FA 0031 Modern Art (Spring 2006)

University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown

248 Biddle Hall

MWF 11:00-11:50 p.m.

Spring 2006

Dr. Valerie Grash, Associate Professor of Fine Arts

Office: 230B Biddle Hall

Phone: 269-7164                  

Email: vgrash@pitt.edu

Office Hours: Mondays, Wednesdays 1:00-2:00 p.m.; Tuesdays, Thursdays 11:00 12:30 p.m.; and by appointment.

This course focuses upon the theoretical underpinnings of various modern art movements, as articulated by the artists who created them.  We will examine many major art movements, roughly grouped chronologically, focusing on specific masterworks as examples that best illustrate the intent and reception of modern art by both artist and audience. The complex relationship between various nineteenth and twentieth century art movements and the societal conditions that affected the creation and meaning of this art will also be examined through readings, classroom discussion and visual/contextual analysis, as well as student presentations and independent research.

At the conclusion of this course, you should:

1.       Possess a strong understanding of the most significant modern artists and art movements.

2.       Recognize and comprehend the content and style of masterworks of modern art

3.       Have detailed knowledge of a specific movement, artist, and painting, acquired through independent research.

Additional textual and visual materials for this course (including terms and lists of works you will be tested on and PowerPoint presentations of class lectures); additional required readings; your grades; and pertinent announcements concerning class meetings and examinations are found at:  http://courseweb.pitt.edu

I reserve the right to modify the timing, order and content of the course schedule. It is your responsibility to attend class and be aware of any changes. Check the course website regarding any class cancellations should they become necessary due to adverse weather conditions or other situations.

Faculty Statement:

My role is to facilitate learning through lecture and clarification of specific points through questioning and discussion, whether in the classroom, during office hours or via electronic correspondence. It is your responsibility to attend class, take accurate notes and approach me with any questions and issues for clarification in a timely manner.

Attendance:

While there is no attendance policy for this course, be forewarned that most of what you will be tested on is discussed thoroughly in class. Even with the textbook, nothing replaces viewing the images projected on screen. Therefore, regular attendance is necessary to succeed in this course. In addition, as classroom discussion is expected, poor attendance will adversely affect you if it comes down to a borderline decision on your final grade.

Cell Phones:

Be certain your cell phone ringer is OFF, as it is both annoying and disruptive to the entire class.

Notes and Note Taking:

Under no circumstances do I provide notes for missed classes. It is your responsibility, if you miss a class, to acquire the lecture notes from a classmate. Class assignments and announcements are available on the course website. You may tape-record lectures as long as you inform the instructor in advance, and do not disturb others in the class.

Makeup Exams:

I give make-up exams only in cases with legitimate, documented reasons (death in the family, personal hospitalization, required fieldtrips, etc.). In such cases, inform me as soon as possible and provide written confirmation of your absence. The make-up exam must be taken within one week of the scheduled test; only one makeup exam per student will be permitted. No one can make-up the final exam, which must be taken at the scheduled time during finals week.

Late Assignments:

No extensions are granted for class assignments. The due dates are clearly noted on the syllabus at the beginning of the semester. You should begin each assignment in a timely manner and even complete assignments early. Illness or any other excuse has no bearing on the fact that your work was not turned in on time. Any assignment not turned in by the due date will not be graded, thus earning 0 points for the work. No exceptions are permitted so do not ask!

Academic Integrity Policy:

Please read carefully the Academic Integrity Guidelines in your student handbook. They are followed to the letter in this course. There is ZERO tolerance for cheating or plagiarism. Any time you use another person’s words or thoughts as your own without giving them proper credit is plagiarism. Any instance of cheating or plagiarism will result in an automatic "F" (0 points) for that assignment, and steps will be taken, according to the Academic Integrity Guidelines, to receive an "F" for the course and for action leading to expulsion from the university. I will not permit re-writing any suspected plagiarized assignment.

Disabilities:

Overall, you can earn 500 points during the semester. On this scale:

500-490 (A+)                                   489-465 (A)                                      464-450 (A-)

449-440 (B+)                                    439-415 (B)                                      414-400 (B-)

399-390 (C+)                                   389-365 (C)                                     364-350 (C-)

349-300 (D)                                      299 and below (F)

There will be three exams (February 3, March 15, and April 24) during the semester, each worth 100 points. The format will comprise of multiple choice and short essay questions drawn from class notes, readings, and student presentations. The final will NOT be comprehensive. I will post study guides on the course website, and may facilitate online study sessions before each exam.

The purpose of the course project is for students to seek out, organize, interpret, and orally present information regarding select modern art movements not covered in course lectures. These presentations should be treated as content-driven lectures, on par with the professor’s, and students will be tested upon them as such.

Divided into groups of three or four, students will complete three components to this project: 

1.       A 40-minute oral presentation using PowerPoint, discussing your assigned art movement, including its historical context, theoretical elements, and its primary practitioners. As a group, you should meet with the professor in advance to insure smooth execution and correct content for this assignment.  You will want to focus on a select number of artists and works of art in order to deliver effectively the most pertinent information to your classmates. After each talk, be prepared to field any questions or comments your fellow students or the professor may have. You may use note cards or other tools to read your presentation, but being able to comfortably and casually present to your classmates will be a big bonus.  Presentations may be given by one student or by all students in the group—that decision must be made by the group. However, all students must participate in the research, organization, and presentation of the material in a substantive manner. Individual contributions must be noted in the oral presentation. Your group will receive evaluative scores on the presentation both from your peers (30 points) and from the professor (50 points).

2.       The professor will also evaluate the content and quality of your individual research on artists and works of art. Thus, each student will be required to submit a 4-5 page biographical and evaluative paper (12-point font, double-spaced) that addresses the specific artist and works of art you individually dealt with while researching the presentation. This well-written paper must be properly noted (using MLA style) and include a bibliography of all the resources you consulted. Please reference the earlier passage on the university’s Academic Integrity Policy regarding issues of plagiarism. This most definitely includes "cut and pasting" passages from the Internet, which I can readily spot, so use your own words and ideas at all time, and properly note other people's contributions. (100 points)

3.       At the conclusion of your presentation, each group must submit to the professor 10 multiple choice and 2 short essay questions relating to the content of your oral presentation. The professor will choose from these questions for the exam given to the entire class (20 points)

For each student group, all materials must be submitted to the professor on the assigned day of your presentation. This includes a copy of your PowerPoint uploaded through the Digital Dropbox on CourseWeb; your exam questions; and your individual papers.