Why are haunted houses, disembodied voices and the living dead as prominent in U.S. mass culture today as they were in the 19th Century? Gothic literature and visual arts takes us back to places in U.S. society where silence or repression have left their mark – but where something slips out. This course investigates gothic literary and visual arts by focusing on issues that have been addressed by American artists for over two centuries -- the relationship of race, gender and sexuality to the domestic fantasies of "American" middle-class family life; the traumatic memories of colonialism, war and slavery; the status of science and technology in a faith-filled world. Students learn to identify varieties of gothic fiction and film (settler colonial or "frontier" gothic, female gothic, Afro-futurist and Black gothic, Native American gothic, suburban and science fiction gothic). Films include Robert Egger, The Witch: A New England Folktale (2016); Stanley Kubrick, The Shining (1980); Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, The Blair Witch Project (1999); William Friedkin, The Exorcist (1973); Jordan Peele, Get Out (2017); David Robert Mitchell, It Follows (2014).
Books available at IMU Hawkship include Shirley Jackson, Haunting of Hill House and Hannah Crafts, The Bondwoman's Narrative.
This course fulfills a Literature, Visual and Performing Arts CLAS General Education Requirement. Students learn to identify the basic, formal elements of aesthetically and historically important works of U.S. literary and visual art.
Want more detail? --Through group discussion, creative writing and short essay assignments, students develop a vocabulary for asking and answering interpretive questions: How are we to understand the unsettling mixture of attraction-and-repulsion so typical of gothic horror? How do historical, soci-political, environmental and regional situations help us to explain the meaning of individual works of gothic art? Does the Gothic preoccupation with monstrosity and boundary-crossing allow us to express the “unspeakable,” or does it ultimately re-affirm prevailing social and cultural norms? Above all, how do gothic literary and visual arts offer insight into the historical anxieties and desires that have haunted U.S. cultural production into the 21st Century?
Art and Visual Culture 3 s.h.
Visual analysis, media and techniques, artistic subject matter and aesthetic issues; historical periods and movements from ancient times to present; provides strong orientation to visual aspects of humanities, background for other art history courses, and introduction to visual arts for personal enrichment; for students new to art history.
Art and Visual Culture is an introductory course designed for students who have had no previous art history courses. Students meet for lectures by Professor Kinsey on Tuesdays and Thursdays and then in smaller group sections with Art History Graduate Student Teaching Assistants. The course fulfills the UI General Education Requirements for fine arts or humanities. We will work towards facility with analysis of visual objects, familiarity with media and techniques that artists have used over time, understanding different approaches to subject matter and aesthetic issues, and an acquaintance with the dominant historical periods and movements from ancient times to the present. Writing and speaking about art will be emphasized as well in section meetings. Focusing mainly on art of the western world, this course is not a survey, but will provide a strong orientation to the visual aspects of the humanities, good background for additional art history courses, and an introduction to the visual arts for personal enrichment. Requirements include regular attendance, a series of quizzes, and two to three short (3-5 page) papers, two of which require only looking, thinking, and writing, rather than research.
Historical Perspectives Literary, Visual, and Performing ArtsThis introductory course familiarizes students with well-known masterpieces of modern and contemporary art. No prior knowledge of art history is necessary. Among the artists discussed are Marcel Duchamp, Jackson Pollock, James Turrell, and Helen and Newton Harrison.
Literary, Visual, and Performing ArtsThis is the foundational course for the study of Art History, the discipline devoted to the skillful wrapping of words around images. The class surveys the history of western art, from pre-historic cave paintings through the age of Gothic cathedrals, touching along the way on the civilizations of ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and the early medieval world. In richly illustrated lectures and weekly discussion sections, students will be invited to consider big questions such as: What do we really mean by “art”? What roles has art played in pre-modern societies? How can study of ancient and medieval art contribute valuable perspectives on modern art and culture? Or, more specifically, why was the Old Capitol in Iowa City designed to look somewhat like a Greek temple? By the end of the course, students will have gained familiarity with the broad outlines of western artistic tradition through the late Middle Ages, and they will also have developed valuable skills in decoding and writing about visual imagery, which can be useful in analyzing everything from political advertisements to website design.
Historical Perspectives Literary, Visual, and Performing ArtsFrom Mona Lisa to Modernism 3 s.h.
Survey of the Western world's visual arts from Renaissance (ca. 1400) to present; major movements and principal masters of Western Europe and the United States in their social and historical contexts; focus on stimulation of visual literacy and familiarity with outstanding cultural monuments.
As a Distance Online Education class, this course is completely asynchronous. There is no in-person component to the class.
This is the foundational course for the study of art history. No prior study of art history is necessary. The course is a survey of Western Art from the European Renaissance to the contemporary world. It introduces some of the most famous and exciting works of art produced in the West from the Renaissance to the present day, including works of painting, sculpture, architecture, prints, photography, performance, and installation art. We follow artistic developments through the centuries, looking at major artists and works from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, 18th and 19th-centuries, and from the world of modern and contemporary art. This class teaches students how to look closely at works of art and understand them in historical, cultural, and aesthetic contexts.
This course has online proctored exams, all of which will be administered via Proctorio, an online proctoring service. Generally, students will need: a computer with 2 GB of free RAM, a reliable internet connection, a webcam capable of scanning the testing environment, a working microphone, a quiet, private location, and the Google Chrome browser with the Proctorio extension installed.
Historical Perspectives Literary, Visual, and Performing ArtsElements of Art 3 s.h.
A beginning-level course for nonmajors, this course is designed to encourage students who have had little or no formal studio experience. Drawing is the principal means for considering a range of expressive opportunities. Using wet (e.g., ink) and dry (e.g., charcoal) mediums, students work from the human figure (clothed and unclothed), still life, and landscape. Students are given instruction in the skills of representation and principles of abstraction as an introduction to form, creativity, and greater discrimination of the visual world.
non-art major
For non-art majors. It covers fundamental 3-D design principles and appreciation of contemporary jewelry and metal art works. Students will learn fundamental techniques and materials in jewelry and metal arts, as well as experimentation with diverse media.
non-art major
Elements of Sculpture 3 s.h.
non-art major
Ceramics I: Handbuilding 3 s.h.
This course serves as an introduction to the ceramic arts and focuses on hand-building techniques and surface decoration. Students will learn to create original work through five assignments. Students load and fire electric and gas kilns, with occasional wood, soda, and raku firing as time and scheduling permit. Students mix glazes and make clay throughout the semester. There are lectures on artists relevant to the field of ceramics, basic glaze and clay formulation and preparation, along with lectures on technical information and contemporary ceramics discourse. Short papers may be assigned for research. Several critiques concerning class assignments will be conducted throughout the semester.
Chinese Popular Culture 3 s.h.
This course explores various currents, themes and functions of Chinese popular culture through history, with an emphasis on traditional foundations, modern transformations and global influences. Students will be introduced to theories and research on the study of popular culture in general and within the specific context of China. Topics include: different conceptions of folk, mass and popular cultural forms and genres in different periods of Chinese history; traditional life-ways, myths and lore and their lasting influence; the passage from orality and performance to writing and mass media; the advent of urban print culture and popular literature; the modern discovery of folklore to express the nation in China; the invention of revolutionary popular culture; the impact of mass and new media forms of cinema, radio, television and internet; local and global influences in music, fashion and youth culture; social, economic and political dynamics of production, consumption and regulation of popular culture.
NO PREREQUISITE. No prior knowledge of Chinese language is required.
This course has been approved for the GE area of Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts; and for students admitted before Summer 2011 in Foreign Civilization and Culture.
Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts
Introduction to filmmaking principles; how to shoot and edit short videos utilizing smartphone technology; methods to produce high-quality work without professional equipment.
Engineering Be Creative Literary, Visual, and Performing ArtsIntroduction to Film Studies 3 s.h.
Contemporary Cinema 3 s.h.
This class is an introductory survey of ancient Greek literature in translation. We will survey famous works from the earliest days of archaic Greece, the rise and fall of classical Athens, and the Hellenistic kingdoms. We will read broadly, including the epic poetry of Homer, Athenian theater, the origins of western historiography and philosophy. We will explore the problems of culture and ‘culturedness’ that are tangled up in the practice of reading of these texts (that is, reception) and our class discussions will necessarily entangle contemporary and historical issues, attitudes, and politics. Through these texts we will wrestle with the problematic categories of genre, canon, value, truth, and beauty. We will examine the role of the reader in reading, consider how literature can be used, and practice the development, articulation, and examination of personal opinion and response. The student will gain a broad exposure to the literature of ancient Greece and an appreciation for why it has been (and is still) read. Lectures will include brief introductions on Greek civilization, culture, and life. Writing assignments will encourage students to develop self-awareness as readers, and to practice articulating and supporting personalized reactions to, and opinions about, literary works.
Literary, Visual, and Performing ArtsClassical Mythology 3 s.h.
Hercules, Odysseus, Achilles and Oedipus all share one major characteristic: they are all heroes whose adventures and stories are chronicled in timeless Greek and Roman sacred stories, or myths. This course looks at these heroes (and more!), in addition to the gods and goddesses whom these peoples believed ruled their world. The study of Greco-Roman mythology offers an excellent window into the past by providing us with a unique opportunity to examine how the Greeks and Romans attempted to answer questions about the nature of the universe and mankind’s place in it. The myths of any people betray attitudes concerning life, death, life after death, love, hate, morality, the role of women in society, etc.; we will pay particular attention to how Greco-Roman mythology addresses these important issues.
This course is designed to offer a general introduction to the myths of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Because ancient myths have come down to us in various works of literary and physical art, this course will also introduce you to some of the most influential works produced in ancient Greece and Rome. Moreover, because the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome have exercised such an influence in the shaping of the modern western world, we will equip ourselves with the background necessary to make modern literature, philosophy, religion, and art intelligible and meaningful. By examining and scrutinizing the myths of the ancient Greeks and Romans, we will learn not only a great deal about their cultures, but we will also put ourselves in a position from which to question, criticize, and (hopefully) better understand the foundations of the world in which we find ourselves.
This course meets the Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts general education requirement, as well as the Values and Culture requirement, through its use of ancient works of art (literary and visual) and focus on the ways in which ancient Greek and Romans managed the human experience.
Exploration of creative nonfiction genres through readings, discussion, and writing exercises; introduction to workshop environment.
A course exploring genres of creative nonfiction through readings, discussions, writing exercises, and writing itself. Students experience a workshop environment in which class members read, discuss, respond to, and critique the drafts their fellow students produce. Course readings, assignments, and exercises model the many modes of nonfiction for student writers. For beginning non-English majors.
Engineering Be Creative Literary, Visual, and Performing ArtsBeginning Jazz 2 s.h.
Beginning Hip Hop Dance 2 s.h.
Beginning Ballet 2 s.h.
This course introduces the basic movement fundamentals, terminology, and performance skills of ballet. It is intended to enhance the beginning student’s flexibility, strength, body alignment, coordination, balance, kinesthetic awareness, personal range of motion, and musicality through ballet technique. Activities will include barre and center combinations. Terminology will be stressed during class, detailed in handouts, and included in exams. Content may include the history of ballet. Students are graded on the basis of participation, attendance, movement exams, written exams and/or quizzes, and performance critiques.
Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts
Beginning Modern Dance 2 s.h.
This course introduces the basic movement fundamentals, terminology, and performance skills of modern dance. It is intended to enhance the beginning student’s flexibility, strength, body alignment, coordination, balance, kinesthetic awareness, personal range of motion, and musicality through modern dance technique. Activities will include warm-up, locomotion and center combinations. Content may include the history of modern dance. Students are graded on the basis of participation, attendance, movement exams, written exams and/or quizzes, and performance critiques. Assignments are given according to the instructor’s discretion.
Literary, Visual, and Performing ArtsContinuing Ballet 2 s.h.
Continuation of DANC:1030; skills necessary for technique and performance of ballet; enhancement of flexibility, strength, body alignment, coordination, balance, kinesthetic awareness, personal range of motion, and musicality; barre and center combinations; terminology; may include history of ballet.
This course is a continuation of DANC:1030, building a foundation of skills necessary for the technique and performance of ballet. It is intended to enhance the continuing student’s flexibility, strength, body alignment, coordination, balance, kinesthetic awareness, personal range of motion, and musicality through ballet technique. Class is structured around barre and center combinations. Terminology will be stressed during class, detailed in handouts, and included in exams. Content may include the history of ballet. Students are graded on the basis of participation, attendance, movement exams, written exams and/or quizzes, and performance critiques. Assignments are given according to the instructor’s discretion.
Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts
The Arts in Performance 3 s.h.
This course explores the role of the performing arts in the human experience, and examines the nature of the creative impulse in different performance media, cultures, societies and historical contexts. Much of the class work is based on attendance at live performances of theatre, music, and dance on campus and in the community. Readings, films and videos will augment live performances. Emphasis is on analyzing performance and the experience of the audience through writing and in-depth class discussions.
Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts Values and Culture Values, Society, and DiversityIntermediate Jazz 2 s.h.
Intermediate technique and performance training in jazz dance, including hip-hop; flexibility, strength, body alignment, and coordination as foundation for more advanced dance artistry, including mobility, musicality, style; warm-up, locomotion, center combinations; may include history of jazz and hip-hop dance.
Literary, Visual, and Performing ArtsIntermediate Hip Hop Dance 2 s.h.
World of the Beatles 3 s.h.
The Beatles are arguably the most influential popular music artists in history. In many ways, their careers reflected and shaped the culture of their time. In this course students will explore the impact influences such as rock ‘n’ roll, gigs in Hamburg, world tours, the drug culture, the Avant Garde, non-western instruments and philosophy, anti-war sentiments, and world politics had on the Beatles’ music. We will examine the development, maturation, and demise of the Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership as well as the role George Martin and his engineers played in turning the Beatles’ sonic explorations into hit singles and groundbreaking records. Concurrently students will critique the impact Beatlemania had on British and American cultures as well as its role in opening up Eastern Europe to the West. Innovations made in the recording and marketing of albums and films, and the difficulties the group encountered in managing royalties, copyrights, and various business ventures are covered. Students will view several of the Beatles’ various television appearances and films and develop an in-depth understanding of their music. Students will gain knowledge of British and American cultural history through the “window” the Beatles and their music provide.
This course is open to all students; including non-music majors.
Literary, Visual, and Performing ArtsTheories related to human development and visual arts; use of visual arts to make meaning out of experience; ways to integrate visual arts into everyday life; cognitive and physical processes involved in making, understanding, and looking at visual art; theories of cognitive development; role of visual art in education; introduction to art production, art history, art criticism, and aesthetics.
Literary, Visual, and Performing Artsnon-music major
The course is for non-music majors only and consists of one half-hour weekly lesson plus a weekly seminar.
While exact requirements vary by discipline (e.g. piano, voice, cello) students should expect to rehearse a minimum of three hours a week.
For permission to register please email the Course Supervisor listed for the specific instrument of interest. Registration is under separate section numbers for bassoon, cello, clarinet, composition, euphonium, flute, horn, oboe, organ, percussion, piano, saxophone, string bass, trombone, trumpet, tuba, viola, violin and voice.
Unless noted it is the responsibility of the student to arrange lesson times with the instructor before the end of the first week of classes.
Students enrolling for Voice will be contacted by the Instructor to arrange the private lesson time no later than the first week of classes.
non-music major
Introduction to Film Music 3 s.h.
Music and cinema have danced together for more than a hundred years, but the steps keep changing. This course seeks to account for those changes. Through study of domestic and international films, we will explore the role that technology, musical taste, and production methods play in shaping film music’s sound, distribution, and appreciation.
Through readings and written assignments, you will develop strategies for analyzing the relationship between music and film as it changes over time, space, and from scene to scene. You will have the option of either taking exams or completing two projects that engage with assigned course materials. Everyone will also have the opportunity to practice film music/sound editing through an exploratory activity.
We will study full films and individual scenes from titles like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Casablanca, The Sound of Music, Lagaan, In the Heat of the Night, Forbidden Planet, Rushmore, Manchester by the Sea, Catch Me If You Can, and others.
Literary, Visual, and Performing ArtsWorld Music 3 s.h.
History of Jazz 3 s.h.
This course is a survey of Major 20th-century styles, artists, seminal works, and recordings; developments between 1900 and today. Course materials include a written text, ICON listening list, films and live performances. Requirements include online quizzes, two exams and writing assignments.
Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts Values and Culture Values, Society, and DiversityHistory of Western Music II 3 s.h.
Undergraduate Sculpture I 3 s.h.
This course is an introduction to basic sculptural concepts and processes. Emphasis is placed on developing personal ideas, and acquiring basic skills and knowledge of materials. Each assignment builds upon the others, creating a solid conceptual/technical foundation. Instruction includes readings, discussions, demonstrations, and slide presentations. Attendance is mandatory and grades are based on personal development and class participation. This is a fundamental 3D art course that introduces students to a wide array of hands-on fabrication techniques including, wood assemblage, plaster/wax mold-making and fabricating with wire/metal.
Basic Acting 3 s.h.
This course is intended for students who are not theatre arts majors. The course is an introduction to the elements of performance, including exercises in concentration, imagination, observation, communication, relaxation, and sensory awareness. Classes are designed to promote toning the voice and body, freeing creative expression, and developing an understanding of the dramatic situation. This is primarily a lab class; appropriate casual clothing is necessary. Play attendance with written critiques, a journal, and a final performance project with written character and scene analyses are required. The course enhances interpersonal communication and presentation skills required for a successful career in occupations such as Engineering, Business, Medicine, Marketing, Mass Communications and Education to name a few.
non-theatre arts major
Representative plays as performed in social contexts of ancient Egypt; classical Greece, Rome, India, and Japan; and medieval and early modern Europe. Duplicates THTR:2410.
This course offers a fun and exciting way to learn about world history through the theatre. We study plays not just as texts on the page but as performance events that reveal a great deal about how people in different societies through time saw themselves and their world. Considering Ancient Egyptian influences and moving into Classical Greece, Rome, India, Japan, and Medieval and Renaissance Europe, we read plays–including works by Aeschylus, Shakespeare, and Aphra Behn, one of the earliest known women playwrights–that range from shocking tragedy to bawdy comedy. Course material is covered through lectures accompanied by audio/visual presentations and once-weekly discussion sections. Special attention is given to helping students improve their writing as they fulfill course requirements. Primary assignments include a mid-term and a final exam in short-answer and essay format, attendance at two University Theatre productions, and a five-page analytical paper.
Historical Perspectives Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts
Playwriting I 3 s.h.
This course provides an introduction to the craft of playwriting. Students will focus on the fundamentals of writing for the stage, including playwriting structure, creating characters, writing dialogue and building plays. Coursework includes in-class writing, regular writing assignments, and the reading of plays.
Engineering students, as well as students of other disciplines, are encouraged to enroll.
Engineering Be Creative Literary, Visual, and Performing ArtsThis course examines how theater has both reflected and created social structures, perceptions, and values in ancient Egypt; classical Greece, Rome, India, and Japan; and medieval and early modern Europe. Representative plays, ranging from shocking tragedy to bawdy comedy and including works by Shakespeare and the earliest known women playwrights, are analyzed as performed events within their respective historical contexts. Course material is covered through lectures, extensive use of audio/visual presentations, and group discussions. Assignments include weekly play and text readings, a research paper, and periodic exams, including a final exam. Grading is based chiefly on the quality of papers, exams, and participation in discussion.
Historical Perspectives Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts