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Prof. Christopher B. Steiner Departments of Art History & Anthropology Connecticut College SPRING 2021 AHI/ANT 206 TUES and FRI 3:30 – 4:45 pm ET Office Hours: Mon 10-11am & W 2-3pm or by appt. Cell Phone: 860-460-0334 (text or voice) email: christopher.steiner@conncoll.edu Introduction to African Art Course Description: This course is designed as a general introduction to the arts of sub-Saharan Africa. My hope is that it helps to broaden your knowledge of art history to include art and artists that have historically been positioned on the margins of the Western canon. Because Africa is a vast continent populated by hundreds of millions of people with enormously diverse cultural traditions and languages it would be impossible to do justice to the arts of the entire continent in a single course. For this reason, we will concentrate instead on the arts of only a few selected cultures, and we will explore in some depth the continuities of traditions, aesthetics, and belief systems which are to be found in certain parts of Africa – both past and present. The first half of the course roughly follows the human cycle of life from birth to death. We will investigate how certain African cultures integrate art and aesthetics into beliefs about fertility and well-being, initiation ceremonies, political systems, religious doctrine, burials and the memory of ancestors. In the second half of the course, we will consider key topics central to the current study of African art, including modern and contemporary art, photography, art markets and museums, and the politics of post-colonialism, repatriation and restitution. Learning goals and objectives: At the end of this course you should be able to: ? Identify and analyze key African art styles and the work of individual artists both past and present. ? Interpret how art and aesthetics structure social/political/economic life within various African communities. ? Develop your own narratives about African art by creating an online exhibition and effectively communicating your interpretations for a general audience. ? Critically evaluate the negative impact of Western colonialism, racism, art looting, and museum (mis)representations on African peoples and their cultures. Course Materials: All readings, videos, podcasts, etc. are available on the course Moodle page. Course Assessment: 1. Flexible Presence (10%) What does it mean to be present in a remote learning environment? We will explore the nuances of this question together this semester. To support your learning in this course, I will offer two flexible options: attending synchronous Zoom classes or, for those unable to connect synchronously due to time zone differences, technology issues, illness, or other barriers, participating in asynchronous discussion board activities. ? Synchronous students (the majority of you) will participate in discussion about assigned materials, and small-group exercises such as image comparisons, complete a Weekly Assignment Response (see below) and work in groups on your collaborative exhibition project. ? Asynchronous students will watch the recorded Zoom class session you could not attend in synchronous mode. Then write a 400-word (approx) reflection responding to (a) questions that were asked (b) topics discussed or (c) issues you want to reflect further on from the PowerPoint Presentation, readings, etc. You will also complete a Weekly Assignment Response (see below), and contact your exhibition group about tasks for the week. Whether you are participating in either or both modes, your active and engaged participation in this online community is crucial to the success of the class, to your own learning, and to the learning of your peers. 2. Weekly Assignment Responses (20%) Weekly Assignment Responses are designed to prepare you to participate in lively conversation in class. Short prompts will invite you to think deeply and in advance about the assigned readings and how they connect to the broader arc of the course. In your responses, you can apply your ideas to artworks, clarify your thoughts, voice any confusion, and work out questions to ask in class. Assignment Responses are low-stakes writing assignments that take the form of once weekly, 100-word minimum forum posts on Moodle. ? Assignment Responses are due by 3:30 pm ET on the day of class (Tuesday or Friday). ? Because these assignments are time-sensitive, all posts must be submitted on time; no late posts will be accepted. ? Fifteen (15) Assignment Responses are required during the semester. ? To encourage free thinking and experimentation with ideas, these assignments are not graded individually. You will not receive comments or grades on your responses, although they will often be discussed in class. Instead, completing a total of 15 on-time, 100-word (minimum) Response Papers will yield a grade of A for Weekly Assignment Responses. ? Be prepared to discuss your Assignment Response in class. 3. Key Object/Artwork Papers (20%) You will write FOUR (4) brief papers (each approximately 2 pages double-spaced) on four different “key objects or artworks” that have been highlighted on the syllabus. There are twenty (20) objects or artworks to choose from. Each key object assignment is due by 3:30pm ET on the day it is listed as a topic on the syllabus. Everyone will sign up ahead of time for their 4 key objects/artworks, so that in each class session we will have at least five “resident experts” on the key objects/artworks. 4. Three Thematic Short Essays (30%) At the end of each course UNIT, you will have an opportunity to write a short (2-3 page double-spaced) paper that explores some aspect of the topic(s) covered in that UNIT. There are four UNITS in this course, you must write three (3) papers. Specific guidelines/prompts to be handed out for each paper assignment. 5. Final Group Project (20%) For your final project you will work in small groups to curate an online exhibition of African art. There are two graded components to the Final Group Project. (1) Group Work - You will work in small groups to research, design, and implement a “virtual” exhibition of African art. Each student is expected to fully participate in every aspect of the curatorial process. (2) Individual Reflection - You will be asked to write an individual reflection paper on some facet of your first-hand experience in this course with the practice of curating an exhibition of African art. More details on this assignment will be provided. ++++ Course Policies: ? Please contact me immediately if circumstances or experiences outside of class are impacting your performance in class. In order to best support your learning in this class, it is crucial for me to understand when you are dealing with something that prevents your full involvement in our community. This is particularly important this semester, when we are all experiencing the effects of the pandemic, including disproportionate effects on people of color—in addition to the ongoing pandemic of racialized violence and systemic racism. If you are going through difficult times, I invite you to communicate this to me with an email, during office hours, or through your dean – no details are necessary. We will all work together to create a plan that makes sense for your situation. ? Check Moodle and email daily. I regularly use both of these media to communicate important information, for example to clarify assignments or to notify you of a last-minute snow day (or the remote equivalent!). Any changes to this syllabus will be discussed in class and posted to Moodle. ? You are responsible for all work covered, even if you are absent. If you have missed class, you are responsible for completing the work for that class, watching the Zoom recording of the class, and posting a Moodle response in the Asynchronous Class Response Section at the top of the Course Moodle Page. ? Use technologies that support (rather than distract from) your learning. Learning is social and embodied, yet in this remote course, technologies will facilitate and mediate our relationships to one another and to the content of the course. Together we will decide how to use technologies intentionally for our success as a community in this class. We will also be intentional about taking breaks from screens and webcams in this class, and we will take time to stretch and move our bodies. Please let me know right away if you anticipate any barriers to accessing the technologies we will use in the class, including a computer, webcam, and internet fast enough to accommodate video Zoom meetings. ? In addition to those listed here, information about the Honor Code, Title IX, and other campus policies and Spring 2021 resources can be found here. ? Your continued enrollment in this course indicates that you have read these policies and are prepared to meet the challenges of the course with enthusiasm and an open mind. I look forward to the work we will do together this semester!

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