Matthew Beedham
Office hours: Bldg. 335, Rm. 120: Monday 9-10am; Tuesday 10-11am; Wednesday 2-3pm;
Thursday 11:30-12:30pm
or by appointment
Local 2045
beedhamm@viu.ca
http://web.viu.ca/beedhamm
Liberal Studies 212
Ways of Seeing II: Spring 2008
Where does the power of the visual originate? How do we make meaning from what we see when we are inundated with visual data? How do we communicate through the visual? In this course we will look at some of the tools we can use to make sense of and communicate through various visual media. But we will also look at how the visual can mislead and manipulate us. Through a series of lectures, workshops and seminars we will explore some issues of making meaning from the visual.
Textbooks :
William Saletan, “The Elián Pictures”
http://www.slate.com/id/81142
Custom Courseware (available at the bookstore)
Marjane Satrapi Persepolis
Scott McCloud Understanding Comics
You will also need a sketchbook and materials for your project.
Assignments:
Participation and attendance (including lectures) 20%
Weekly seminar note (due at the start of the seminar) 20%
Essay (about 2000 words) 20%
Art and Science Project 20%
Final Exam 20%
Schedule:
Week 1—Jan 8(L): Introduction.
Jan 10(S): “The Elián Pictures”
Week 2—Jan 15(L): Topic: Looking and Seeing
Jan 17(S): Berger “Drawing” and “Drawing on Paper”
Week 3—Jan 22(L): Topic: Comic Art
Jan 24(S): McCloud Understanding Comics Chapters 1-4
Week 4—Jan 29(L): Film
Jan 31 (S): McCloud Understanding Comics Chapters 5-9
Week 5—Feb 5(L): Film cont’d
Feb 7(S): Geiger “Introduction” and Corrigan and White
Week 6—Feb 12(L): Topic: Photography
Feb 14(S): Sontag “On Photography”
Week 7—Feb 19(L): Topic: Issues in Visual Composition I
Feb 21(S): Berger “Photographs of Agony” and “Uses of Photography”
Week 8—Feb 26 to March 2 Study Week
Week 9—March 4 (L): Topic: Issues in Visual Composition II
March 6 (S): Barry “Two Questions” Nilsen “The Gift”
ART/SCIENCE PROJECT DUE
Week 10—March 11 (L): Film
March 13 (S): Dutch “Masquerade Marriage”, Feiffer "Tantrum", Barry "Magic"
Week 11—March 18 (L): Topic: Propaganda and the Visual
March 20 (S): Clark “Art and Propaganda”
ESSAY DUE (rewrite option)
Week 12—March 25 (L): Topic: Spaces of Exhibition
and Property Now”
March 27 (S): Berger “The Historical Function of the Museum”, “Art
Week 13—April 1 (L): Topic: Seeing the Other
April 3 (S): Satrapi Persepolis
ESSAY DUE
Week 14—April 8 (L): Topic: Review
April 10 (S): Satrapi Persepolis
Liberal Studies Conference April 9-11
Seminars and workshops:
Seminar and workshops make up an important percentage of your grade. You are expected to come to seminars prepared to discuss the specific readings for the week and to workshops with the required materials in hand. You will be graded not only on your participation but on how you enable the participation of others.
Seminar Notes:
Each week you will be asked to comment on how the week’s reading helps us make meaning out of what we see. Did the reading make you see anything differently? Did it raise questions? Make you reconsider an experience? Notes should be submitted at the start of each seminar (typed and about 300 words). Seminar notes are meant to help you forward discussion, so avoid summarizing the readings. They are not essays, however, so speculation is welcome where it develops from the readings. Although they need not develop as essays, grammar and mechanics count.
Essay:
The theme for the essay assignment is how does seeing make meaning? How do visual media construct meaning? What new ways of seeing do different media require? What new ways of looking do they portray?
Choose one of the following topics:
- McCloud argues that comics make meaning through a related sequence of both words and images. (He gives many examples of techniques: interdependent, word specific, amplification, etc.) Choose a comic artist you admire and analyze a sample of their work applying McCloud’s theory. This question may also be used for Satrapi. (The comics—or a Xerox copy—must be submitted with the essay).
- Analyze a film of your choosing (please let me know the title in advance). Focus on how the visual aspects of the film contribute to the ideas of the film.
- Find a group (at least 3) of contemporary images that constitute propaganda. How do they market their primary idea? What is it? What is the contribution of the graphic content? Of the text?
Your essay should be well-focused, organized, and carefully written. Research is not necessary but must be correctly cited (MLA format) if used. Failure to acknowledge sources is plagiarism, an academic misconduct that will result in an F. Use the readings and discussions from the course where relevant.
Format: MLA
Length: 2000 words
Value: 20%
Due date: March 20 (for rewrite option) or April 3 (no rewrite)
We will be looking for a well-structured answer with the following:
- An informative title
- A thesis which is specific and arguable
- Paragraphs with topic sentences and adequate and appropriate evidence and discussion of evidence
Papers submitted by email will not be accepted.
Art/Science Project:
Our task is to design and make an interactive exhibition on “Ways of Seeing” for the department’s spring conference. You could build, for example, one of a number of simple machines that changed the ways of seeing in their time. These include the zoetrope, the mutoscope, the phenakistiscope, the pinhole camera, various perspective devices or the camera obscura. Or you could devise a series of optical illusions to demonstrate problems in seeing. Or you could design an exhibition component that demonstrates some particular change in ways of seeing. If possible your contribution should include an interactive component. You may work with a partner if you choose. Each person or team will write a short report on how the exhibition component was researched and designed, problems encountered, etc. This project will be assessed on how well it functions as an exhibition component: clarity, scale, durability, appeal, etc.
Note 1: Grade Appeals:
If you want to contest a grade, please wait 24 hours, and then submit your objection in the form of a typed, rational argument. I will consider your arguments and schedule an appointment to discuss your objections. Do not address grade concerns to me before or after class.
Note 2: Documented Disabilities
Students with documented disabilities requiring academic or exam accommodation should contact disability services in Building 200 (740-6446).
Note 3: Inclusive Language
You will be taught to use inclusive language (language which avoids bias regarding race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and disability) in your speeches and in class discussions.
Note 4: Plagiarism
The penalties for plagiarism, fabrication, and cheating are severe. If I determine that such misconduct has occurred, it will be reported to the Dean. The procedures for dealing with such intentional misconduct are posted at the following web page: