Art History 280 - COLQ: T-VERNACULAR PHOTOGRAPHY

Topics course. Students may take up to four semesters of ARH 280 Art Historical Studies, as long as the topics are different.: In 2012, Kodak declared bankruptcy and the OED’s 2013 Word of the Year was “selfie.” These historical events signal a transformative moment in vernacular photography: analog practices have been eclipsed by digital, dematerialized operations. This course reflects back on these material objects: snapshots, amateur or vernacular photographs. We consider the difficulties presented by these seemingly benign objects and engage them in a range of literary and critical examinations. Photographs are sourced from both the Sophia Smith Collection and the SCMA. Students will also observe certain common photographic processes and assist in making cyanotypes, salted paper prints and tintypes. Group B