ARTH 223 - Introduction to Latin American Art

Credit Hours: 4
Frequency of Offering: Offered in alternate years, usually in the fall semester

An introduction to the art and architecture of Latin American from the pre-Columbian period to the present day. Topics include the culture and creative production of the Maya, Inca, and Aztec people; the role of art and material culture as a tool of colonization and religious conversion, as well as a form of colonial resistance; the rise of national independence movements and an art academy; the role of art and visual culture in the evolving construction of native and national histories in the twentieth century; and the relationship between contemporary art and Latinx identity in the present day. The course will especially emphasize the interaction between indigenous traditions and memory, and imported styles and ideas. Geographic areas of focus will include Spanish-speaking North, Central, and South America, including present-day Argentina, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, the US-Mexico border, and Venezuela.