Course Syllabus
ART 101H @ THE BARNES FOUNDATION
Community College of Philadelphia – Fall Semester 2019
Instructors: Dr. Brian D. Seymour bseymour@ccp.edu
Monday 4:10 pm - 08:30 pm
Office Hours: M 9:30-11:30 M3-2; W 9:30-10:30, 1:00-3:00 & T 1:00-2:00 M2-32F
Phone: 215.751.8802
Email: Please use the email client in Canvas for this course
This is the online course component of a hybrid link, listed with an Honors Writing Course. The two courses meet together once a week on 10 consecutive Mondays, beginning October 7th through December 9th. The first two class meetings will be at CCP Main Campus, and the remaining eight course meetings will be at the Barnes Foundation.
Course Description
This course considers art as a significant form of visual communication across multiple times and cultures. Through the study of available methods for looking and interacting with works of art, students learn to write and speak critically about the visual tools that artists use to communicate to the audience, with emphasis on art historical theory and interpretation as well as relationships between art history and other academic disciplines.
Textbooks:
No textbook is required for the art history component of this Honors link. Students will read a series of pdfs posted on Canvas.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the semester students will be able to:
- Use specific aesthetic vocabulary to describe and analyze works of art
- Identify and compare themes of art, which constitute the consistencies and variations in artists’ motivations and subject matter over space and time, across a broad range of cultures and time periods.
- Recognize, distinguish and describe different methodologies and scholarly perspectives (such as structuralism, post-structuralism, psychoanalysis, etc.) used in interpreting a work of art
- Identify formal elements in a work of art and be able to ascertain how these elements create meaning; distinguish the relationship of design principles and be able to relate these to content and meaning in art
- Recognize and discuss the various materials and elements used in the creation of art and identify and discuss the concerns of specific media in constructing meaning: painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, video
- Analyze and discuss primary texts, including art historical studies and critical texts
- Analyze theories put forth in various times and at various places by cultural establishments, such as art academies, by particular artistic movements and by art historians
Attendance and participation
I expect students to attend every class. This includes arriving on time and participating in class discussions. I will take attendance each class. The Barnes is a no-technology zone, so all readers, laptops, tablets, and phones must be put away during class. We will take two breaks when you can access your gadgets as needed.
Grading
Grade Breakdown and Grading Policies:
Final Grade: Primary Weekly 25%
Classroom Discussion 25
Visual Analysis Paper 25
Final Exam 25
100%
Academic Integrity
All work for the course should be consistent with the principles of academic honesty outlined in the College Student Handbook.
Counseling Center
This is to let you know that members of the College’s Counseling Center are available to offer academic, transfer and career guidance, as well as some (in person or by phone) personal counseling to students registered in distance courses. Students can communicate with us via email, phone or in person.
Disability and Accommodations Statement
Students who believe they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss their accommodation form and specific needs as soon as possible, but preferably within the first week of class. If you need to request reasonable accommodations, but do not have an accommodation form, please contact the Center on Disability, room BG-39, phone number 215-751-8050.
Starfish Connect Syllabus Statement
Starfish Connect is a communication tool for students and faculty. Through Starfish instructors can provide feedback to you about course progress. Throughout the term, you may receive progress emails regarding your academic performance. The emails are designed to be helpful and increase your success in courses. Be sure to open any emails you receive and follow the recommendations. To access Starfish Connect, simply log into Canvas and click on the link, Starfish Connect.
Weekly Schedule
The following schedule is a guideline and is subject to change based on the progress of the class. All reading assignments should be completed before entering a forum of any kind. You will notice that the schedule is arranged by weeks.
WEEK |
CLASS TOPICS/ACTIVITES |
READING ASSIGNMENT/ PAGES |
ONE 10/7 4:10-8:30 CCP M2-32A |
Introduction to the Course What is Art |
|
TWO 10/14 4:10-8:30 CCP M2-32A |
Intro to Barnes Foundation Visual Elements Presentations |
Visual Elements and Principles of Design |
THREE 10/21 4:10-8:30 @ BARNES |
Visual Elements and Principles of Design Visual Elements Presentations Drill #2 (List of 21) |
Gompertz, “What Are You Looking At?” (PDF on Canvas) |
FOUR 10/28 4:10-8:30 @ BARNES |
Intro to Ensembles American Collectors |
Dolkart, “To See as the Artist Sees” (PDF on Canvas) |
FIVE 11/4 4:10-8:30 @ BARNES |
The Armory Show Close Observation Exercise #1 |
Stavitsky, “Americans and the Armory Show: An Introduction” (PDF on Canvas) |
SIX 11/11 4:10-8:30 @ BARNES |
Style, Form, and Content Close Observation Exercise #2 |
|
SEVEN 11/18 4:10-8:30 @ BARNES |
Controversy and Censorship |
Art of the Steal Assignment Gibson, “Saving Dr. Barnes’s Vision” (PDF on Canvas) |
EIGHT 11/25 4:10-8:30 @ BARNES |
Painting |
|
NINE 12/2 @ BARNES |
Sculpture Lecture |
|
TEN 12/9 @ BARNES |
Close Observation Presentations |
Final Exam Online |
Assessment
Students Primary Weekly Posts will be graded on a pass/fail basis according to the following rubric:
|
Pass |
Fail |
||||
Timely contributions and responsiveness |
Posting of at least 400 words completed by the due date on Sunday evening at 11:59pm. |
Less than 400 words or no posting |
||||
Knowledge and incorporation of course content |
Provides evidence that assigned material was at least understood at some level. Posts suggest critical thinking and/or synthesis of information |
Provides no evidence that readings were completed and/or understood |
||||
Responsiveness to the question |
Responds directly to the question at hand. Attempts to engage with what is at issue with the question or what it is asking. |
Response has no relation to the question. |
||||
Use of online etiquette |
Follows discussion board etiquette as posted in Expectations handout and rises to the standard of academic college writing. |
Significant infractions of etiquette or academic writing. |
||||
Classroom Discussion Forums will be graded weekly; scores will be based on the following rubric: |
||||||
|
Excellent (10 points) |
Average (8-9 points) |
Fair (7 points) |
Poor (0-6 points) |
||
Timely contributions and responsiveness |
Three or more separate postings on reading questions on at least two different days, (approximately 150 words) including at least 3 shorter response to a classmates’ post (approximately 50 to 100 words) |
3 or more postings on at least two different days; at least two responses to classmates posts |
3 posts total on at least two different days |
3 or fewer posts not on two different days |
||
Knowledge and incorporation of course content |
Provides evidence that assigned material was clearly understood. Posts suggest critical thinking and/or synthesis of information |
Provides evidence that assigned material was clearly understood. |
Postings have unclear relationship to course material |
Provides no evidence that readings were completed and/or understood |
||
Responsiveness to peers |
Responds to other students with thoughtful ideas and opinions. Poses additional questions or discussion. |
Responds to other students with thoughtful ideas and opinions |
Does not respond to other students with thoughtful ideas and opinions. |
Responds inappropriately to peers. |
||
Use of online etiquette and formatting |
Follows discussion board etiquette as posted in Expectations handout and rises to the standard of academic college writing. |
1-2 infractions of etiquette or academic writing. |
2-3 infractions of etiquette or academic writing. |
Significant infractions of etiquette or academic writing. |
||
Museum Essay will be graded based on the following rubric:
|
Excellent (10 points) |
Average (8-9 points) |
Fair (6-7 points) |
Poor (0-5 points) |
Responsiveness to the object under review |
Reveals evidence of engaging directly with the physical object in the museum. |
Less convincing engagement with the physical object. |
Little engagement with the physical object. |
Does not engage with the physical object. |
Knowledge and incorporation of course content |
Provides evidence that assigned material was clearly understood and applied in context of formal analysis essay. |
Provides evidence that assigned material was understood and an attempt was made to apply in context of formal analysis. |
Little connection made between reading material and formal analysis. |
Provides no evidence that readings were completed and/or understood. |
Responsiveness to formal analysis assignment |
Pursues a formal analysis, responds to requirements of assignment. |
Some formal analysis but strays into description and summary. |
Mostly description and summary. |
Does not respond to the needs of the assignment. |
Proper academic format |
Rises to the standard of academic college writing. |
1-2 infractions of academic writing. |
2-3 infractions of academic writing. |
Significant infractions of academic writing. |
Course Summary:
Date | Details | Due |
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