Course material

1. Assignment Goals: What is Visual Culture?Visual Culture is the totality
Assignment Goals: What is Visual Culture?Visual Culture is the totality and visual objects
produced in the industrial and post industrial nations and the ways those images are
disseminated, received, and used. Visual Culture scholars study visual media of all sorts as
well as the “centrality of vision and the visual world in producing meanings, [and]
establishing and maintaining aesthetic values, gender stereotypes, and power relations
within cultures.” -Irit Rogoff, On Visual Culture We live in an age where we under a constant
assault by visual imagery. Images compete with words as our main modes of
communication. Don’t believe me? ????️??Scholars, like Rogoff, maintain that our eager
consumption of images fills our lives with virtual experiences that replace real life. These
images generate emotions to pleasure, power, and fantasy. Visual culture is concerned with
spectacle, or a visually striking performance or display. Visual culture is also transitional. In
some cases it doesn’t make any sense the source of some art by geography. An artist may be
based in New York, have a studio to make work in China, and exhibit their work in Paris. So,
is the work American, Chinese, or French? Visual culture is often collaborative. A team of
artisans, performers, and engineers may be part of the process in the realization of an
artwork. Instructions: Part 1: Watch the Videos (You must watch all three) Nick Cave: Nick
Cave Brings Art, Sculpture to Life, 2016. (5:22 Min) Nick Cave creates “Soundsuits”—
surreally majestic objects blending fashion and sculpture—that originated as metaphorical
suits of armor in response to the Rodney King beatings and have evolved into vehicles for
empowerment. Fully concealing the body, the “Soundsuits” serve as an alien second skin
that obscures race, gender, and class, allowing viewers to look without bias towards the
wearer’s identity. Cave regularly performs in the sculptures himself, dancing either before
the public or for the camera, activating their full potential as costume, musical instrument,
and living icon. Cave’s sculptures also include non-figurative assemblages, intricate
accumulations of found objects that project out from the wall, and installations enveloping
entire rooms. Tanya Aguiñiga, Borderlands, 2020. (17:25 Min) The binational artist Tanya
Aguiñiga pushes the power of art to transform the United States-Mexico border from a site
of trauma to a creative space for personal healing and collective expression. Reflecting the
cultural hybridity and community of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands, the artist discusses her
upbringing in Tijuana, her training as a furniture and craft designer, and her artistic
beginnings with the Border Art Workshop/Taller de Arte Fronterizo collective. Michael
ArcegaSPAM/MAPS (Links to an external site.): World (Detail), Spam luncheon meat and
pins, 3′ x 4′ x 2″, 2001 Food as a symbolic material that speaks to cultural exchange, in this

2. case as a result of World War II. SPAM, if you aren’t already aware, is a loved/hated canned
meat consumed by hungry people all over the world. It’s also “MAPS” spelled backwards.
San Francisco-based artist Michael ArcegaLinks to an external site. used SPAM in MAPS
form, showing how the “Diasporic nature is symbolic of America’s ongoing influence on
many nations.” Prompt Guidelines: Written Analysis – Essay Format: (Worth 30 points)
After you watch the videos, in your written analysis, address the art and artists featured in
each video in an essay:How do each of these artist relate to the idea of Visual Culture? Did
work work of these artist challenge your expectations of the creation and function of art?
Give specific examples form the videos. Can you relate to each of their experiences? If not,
why do you think that is? Explain your answers. How does the art made by each of these
artists specifically generate emotions to pleasure, power, and fantasy. How does the work
of Tanya Aguiñiga relate to humanity and nature, the theme of Chapter 13? How does the
work of Micheal Arcega, relate to the term “Visual Culture?” Where does this art belong?
Think about it for a second. You can literally watch this videos almost anywhere in the
world with internet access and experience the power, creativity, and grace of the artists.
Sure you can put the remnants of their art pieces within the walls of a museum, but is that
the best place for it? Grammar The use of correct grammar is expected for all written
material in this class; however I think that is essential that you write in a style that is
conversational and that suits your personal voice. I fully support making sure that what you
are writing sound like yourself. Just try to spend the time to be clear about the ideas you are
trying to express. Make sure to include enough information to get your points across. I
realize we live in a world of texts, emojis, and tweets and they are totally fine in other areas
of your life, but in a college classroom, they just usually don’t provide enough information to
fully explore ideas; so a little extra effort is a good idea. Here are some Guidelines for
Discussion Posting