From cave paintings to contemporary art, this lively introduction to a complex discipline explores how art reflects and reshapes the world around us. We'll trace the global history of art through time, place, and power, while also asking whose stories are being told, and whose aren't. Along the way, we'll explore the question that every artwork invites us to ask: What does it mean? Offered online and designed for adult learners, the course requires no prior experience; just curiosity, a willingness to look closely, and an openness to new perspectives.
Sample Schedule
Week 1: Thinking Globally, Looking Locally
Week 2: The Origins of Art
Week 3: Power, Patronage, and Belief
Week 4: Why Is It Called The Canon?
Week 5: Beyond the Frame: Global Art Histories
Week 6: Race, Class, and Gender, And the Gaps We Live With
Week 7: Modernism and Its Discontents
Week 8: Modernism Breaks the Mold
Week 9: What Is Contemporary Art?
Week 10: Your Art History
No class on March 21st or 28th.
This class is taught by Rex Cassidy.
Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, February 1st, 2027.
Registration will open soon.
| Course start date | |
| Course end date | |
| Class meeting time | 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM |
| Class meeting days | Sunday |
| Building and room | Online |
| Course number | 2351 |
| Course instructor | Rex Cassidy |