AH 325 - The State of The Art: Contemporary Italian Artists From 1945 to Present

Italy has always been a land of encounter for different artistic experiences. This course invites students to examine how this phenomenon developed in the field of visual arts during the second half of the 20th Century, in relation to the political, social and cultural growth of the country. How did artists meet and interact with the changes in culture, society and politics? Which cultural, social, or political roles did they play? How did the last 50 years change the category of visual arts as we know it today? How shall we study a work of contemporary art to understand its many levels of meaning? All of this will be examined and discussed with the students both in class and during field studies to museums, architectural landmarks, public art, and current exhibitions. An interdisciplinary approach will be used in order to clarify the concepts and present them in a broader cultural context.