ARTHIST 233

Gender, Ethnicity and Visual Culture


Please note: this is archived course information from 2016 for ARTHIST 233.

Description

Kia ora, malo e lelei, talofa lava, ni sa bula, kia orana, fakaalofa lahi atu, welcome.

This course focuses on the ways that gender and ethnicity inform art and visual culture. Indigenous and diaspora artists use their work to discuss important issues of culture and history. Many consider the ways in which colonialism has affected their people and use their work to make strong statements of survival and celebration. 

We look at types of art – textiles, body adornment, photography, and film – through the eyes of different cultural groups. These include Maori, Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders, Pacific peoples, Native American and Canadian, Central American as well as African-American. Each has their own particular perspective on their history and the ways in which their art has kept alive traditions and stories. 

The types of art which we examine is often not included in mainstream Art History courses except on the margins. Pottery and Quilting, for instance, is not often considered for anything more than its aesthetic (its beauty) yet the stories which revolve around the making of each piece talks about the cultural beliefs of the maker and the ways in which innovation is an essential part of making art. The social, political and cultural societies in which and for whom they are produced will also be discussed, as well as links between these art forms. 

The course begins with a celebration of important female ancestors whose roles within indigenous communities would be later challenged with the introduction of gender heirachies by European colonizers from the late 18th century. The course seeks to rehabilitate the centrality of these women within their peoples. 

Changing notions of feminism and gender are exposed through lectures focused on specific media: weaving and textiles, quilting, body adornment, pottery, photography and film. The course will also discuss artists in diaspora communities, such as Pacific women jewelers in Aotearoa and African-American quilt-makers. Their experiences provide an interesting platform in which to look at legacies of colonialism and ways in which ties with their homelands are maintained. The syllabus will feature guest lectures by practicing indigenous women artists. 

Availability 2016

Semester 2

Lecturer(s)

Coordinator(s) Associate Professor Ngarino Ellis

Assessment

Coursework + exam

Points

ARTHIST 233: 15 points

Prerequisites

30 points at Stage I in Art History, or 15 points at Stage I in  Art History and 15 points in either MĀORI 130 or WOMEN 100

Restrictions

ARTHIST 319, 333