussing the art of various periods/themes/cultures within the larger, historical, social and cultural context that affected its development. Classroom activities consist of viewing images of artworks, listening to presentations about images, participating in small and large group discussions, hands-on material explorations and visits to art exhibits and cultural events. Students will be asked to carefully observe artwork; think, interpret, and relate these works; and develop an informed aesthetic opinion. The course counts as an HFA-310 elective or as an art history elective. No prior experience with the topic is necessary. The Registrar's Office will have the course description for each semester's topic course.
Prerequisite(s): IN 130
AHS-311D Art, Environment, Sustainability Latin America (2 credits)
Art Topics Course: Sustainable art is art that is produced with consideration for the wider impact of the work and its reception in relationship to its environments (social, economic, biophysical, historical and cultural). Students will build a virtual gallery dedicated to understanding arts and craft and their role in sustaining the environment through social justice, education and awareness building, repurposing, designing greener innovations in materials, honoring traditions and reflecting on communities and their connections to place. Students research selected topics from ancient beliefs about human spiritual relationship to the land, to Earth Art Movement of the sixties, and Environmental Movements of today. Students will educate peers about their research and also develop an artistic work in their own environments. No experience in art is necessary.
Prerequisite(s): IN 130, 1-3ICM
AHS-311E Contemporary American Painters (2 credits)
In this course students will explore a range of contemporary artists (1970 to present) including a focus on women and people of color and diverse genders. We will look at art as it changes from decade to decade to see formal and conceptual shifts. Students become familiar with many artists and movements but also develop a strong knowledge of their selected favorite painters. Students gain understanding of how and why art is valued and collected. Through course discussions, slide presentations, optional museum visits or video documentaries students begin to identify relationships between visual artists, history and contemporary social circumstances. Students may also have the opportunity to use their own creativity in building an expressive final project. No experience in art necessary. Note: This course is based in researching contemporary art with a focus upon Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. This includes the artist's own construction of meaning and the inclusion of all artists in major exhibitions, educational theory and historical writings.
Prerequisite(s): One Communication Level 3 ICM completed; one course in HFA-210 elective completed.
AHS-311F Papermaking & Textiles (2 credits)
In this HFA elective students will use research of global papermaking and textiles to develop an understanding of how art is linked to sustainability of the environment and cultural expression of meaning. Through hands-on art making with local plants students design formulas for papermaking and use dyes, pigments and global textile processes to create personally expressive fabric and paper informed by chosen research. No experience in art necessary. This hybrid course consists of several on-line meetings, and student selection of studio hours to complete projects.
Prerequisite(s): HFA-210, Level 3 ICM Validation
AHS-409 Modern & Contemporary Art (3 credits)
In this course, students study contemporary art historical theory and art making to increase their understanding of the current context for visual expression. They explore a broad variety of philosophical stances, movements, practices, and themes from art of the 20th and 21st centuries. They consider how these topics differ as they look at art and visual culture around the globe, uncovering how visual meanings are developed and presented in communities. An understanding of contemporary art is linked to the student's developing awareness of self as an art maker in studio art classes. Additionally, students should expect some classes to meet at local arts agencies, museums, or galleries and may need to pay some admission prices.
Prerequisite(s): Required for All Art/MDIA Majors. Preference given to students required to take course. Dev a Global Perspective Level 3 completed. Communication Level 3 ICM completed. Analysis Level 3 completed. Social Interaction Level 3 completed.
AHS-494 Portfolio Assessment for Art History (0 credits)
Portfolio Assessment for Art History minors required in their final semester. Meet with instructor to plan presentation held during finals week.