Welcome to your first seminar in the UARTS Studio Arts MFA program!

Welcome to UArts!

Hi, I'm Kris Strawser, your lecturer for Visual Culture Studies. We're going to begin our acquaintance by bringing all of you — from diverse backgrounds and far flung locations, a spectrum of ages and talents — to one starting point of understanding. That means some required reading before you get here, and a written test to see what you've learned when you do get to Philly.

We'll begin with your first pre-summer semester reading assignment. It's an excellent text that will give you an overview and some context on what has happened in the art world since 1945. One of the things we've noticed about students in this program is that they have wildly varying backgrounds in art history and theory. This text will serve as a baseline. Miss reading it and you'll start out behind. Do yourself a favor and read it cover to cover. We'll discuss it here and you can post your thoughts. As we go along in the semester, there will be selected readings from a variety of sources. You'll work in study groups, and be responsible for presenting your group's work to the class. Individually, you'll write a few papers. The groups will help you research and develop critical thinking and insight as we study the theoretical foundations of contemporary art. Can't wait to get started!

See you all soon.

Kris