The Challenge of Modernism
X17 (2 semester units in Art History)
Modernism swept Western art in the wake of the Industrial Revolution, challenging old ideas with new and discordant visions of reality. During a time of profound changes in social, aesthetic, philosophical, and scientific ideas, artists were energized by such diverse influences as progressive political thought; scientific theories of color and optics; the new physics and concepts of time, space, and motion; and the exploration of the subconscious mind. The outcome was not only a new visual language but a transformation of the artist's role in society and new understandings of what art is. This course traces this tumultuous period in art, beginning with the movements of postimpressionism, symbolism, and art nouveau; continuing with fauvism, cubism, and surrealism; and culminating in the study of pop art, formalism, and minimalism.
With slide-illustrated lectures and discussion, you study the artists and their works along with key concepts that informed the period. The course aims to sharpen your appreciation for modernist art while fostering the growth of a critical vocabulary for discussion and enjoyment.
There are currently no sections open for enrollment.
Sections closed for enrollment
Wed. March 26, San Francisco
TERRI COHN, M.A., is a writer, curator, and art historian. She is a contributing editor to Artweek; writes for numerous publications, including Sculpture Magazine, Art Papers, Camerawork, and Release Print; and wrote about place-specific projects for Women Artists of the American West. She has taught at San Francisco State University, Santa Clara University, San Francisco Art Institute, and California College of the Arts.
- 10 meetings
- March 26 to May 28: Wed., 6:30-9:30 pm
- San Francisco: Room 205, South of Market Center, 95 Third St.
- $435 (EDP 023077)
Courses begin every month. A new edition of our catalog is published
three times a year in early April, July and December.