General Catalog - John F. Kennedy University

School of Holistic StudiesArts & Consciousness [A&C] CoursesThese courses are offered on the Berkeley campus.Undergraduate CoursesA&C _____________________________________________________________________4020 History of Contemporary Art 3Examination and discussion of art since 1980. Concepts andphilosophies which define the art of “now” are examined in depth.Study of current trends and ideas and their impact on students’artwork is emphasized. Slide lectures, assigned reading, and independentresearch papers are required.A&C _____________________________________________________________________4022 Art of the World 3A survey of world art from the Paleolithic to Early Modern era.Emphasis is placed on diverse cultural perspectives and comparisonsof various cultural approaches to art and its place in culture.Comparisons of east Asian, Islamic, European, and tribal art willbe the central focus of the course. Slide lectures, assigned reading,and independent research papers are required.A&C _____________________________________________________________________4024 Modern Art 3This course explores European Modernism and its impact onworld culture and contemporary ideas of art and creativity. Ideassuch as automatism, expressionism, abstraction, and conceptualismwill be examined as a way of contextualizing and clarifying therole of contemporary art in society.A&C _____________________________________________________________________4307 Visual Communication A 3An introduction to the skills and conceptual foundations ofeffective visual communications. Using a combination of digitaland traditional art materials, the class will explore the technicaltools and philosophical assumptions regarding the nature of communicationthrough symbol, image, text, color, and composition.Through weekly assignments and critiques, class members willdevelop skills and insights needed for further exploration of thefield. Basic competence in appropriate digital media will be acentral outcome as will broadened awareness and ability in the useof cultural signifiers and signs in visual art.A&C _____________________________________________________________________4308 Visual Communication B 3Continuation of work in A&C 4307, this course emphasizesadvanced skills in digital image-making. Develops further abilityto integrate conceptual skills into development of powerful andeffective visual images. Expands digital skills to include websitedesign and the use of appropriate software for the creation of basiconline venues for visual communication. Individual projects andindividual work with the instructor strengthen the links betweengraphic work and primary artistic interests and direction for eachstudent. Students develop improved technical ability and clearlymarketable career skills in design and digital art.A&C 4338 Introduction to Movement,Improvisation, _____________________________________________________________________and Poetics 3An introduction to the foundational modalities, practices, andcontexts of movement, improvisation, and poetics as solo andensemble explorations in performance. Using the body and voiceas the primary media of expression, the class will introducestudents to the basic forms and traditions of movement,improvisation, and poetics as a gateway into personal and socialtransformation. The class will provide ample structures andopportunities for creative experimentation and self-discovery. Wewill strengthen the mind-body connection and deepen intuitiveimpulses, exploring a range of traditions in the performing arts.A&C _____________________________________________________________________4510 Visual Culture A 3An exploration of the relationship between art and culture,specifically pertaining to the visual arts. Using examples from avariety of societies, the notions of visuality and representationas integral to the concept of culture will be discussed. Of centralimportance will be the presentation of the visual culturesdeveloped from the time of modernity to the present. Some of theissues discussed will be the development of different technologiesand their impact on ethics, concepts of ownership authenticity,representation, and the making of societies of spectacle. First partof a two-quarter sequence.A&C _____________________________________________________________________4520 Visual Culture B 3The second part of the two-quarter visual culture requirement,this course will combine studio work and the study of ethnography.Students will examine diverse cultures and select one inparticular, either contemporary or historical, from which tocreate original artwork made with that culture’s cultural perspectivesand philosophical perspectives. Students will work in anymedia of their choice. Specific cultural requirements and formalexpectations will be carefully considered in discussion andevaluation of student artwork.A&C _____________________________________________________________________4530 Art, Archetype, and Creative Process 3An examination of individual identity within the context ofhistory, cultural philosophy, and creative process. Strongemphasis is placed on the making of images and objects as tools forself-inquiry. Links between creativity, spirituality, and the physicalprocess of object-making will be explored in depth. Relationshipsbetween meaning, aesthetic intent, and psychological archetypewill be examined through class work and out-of-class assignments.A variety of creative modalities such as drawing, painting,sound, performance, and language will be used. Intensive selfexamination,studio practice, and academic study will help studentsexplore the universal dimensions of their individual artwork.A&C _____________________________________________________________________4660 Individual Mentorship 1–5Individual studio practice with an approved mentor selected froma network of working visual artists in the Bay Area is provided.Students meet individually with mentors several times over thecourse of the quarter to develop technical, conceptual, and professionalskills. A written assessment of the mentorship is required.A&C _____________________________________________________________________4665 Mentorship Extension 1–3Students are permitted to continue working on an individual, community,or group mentorship without incurring an incomplete.School ofHolistic StudiesJohn F. Kennedy UniversitySchool of Holistic Studies 125