Art History 391P - S- Identity Politics and Art

This course historicizes identity politics in art from the 1960s to today, examining what social identity means and why it has been a contentious topic in contemporary art history. Students will consider the problem of discussing intersectional identities when they are shifting, open-ended, and complex constructions. We will study artists whose work raises personal and political questions about social experience and authenticity in ways that break down stereotypes. The role of performative works, video and installation will be considered in relation to more traditional artistic media such as drawing and painting. We will study the history of the Black Art and Feminist movements and key texts from queer studies, feminist, and critical race theory in order to examine their intersections and divergences. The relationship of art to political protest movements, the AIDS crisis, Black Lives Matter and other recent developments will be addressed along with art world controversies such as The Decade Show (1991), the Culture Wars (1989-91), and the Whitney Biennials of 1993 and 2017. The course also incorporates trips to current exhibitions on view that relate to these topics.