Visualizing Women's Work: Using Art Media for Social Justice

Overview

Discover the historical erasure of women’s work through social justice art Public art has often ignored the work and legacy of minorities and women, but recently there has been a welcome reappraisal of publicly displayed visual monuments and art media. This course dives into the artistic process, exploring how art has the power to address issues of social justice and gender equality and answer historic injustices. Critique art history through the lens of gender You’ll begin the course by evaluating public monuments in terms of form, content, and context, undertaking a critical analysis of art through a social justice lens. With a focus on both the local and global picture, you’ll address the historical erasure of women’s work – compensated and uncompensated – learning about the role of gender bias in historical public art. Examine the creative process and creative research The course will also give you a foundation in visual literacy and interpretation, as you explore the artistic process and creative practice as a form of research. You’ll then learn how to develop your own media-based or literary projects that respond to gender bias in public commemoration. Examine real-world examples of social justice art projects On the final sections of the course, you’ll identify and interpret existing art-based social justice projects in a variety of media, including site-specific work and web-based initiatives. Learning alongside world-renowned visual and performance artist Melanie Manos, you’ll come away armed with creative and provocative ways to counter historical erasure in public art.

Syllabus

Visual Literacy

This week introduces you to the foundational skills for interpreting visual art. You’ll learn terms and concepts utilized to identify, describe, and classify art. In the process, you’ll gain vocabulary for discussing art disciplines and media, and learn how artists' motivations are key to understanding works of art - a great primer for unpacking the complexities of social justice art.

Art and Social Justice

This week you’ll view art projects that aim to increase the visibility of social justice issues and raise public consciousness, each in a remarkably distinct way. You’ll read about the role of research in art making, view some stretchy materials-based research - and be invited to try some material explorations right where you are! Lastly, you’ll utilize your new art vocabulary to analyze publicly displayed visual markers and monuments that march us into week 3.

Gender Bias

This week you’ll see artists utilizing visuals, actions and interventions to raise awareness of socially and structurally normalized gender bias, including a highly strategic, non-violent guerrilla offensive! You'll also return to historic monuments in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., to evaluate the value systems that these elevated cultural representatives convey, including a tacit but monumental perpetuation of gender bias and see a great hypocrisy unfolding between a Japanese artist arrested for distributing vagina figurines, while huge phallus sculptures are paraded annually at a traditional - and popular - public festival!