ARTHI101-80: Issues in Modern Art

Professor: Dr. Maria Elena Buszek
Office: 304 Baty House (816/802.3378), e-mail: mbuszek@kcai.edu
Office Hours: T/Th 11:00am -12:30pm, or by appointment

Course Description: This course will survey the history of art from the Baroque era of the 17^th century to the present. The course readings and lectures will be largely based on painting and sculpture throughout these periods, but will also touch upon architecture, film, and performance. Since the course deals as much with history as with art, we will be exploring the different historical events, artistic media and philosophical theories that inform the artworks presented in the class.

Grading: Your grade will be based on three exams scheduled evenly throughout the course of the semester. All these grades hold equal weight, which means your final grade will be based on the average of these three grades, which will each be worth 1/3 of your grade. Because the exams will be slide-intensive, resulting in the impossibility of giving examinations anywhere outside of our class period/classroom, there can be no make-ups of any examination.

Students with disabilities: Please let me know as soon as possible if you have a disability that may hinder your performance or participation in this class, so that accommodations may be made to satisfy course requirements. Trust me: you will find that I am willing to be extremely accommodating when it comes to student success, and would like to assure just about any student with any disability that they can not only take but do well in my classes. In any case, whether you choose to discuss any disabilities with us or not, all learning- or physically-disabled students are required to disclose as much with our Academic Resource Center in order to qualify for accommodations—students can get further information through the ARC at (phone) 816/802.3371 or (e-mail) arc@kcai.edu.

Class Participation: Active participation on the part of each student is essential to the success and effectiveness of this course. Indeed, dialogue will be such a crucial part of the way this class addresses the information at hand that students will be graded on their preparation for and participation in class discussion. Contrary to popular belief, some teachers do not necessarily enjoy talking to themselves, and really want to hear your thoughts and insights into the material being discussed. (By the way...I am one of those teachers!) Don’t be afraid to speak up! Or freak out! So long as you participate earnestly and respectfully, no topics are off-limits.

Attendance and Absence Policy: Attendance in class is mandatory, because much of the lecture material will not necessarily be directly or extensively addressed in your textbook readings. Information from lectures will be used to make up the exams and assignments, so one's success in the course will be entirely dependent upon one's presence and participation in the classroom each day.

Each student will be allowed THREE unexcused absences from class over the course of the semester. Absences will only be excused when accompanied by official documentation from a physician or counselor explaining one's extended illness or extreme/unusual personal crisis. Such documentation must be presented within a reasonable amount of time (notes explaining one's illness from three months previous, for example, are not acceptable). Students with preexisting health issues that they anticipate may cause them to miss more than three classes are required to speak to the ARC (see above) to provide me with a written explanation concerning the student's situation. In any case, unless I am presented with the proper and timely documentation for a student’s absence/s, upon the fourth unexcused absence, the student will automatically receive a failing grade (“F”) in the class. Remember that it is the student's responsibility to contact me and deal with absences as soon as possible! Please keep this attendance policy in mind when mulling over your use of the “free” absences—I can assure you that you will regret those three days you skipped the day a flat tire/broken alarm/change in your work schedule occurs after you’ve used up your freebies.

Cheating and plagiarism: Students in all my classes are expected to be honest in both their test taking and paper writing assignments. Any dishonest student caught cheating or plagiarizing will receive an automatic “zero” on the exam/project at hand and be penalized to the fullest extent of the Academic Dishonesty policy stated in the KCAI Student Handbook. (This means anything from academic probation, to a failing course grade, to expulsion, depending on the findings of the KCAI Judicial Board.)

A note on class readings: Your textbook for this class is: Marilyn Stokstad, Art History (Revised Second Edition). PLEASE NOTE: Students may purchase EITHER the combined edition OR the stand-alone Volume II. Both these texts are identical in regards to the information/page numbers they contain, but one or the other is required for this class. I expect students to read ahead for each day’s lecture, which is why the required readings are listed in our course schedule with specific chapters/pages/authors following each day’s lecture theme.

Questions? Problems? Frustrations? These, my friends, are what your professors are here to help you deal with! I place a priority upon making myself accessible to students, and do my best to be extremely flexible when it comes to meeting and talking with students who would like help. My crucial numbers (phone, e-mail, office) are located above, and I am always willing to answer questions, discuss problems, and ease anxiety.

Final exam: Expressionism through Postmodernism
held on the last day of class: Thursday,  May 15th