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AMERICAN CULTURE STUDIES (L98)  (Dept. Info)Arts & Sciences  (Policies)FL2017
L98 AMCS 416Topics in AMCS: Art, Government, & the Dilemmas of Cultural Policy in 20th Century America3.0 Units
Description:In 1989, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., cancelled its pending exhibit, Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Moment. Opponents of the exhibit rejoiced, arguing tax payers should not have to support the "obscene" photography. Advocates defended it, and its NEA funding, as freedom of expression. And unlike opponents they believed the work met the highest artistic standards. Advocates and opponents both claimed their positions represented democracy at work: proponents cited protection of first amendment rights and opponents named majority rule. The Mapplethorpe controversy raises fundamental questions that frame this course: Is democracy good for the arts? Are the arts good for democracy? The partnership between the arts and government is vexed yet strangely collaborative. It promotes creative expression and civic participation despite of - and sometimes, because of - troublesome issues that state support for the arts, or, cultural policy, can generate. This course examines these issues, bringing into view the synergistic partnership between art and state and its significance for a democratic, creative society. We explore case studies from the 20th century that foreground this collaboration, among them WWI propaganda posters, New Deal art programs, NEA projects, and museum exhibits. These cases highlight the challenges of cultural policy and bring to light turning points in the relationship between government and the arts. They raise questions that prompt students to think critically about the connection between art and democracy and does so by considering the perspectives of artists and government officials. This historically grounded course draws on various fields of study to examine the context which state-sponsored art was produced, consumed, and interpreted. Students engage with visual and material culture, media, and archival materials. The seminar culminates in a final research project of the student's design; topics may be drawn from the early twentieth century to the present-day. Prerequisite: Sophomore class standing or higher.
Attributes:A&S IQ: SSCEN: S
Instruction Type:Classroom instruction Grade Options:CPA Fees:
Course Type:HomeSame As:L18 416  U89 433Frequency:Unpredictable / History
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A “Home” course is a course that is created, maintained and “owned” by one academic department (aka the “Home” department). The “Home” department is primarily responsible for the decision making and logistical support for the course and instructor.

An “Ident” course is the exact same course as the “Home” (i.e. same instructor, same class time, etc), but is simply being offered to students through another department for purposes of registering under a different department and course number.

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