arh4710: photography: then and now spring...

ProfessorNikaElder Lectures:M–Period8OfficeHours:Wednesdays,5pm-6pmandbyappt. W–Periods8&9Office:121,FineArtsBuildingC Location:FAC201nelder@arts.ufl.edu

ARH4710:Photography:ThenandNow

Spring2017

CourseDescription“Thismaybetermedanageofpictures.”Althoughthesewordsresonatewithourcurrentculturalmoment,theywereactuallyspokenbyabolitionistFrederickDouglassin1862,ashemadeacasefortheintellectual,personal,andpoliticalsignificanceofphotography.Adoptingathematicapproachratherthanachronologicalone,thiscourseexaminesthepersistentrolethatphotographyhasplayedintheconstructionofknowledgeintheUnitedStatesfromthemedium’sinventionin1839tothepresentday.Wewilladdresssuchtopicsascelebrity,thelandscape,science,activism,andwarandexplorethewaysinwhichhistoricalandcontemporarydepictionsofthesesubjectsoverlapanddiverge.Assuch,thehistoricalexampleswillputourcurrentculturalmomentinperspective,andthecontemporaryexampleswillilluminatetheurgencyofthehistoricalimages.Inadditiontolecturesanddiscussions,thecourseincludesguestspeakersandsitevisits.CourseRequirements:Thecoursehastworequirements:engagementandwritingassignments.

1.ENGAGEMENTTheengagementrequirementhasfourcomponents:1)Attendance

Attendanceisrequiredateveryclasssession.Studentsareexpectedtoarriveontime.Absencesand/orcontinuedlatenesswilladverselyaffectyourengagementgrade.

TheUniversityattendancepolicycanbefoundhere:https://catalog.ufl.edu/ugrad/current/regulations/info/attendance.aspx#absences

Incasesofreligiousobservance,pleasenotifymeinadvanceofyourabsenceandarrangetogetnotesfromsomeoneelseintheclass.

2)Reading

a.Thecoursetextbookis:

MaryWarnerMarien,Photography:ACulturalHistory(NewYork:HarryN.Abrams,2014)

ItisrequiredandcanbepurchasedattheUFbookstoreoronline.

Thetextbookprovidescriticalbackgroundinformationforlecture,whichwillpresumefamiliaritywithnamesanddatesmentionedtherein.Readingsfromthetextbookshouldbecompletedinadvanceofthedatesforwhichtheyareassigned.

b.Allotherrequiredreadingsareavailableinthe“CourseReserves”sectiononCanvas.

Bringhardcopiesofallreadingstoclass.Istronglyencourageyoutoprintthetextspriortoreadingthemsoyoucanunderline,highlight,andjotdownnotes,thoughts,andquestionswithabandon.

3)ParticipationParticipationisanintegralcomponentofthecourseandwillbegraded.Participatingmeans:

1.Takingproductivenotesonlecture.Lecturesgowellbeyondthetextbook,soitistoyourbenefittobeasthoroughinyournote-takingaspossible.SeeappendixAforeffectivenote-takingstrategies.2.RespondingtothediscussionquestionsonCanvas.Inordertohelpguideyourreadingof“outsidesources,”i.e.non-textbookreading,discussionquestionswillbepostedonCanvas.Responsesaredueby12am(midnight)thenightbeforeclass.RespondingLatepostswillnotbecounted.

3.Presentingandanalyzingapopularimagetotheclass.Overthecourseofthesemester,eachstudentwillpresentandanalyzeanimagesheorhehasencounteredinthemedia.Furtherinstructionswillbeprovidedonthefirstdayofclass.4.Engaginginclassdiscussionsonreadingsandartworks.Engaginginclassdiscussioncantakeseveraldifferentforms:answeringquestions,posingquestions,agreeingordisagreeingwithotherstudents’comments.

Feelfreetodrawconnectionstocontemporaryeventsandissues,personalexperience,otherclasses,andmaterialcoveredatanypointinthesemester.Offeringopinionsthatdifferfromthosepresentedinlectureorincommentsbyclassmatesisencouraged.Posequestionsonthe

lectures,statementsmadebyotherstudents,etc.Thesecontributionswillenrichtheclassroomexperienceforallinvolved.

4)PoliciesPleaseadheretoallcoursepolicies.ElectronicsPolicyCellphonesshouldbeplacedonsilentand,alongwithotherelectronicdevices,includinglaptops,putawayforthedurationoflectureandsection.Notescanandshouldbetakenwithpen/pencilonpaperratherthanbylaptop.Researchhasproventhattakingnotesbyhandbenefitscomprehension,retention,andtheoverallclassroomexperience.See,forexample,thefollowingarticlefromTheChronicleofHigherEducationhttp://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/taking-notes-by-hand-benefits-recall-researchers-find/51411andthejournalarticleonwhichthatpiecewasbasedhttp://www.academia.edu/6273095/The_Pen_Is_Mightier_Than_The_Keyboard_Advantages_of_Longhand_Over_Laptop_Note_TakingWithdocumentationfromtheDeanofStudentsOffice,awaiverwillbemadetothelaptoppolicy.EmailPolicyPleasecheckyourUFemailandCanvasregularly.Importantinformationaboutassignments,meetinglocations,etc.willbedisseminatedviasectionlistservs.YouareautomaticallysubscribedtothelistservwithyourUFemail.Inmostcases,Irespondtoemailswithin24-48hours.ConductPolicyAsamatterofcourse,studentsareexpectedtoabidebytheUniversity’spoliciesregardingacademichonesty,thehonorcode,andstudentconductrelatedtothehonorcode.Fullinformationregardingthesepoliciesisavailableatthefollowingsites:AcademicHonesty:http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/catalog/policies/students.html#honestyHonorCode:http://www.dso.ufl.edu/sccr/honorcodes/honorcode.phpStudentConduct:http://www.dso.ufl.edu/sccr/honorcodes/conductcode.php

2.WRITINGASSIGNMENTS

Therearetwoshortwritingassignmentsforthiscourseandaresearchpaper,whichisdividedintothreecomponents.Thefirstshortassignment(1-3pages)willbearesponsetotheGuerrillaGirlslectureonThursday,February9th.Thesecondshortassignment(1-3pages)willberesponsetothepaneldiscussion“In/visible:WomenandGenderinArt”attheHarnMuseumofArt.Detailedinstructionswillbeprovidedinadvanceofbothassignments.

Theresearchpaper(7-10pages)willfocusonasinglephotographicworkorprojectproducedintheUnitedStatesorEuropefrom1839throughthepresent.Istronglyencourageyoutochooseatopicthatyoucananalyzeandstudyinperson.Amongotherforums,itcanbeselectedfromthecollectionoftheHarnMuseumofArtorSpecialCollections.Theresearchpaperisdividedintothreecomponents.Detailedinstructionswillbeprovidedforeachone:

*aparagraph-longproposalofatopicisdueonMonday,February27th*theresearchproposal(approx.3pages)isdueonMonday,March13th*thepaperisdueonMonday,April24th

AccommodationsEveryeffortwillbemadetoaccommodatestudentswithdisabilities.Studentsinneedofdisabilityaccommodationsshouldscheduleanappointmentwithmeassoonaspossible.AllaccommodationsrequestsmustbeaccompaniedbynecessarydocumentationfromtheDeanofStudentsOffice.CourseResources1)Canvas–slidelistsandanyotherdocumentsdistributedinclasswillbepostedonthecoursepage.2)OFFICEHOURS:I’mhappytomeetwithyouduringmyofficehoursWednesdays,5pm-6pminmyoffice,FAC121,todiscussanyquestionspertainingtothecoursecontent,readingassignments,writingassignments,orexams.Officehoursdon’trequireanappointment;feelfreetojustdropby.Ifyou’reunavailableatthedesignatedtime,justaskoremailme,andwecanarrangeanothertimetomeet.3)ACADEMICSUPPORTUFTeachingCenterhttps://teachingcenter.ufl.edu/UFWritingStudiohttp://writing.ufl.edu/writing-studio/UniversityCounseling&WellnessCenterhttp://www.counseling.ufl.edu/cwc/GradingThefinalcoursegradeiscalculatedasfollows:30%Engagement10%GuerrillaGirlsResponsePaper10%In/visibleResponsePaper10%PaperTopicProposal15%ResearchPaperProposal25%ResearchPaper

AllexamsandassignmentswillbeassignedlettergradesandinputintoCanvas,whichwillcalculatethefinalcoursegrade.Gradingrubricsforeachcomponentofthecoursecanbefoundintheappendicestothissyllabus.FollowingareUF’sgradedefinitions:A:94-100A-:90-93B+:87-89B:84-86B-:80-83C+:77-79C:74-76C-:70-73D+:67-69D:64-66D-:61-63F:0-60Inordertopassthiscourse,allassignmentsmustbecompleted.Noexceptions.Toreceivefullcredit,assignmentsmustbeturnedinontime.Extensionswillonlybegrantedunderspecialorextremecircumstanceswithvaliddocumentationand,unlessimpossible,mustbearrangedinadvance.Withoutanapprovedextension,lateassignmentswillbemarkeddown1/3ofagradeperday.Nomake-upexamswillbegivenwithoutdocumentationdemonstratingthatthescheduledexamdateisimpossible.

ProjectedCourseSchedule

Allreadingsshouldbecompletedinadvanceofthelecturesforwhichtheyarelisted.Week1 IntroductionWJan.4 Introduction

POLITICS

Week2 WarMJan.9 …ItsFictions

Reading:Marien,Photography:ACulturalHistory,pgs.40-43,97-111Optional:Marien,Photography:ACulturalHistory,pgs.3-29(earlytechnicalhistoryofphotography)

WJan.11 …ItsRealitiesAConversationabout“Aftermath:TheFalloutofWar—America&theMiddleEast”withCarolMcCusker,CuratorofPhotography,HarnMuseumofArt

Reading:SusanSontag,“InPlato’sCave,”OnPhotography(1973),pgs.3-24SusanSontag,excerptsfromRegardingthePainofOthers(2001),pgs.95-126

ThJan12 LectureofInterest! ContemporaryPhotographerArthurWo

MusicBuilding,Room101(MUB101),6pmWeek3 JournalismMJan.16 NoClass–MartinLutherKing,Jr.Day

Fornoreasonotherthanyourownpersonalenrichment,IrecommendwatchingMartinLutherKing,Jr.’s“IHaveaDream”speech,whichhedeliveredattheMarchonWashingtonin1963:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0yP4aLyq1g

WJan.18 2016Election/InaugurationCoverage Reading: “InSight,YetElusive,”NYTimes.org

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/09/us/politics/donald-trump-presidential-campaign.html

“LifeintheLights,”NYTimes.orghttp://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/09/us/politics/hillary-clinton-presidential-campaign.html?action=click&contentCollection=Politics&module=RelatedCoverage&region=EndOfArticle&pgtype=article“WhyTime’sTrumpCoverIsaSubversiveWorkofArt,”Forward(Dec.8,2016)http://forward.com/culture/356537/why-times-trump-cover-is-a-subversive-work-of-political-art/AbigailRockwell,“WhoMovedtheNormanRockwellPaintingintheOvalOffice?,”TheHuffingtonPost(Nov.22,2016)http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/who-moved-the-norman-rockwell-painting-in-the-oval_us_58333e46e4b08c963e344310

*by11:59pmonTuesday,Jan.19,uploadtoCanvasapopularphotorelatedtothe2016inaugurationand/ordomesticpoliticsthatyouwouldliketodiscuss*

Week4 SocialChangeMJan.23 Spectacle Reading:

Marien,Photography:ACulturalHistory,pgs.201-207JacobRiis,“Preface”and“Introduction,”HowtheOtherHalfLives(1890)

WJan.25 Commentary Reading: Marien,Photography:ACulturalHistory,pgs.277-294,416-421 JamesAgeeandWalkerEvans,“Preface”and“Preamble,”LetUsNowPraiseFamous

Men:ThreeTenantFamilies(1941) MarthaRosler,“In,Around,andAfterthoughts(onDocumentaryPhotography)”in

DecoysandDisruptions:SelectedWritings,1975-2001Week5 ConversationsonCultureMJan.30 ShockoftheReal

Reading:Marien,Photography:ACulturalHistory,pgs.231-251WalterBenjamin,“TheWorkofArtintheAgeofItsMechanicalReproducibility,”(1936)StevenJohnson,“WantToKnowWhatVirtualRealityMightBecome?LooktothePast,”NYTimes.comhttp://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/06/magazine/want-to-know-what-virtual-reality-might-become-look-to-the-past.html?_r=1

WFeb.1 AConversationwithPhotographerAntheaBehm,AssistantProfessorofArt,UF Reading: TBD

Portraiture

Week6 FridaKahlo(es)MFeb.6 ClassCanceled—AttendanceatLectureon9thRequired WFeb.8 “Mirror,Mirror…PortraitsofFridaKahlo” *MeetattheHarnMuseumofArt* Reading: TBDThFeb.9 ALectureby“FridaKahlo”oftheGuerrillaGirls HarnMuseumofArt,[exacttimetbd;evening] Writing: WritearesponsepaperbasedonthelectureWeek7 ThePopulaceMFeb.13 …IdentityConstruction Reading: Marien,Photography:ACulturalHistory,pgs.56-69,81

AndreaVolpe,“CartesdeVisitePortraitPhotographsandtheCultureofClassFormation,”inTheMiddlingSorts:ExplorationsintheHistoryoftheAmericanMiddleClass(2001)

Writing:

***ResponsePaper1dueonCanvasatnoon***

WFeb.15 …IdentityDeconstruction Reading:

Marien,Photography:ACulturalHistory,pgs.423-425,423-432DouglasCrimp,“OnthePhotographicActivityofPostmodernism,”OctoberVol.15(Winter,1980),pp.91-101

Week8 PublicFiguresMFeb.20 Activists

Reading:Marien,Photography:ACulturalHistory,pgs.[reviewearlierreadingson19th-centuryportraiture]FrederickDouglass,“AgeofPictures”(1862),inPicturingFrederickDouglass(2015)

SojournerTruth,“Ain’tIaWoman”(1851)WFeb.22 Celebrities Reading:

LauraMulvey,“VisualPleasureandNarrativeCinema”(1973)KimKardashianWest,“HappyInternationalWomen’sDay,”KKW.com(2016)+responses(TBD)

Week9 GenderSunFeb26 InpreparationforclassonWednesday,attend:

In/visible:WomenandGenderinArt”attheHarnMuseumofArt,timetbd(afternoon)Reading:LindaNochlin,“WhyHaveThereBeenNoGreatWomenArtists,”ARTNews(1971)

MFeb.27 WritingArtHistory

Reading:JenniferRoberts,“Copley’sCargo:BoywithaSquirrelandtheDilemmaofTransit,”AmericanArtVol.21,No.2(Summer2007),pp.20-41

Writing:*PaperTopicDueonCanvasby5pm*

WMar.1 “Intra-Action:WomenArtistsfromtheHarnCollection”*MeetattheHarnMuseumofArt*Writing:***ResponsePaper2dueonCanvasatnoon***

Week10 SPRINGBREAKWeek11 SpecimensMMar.13 Past

Reading: Marien,Photography:ACulturalHistory,pgs.149-154BrianWallis,“BlackBodies,WhiteScience:LouisAgassiz'sSlaveDaguerreotypes,”AmericanArt,Vol.9,No.2(Summer,1995),pp.38-61

Writing:*ResearchProposalDueonCanvasby5pm*

WMar.15 Present AconversationwithNinaStoyan-Rosenzweig,CollegeofMedicine,UF

ClassmeetsattheMedicalSchool!Reading:TBD

ThMar16 LectureofInterest!PublicallyEngagedArtistPaulRamirez-JonasMusicBuilding,Room101(MUB101),6pm

Week12 ChildrenMMar.20 AttheMillennium

Reading:Marien,Photography:ACulturalHistory,pgs.462-476“SallyMann:Place,”Art21.org

http://www.art21.org/videos/segment-sally-mann-in-place(approx.15min.)AnneHigonnet,“KnowingChildhood,”PicturesofInnocence:TheHistoryandCrisisofIdealChildhood

WMar.22 ResearchingArtHistory

Reading:WayneBooth,etal.“FromProblemstoSources”inTheCraftofResearch(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,2009),pgs.68-82GordonHarvey,“IntegratingSourcesintoaPaper,”WritingwithSources:AGuideforHarvardStudents(Indianapolis:HackettPublishingCompany,Inc.,1998),pgs.3-13DianaHacker,APocketStyleManual[skim]OptionalReading:JosephHarris,“Forwarding,”Rewriting:HowtoDoThingswithTexts(Logan:UtahStateUniversity,2006),pgs.34-53

Week13 “Deviance”MMar27 Past

Reading:Marien,Photography:ACulturalHistory,pgs.141-149AllanSekula,“TheBody&TheArchive,”Octobervol.39(Winter,1986),pgs.3-64

WMar.29 Present

Reading:TejuCole,“DeathintheBrowserTab,”NYTimes.org(May21,2015)

TejuCole,“TheSuperheroPhotographsoftheBlackLivesMatterMovement,”NYTimes.org(July26,2016)RolandBarthes,CameraLucida(1980),pgs.23-28,63-72

Week14 PresentationsonWorkinProgressMApr.3 StudentResearchWApr.5 StudentResearch

LANDSCAPEWeek15 TheCityMApr.10 …asLandscape Reading:

Marien,Photography:ACulturalHistory,pgs.179-184,194-199JamesWeldonJohnson,excerptfromBlackManhattaninHarlemRenaissanceReaderWaltWhitman,“Mannahatta,”LeavesofGrass(1900)

WApr.12 …asAnthropology

Reading:Marien,Photography:ACulturalHistory,pgs.309-315,337,342-357JackKerouac,“Introduction,”TheAmericans(1959)

ThApr13 LectureofInterest! CuratorGeneMoreno

MusicBuilding,Room101(MUB101),6pmWeek16 TheUnchartedMApr.17 TheWest

Reading:Marien,Photography:ACulturalHistory,pgs.125-139RobinE.Kelsey,“ViewingtheArchive:TimothyO'Sullivan'sPhotographsfortheWheelerSurvey,1871-74,”TheArtBulletinVol.85,No.4(Dec.,2003),pp.702-723MartinBerger,“LandscapePhotographyandtheWhiteGaze,”SightUnseen:WhitenessandAmericanVisualCulture(2005)

WApr.19 TBDFApr.21 FinalPaperDueonCanvasby5pm

AppendixA

Note-TakingStrategiesInlisteningtolecturesandclassdiscussions,keeptrackofthefollowingthings,whichwillhelpyoutoformulateanddevelopyourresearchpaper:1.themeaningofindividualworksofartLectureswillofferhistoricallysituatedinterpretationsofindividualworksofart.Thatistosay,theywillexplainwhatagivenworkofartsaysaboutitssubjectandwhy.Thingstolistenforinclude:*thesubjectofaworkofart

*reasonswhyanartisttookupagivensubject*howtheartistdepictedthatsubject *whatdecisionsdidsheorhemake?*thepictorialorculturalcircumstancesthatinformedthosedecisions*finally,whatthosedecisionsmeanfortheworkofart:whattheworksaysaboutitssubjectandwhy2.overlookedaspectsofworksorartistsaddressedinclass,whichyoumaythenwanttotakeupinyourresearchpaper;questionsyouhaveaboutthemediumofphotographyand/orspecificcasestudies,themes,orissuesraisedinclass—again,itishelpfultokeeptrackofthesethingssoyoucanlocateapapertopicthatenablesyoutoaddressthem3.thewaysinwhichphotographicapproachestocoursethemeshaveremainedsimilarand/orshiftedovertimeandwhy—whataccountsforthepersistenceofthoseapproachesand/orthechangesmadetothem4.theoreticalconceptualizationsofphotography—howartistshaveconsciouslyorunconsciouslydefinedthefunction,possibilities,andlimitationsofthemedium

AppendixB

Engagement:GradingRubricA:studenthasgoneaboveandbeyondinachievingthecoursegoals—hasreallytriedtolearnandunderstandthemeaningandsignificanceofphotographyinWesternart.Thestudentreadandprocessedthereadings,waspreparedforclass,consistentlyofferedthoughtfulandinsightfulresponsestodiscussionpostsonCanvas,andtrulyadvancedclassconversationbyposingprobingquestions,makingdeepinsightsintothereadings,offeringalternativeviewpoints,ornotingcomplicatingfactors.Itgoeswithoutsayingthatthisstudenthasattendedallclasses,alwaysarrivedontime,andadheredtoothercoursepolicies.A-:great,butfallsjustshortoftheabove.B+:averygoodeffort.Usuallydidandprocessedthereadings;offeredsomeinsightfuldiscussionpostsonCanvas;regularlycontributedtoconversationsbyansweringquestions,butalsointroducingnewpoints,questions,etc.B:agoodeffort.Studentdidthereading,postedresponsestodiscussionquestionsonCanvas,andregularlyansweredquestionsinclass.Thisstudenthasattendedalmostallclasssessions,generallyarrivedontime,andadheredtoothercoursepolicies.B-:anokayeffort.Studentusuallydidthereading,respondedtodiscussionpostsonCanvas,andansweredquestionsonoccasion.C+:almostthere.Studentusuallyshowsupforclass,mostlyontime,buthasyettoreallymakeherorhispresenceknownbyparticipatingintheconversation;unclearwhetherornotthereadingshavebeendone;intermittentlypostsresponsestodiscussionquestionsonCanvas.C:fallsshortoftheaboveinsomeway.C-:fallsshortofaC+inmorethanoneway.D:somethingthatmakesthegradenotanF.F:studentisdisengagedfromtheclass—doesnotattendclassregularlyand,therefore,hasnotputherselforhimselfinapositiontofulfilltheengagementrequirement.

AppendixC

Papers:GradingRubric

A=meetsandexceedsassignmentgoals.There’ssomethingaboutthepaperthat’strulyexcitingandfreshandrevelatory—itreallycapturesyourattention.Theargumentisinsightfulandwellsupportedbytheevidenceprovided(i.e.thestudent’sdescriptionsandanalysisoftheworkofartand,whenrelevant,publishedsources);thestructureservestheargument,andthepaperis,asawhole,convincingandapleasuretoread.

A-=thepaperfallsjustshortoftheabove.It’sgreat,butmissessomekeyaspectoftheworkoroffersaninsightfulthesis,butnotnecessarilyasurprisingorunexpectedone.

B+=averygoodeffort,buttheargumentcouldbebetterexecuted;someaspectsoftheworkorcontextmightgounaddressed,theanalysiscouldbedeeper,theresearch(whenrequired)morethoroughororiginal,theinterpretation/thesiscouldbeclearer.

B=asolideffort.There’sasenseofathesis/interpretation,butit’sabitvagueorgeneral.Thestructurallogicbehindthesepaperstendstobeabitunclear.Thepapermayaddresssomekeyaspectsoftheworkandofferanalysesofsomedescriptions,butnotothers.

B-=meetsthebasiccriteriafortheassignmentinsomewayshapeorform.Itmovesbeyonddescription,butnotbyverymuch.

C+=onthewaytogettingthebasicsofarthistory:lotsofdescriptionoftheworkanditscontext,butlittleanalysisandnoclearpoint/thesis,thoughthereareglimmersofhopeandpromise.

C=alldescriptionallthetime

C-=thepaperputsforwardsomeeffort,butit’suncleartowhatend;thestudentdoesn’tseemtounderstandtheassignment,formalanalysis,etc.

D=somethingthatmakesthepapernotanF

F=thepaperlacksanawarenessoftheassignment,arthistory,etc.Thesepapersareoftensignificantlyshorterthanthestipulatedlength.

AppendixD

PotentialPaperTopicsBelowisalistofthemesandartistsyoumightconsiderinchoosingatopicforthefinalpaper.Thelistisbynomeansexhaustiveorcomprehensive;itincludesseveralartistsandtopicsthat—duetotimeconstraints—couldnotbeaddressedinclass.AdditionalartistscanbefoundinthecoursetextbookandthetextbookArtsince1900(availableintheArtLibrary).

FamilyofMan(MoMAexhibition)DocumentationofperformanceartStreetPhotographyColorPhotographyAdolescence,suchasRinekeDijkstra(intheHarncollection)TheFamilyBereniceAbbott(thecity)HelenLevitt(thecity)TinaModottiEdwardWestonW.E.BDuBoisEthnographicPhotographyDeathbedPhotographySpiritualistPhotographyTravelPhotographyArtReproduction(photographsofarchitectureorsculpture)