**This class will be taught on Zoom**
Many contemporary artists are using their art to engage with cultural, social and personal narratives. These artists share a common thread in their work: they all explore themes of identity, culture, & social issues, often drawing from their own backgrounds or experiences. Hung Liu, Ai Weiwei, and Anselm Kiefer address the question of personal and collective history and memory. Multimedia artists Pepon Osario, Jeffrey Gibson, and Edgar Heap of Birds utilize found objects and text in their work. Gibson and Heap-of-Birds challenge the absence of Native American practices in visual culture while Pepon Osorio uses different objects in his pieces to portray political and social issues in the Latino community. Doris Salcedo and Kara Walker create site-specific installations that transform spaces into places of reflection and mourning. These artists draw inspiration from the intersection of personal and collective memory that spark wider cultural conversations often addressing aspects of history previously overlooked. This course will explore how contemporary artists responded to their culture and social context offering a new view to the western art historical canon by questioning established norms and narratives, they contribute to a broader reevaluation of cultural heritage and its impact on contemporary society.
Week by Week Outline:
Week 1 Overview and sampling of artists/works to be discussed in the course.
Artists Hung Liu, Ai Weiwei, Pepon Osorio, Juane Quick-To-See Smith, Jeffrey Gibson, Amy Sherald, Kehinde Wiley, El Anatsui, Yinka Shonibare, Ruth Asawa, Julie Mehretu, , Olafur Eliasson, Kara Walker and Doris Salcedo, share several key elements in their work:
1. Cultural and Social Commentary
2. Personal and Collective Histories
3. Innovative Use of Materials and Techniques:
4. Activism and Advocacy
Week 1 Hung Liu - Her work often reflects her experiences as a Chinese immigrant, blending traditional Chinese art with contemporary themes.
Week 2 Ai Weiwei - Known for his provocative art and activism, Ai Weiwei addresses political and social issues, particularly related to human rights and freedom of expression.
Doris Salcedo is known for creating site-specific installations that transform spaces into places of reflection and mourning. Her installations often include subtle, haunting elements that invite viewers to engage with the emotional and historical weight of the work.
Anselm Keifer incorporates materials such as straw, ash, clay, lead and shellac in his work while addressing taboo and controversial issues from recent history.
Week 3 Pepon Osorio - His art explores themes of identity, cultural heritage, and social issues, often using installations to address these topics.
Juane Quick-To-See Smith, Jeffrey Gibson and Edgar Heap-Of-Birds Her Both artists embrace their Native American identity and history, blending traditional and contemporary elements.
Week 4 Amy Sherald - Known for her portraiture, Sherald explores themes of identity and representation, particularly focusing on African American subjects.
Kehinde Wiley - His portraits challenge traditional representations of Black individuals, often placing them in classical poses and settings.
Week 5 El Anatsui - His large-scale sculptures and installations use discarded materials to comment on themes of consumption, history, and the environment.
Ruth Asawa - Known for her intricate wire sculptures, Asawa’s work often reflects her experiences as an artist and immigrant, exploring themes of form and abstraction.
Yinka Shonibare - His work often addresses post-colonial themes, identity, and the legacy of colonialism through the use of vibrant, African-inspired fabrics.
Week 6 Explore four site specific works, commissioned by SFMOMA,
Kara Walker’s Garden of automatons, Fortuna and the Immortality Garden, (Machine), Julie Mehretu’s site-specific diptych, Howl, Olafur Eliasson’s, One-way colour tunnel and Barbara Stauffacher Solomon’s large-scale, “supergraphics” commission for SFMOMA’s lobby, Strips of Stripes. These installations are on extended view at SFMOMA giving participants an opportunity to view the works in-situ.