Pacific Dreams: Art in California

This lecture course will explore the rich and diverse history of art made in California, with special focus on the interchanges between the fine arts and subcultural expression. From the Carleton Watkins' exquisite mammoth plate photographs of Yosemite to the cool sci-fi experiments of Light and Space artists such as James Turrell; from the feminist experiments of Judy Chicago to the black magic of Betye Saar's ritualistic objects, artists have explored California's landscape, history, and diverse population in myriad ways. Topics of study will include art in San Francisco Chinatown; Hollywood and contemporary performance; psychedelia and the counterculture; Afrofuturism; and glam, punk rock, and hardcore in Los Angeles. Special attention will be paid to issues of immigration, race, and ethnicity in California.