Fall 2023

The Anatomy of Pictures

Listed in: First Year Seminar, as FYSE-116

Faculty

Lorne Falk (Section 01)

Description

This course is about the centrality of images produced by mechanical means in the rituals, practices, and representations of everyday life—what we now understand as visual culture. With a focus on the last 50 years, we will explore why it is important to understand the image as utterly diverse in its functions. We will dissect examples from contemporary photography, new media, screen culture, and cultural theory that critically challenge visual culture. Our conversations will cover topics from new models of spectatorship and how to become visually literate to controversies surrounding trigger warnings and the risk of “remaining forever trapped inside the image” (cf. Jacques Rancière’s “The Intolerable Image”). Readings will include the voices of artists, critics, historians, cultural theorists, and philosophers such as Roland Barthes, Jean Baudrillard, Richard Dyer, Jessica Evans, Michel Foucault, Anne Friedberg, Stuart Hall, bell hooks, Kobena Mercer, Adrian Piper, Claudia Rankine, and Hito Steyerl.

Limited to 16 students. Fall semester. Visiting Lecturer Falk.

How to handle overenrollment: Dean's office determines this.

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: Emphasis is on written work, readings, independent research, oral presentations, and group work.

FYSE 116 - LEC

Section 01
Tu 11:30 AM - 12:50 PM SCCE A019
Th 11:30 AM - 12:50 PM SCCE A019

ISBN Title Publisher Author(s) Comment Book Store Price
Visual Culture: The Reader Sage Publications Jessica Evans and Stuart Hall Amherst Books TBD
The White Card: A Play Grey Wolf Press Claudia Rankine Amherst Books TBD
Towards a Philosophy of Photography Reaktion Books Vilem Flusser Amherst Books TBD

These books are available locally at Amherst Books.

Offerings

Other years: Offered in Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024