Description
We will examine the various roles of animals in art and society across time, from the caves of the Paleolithic era through our present relationship with domestic, disposable, and working animals. Art is continually haunted by the animal; they are good to kill and eat, ride, hunt, train for battle, keep as companions, paint, and ritualize. What would Thanksgiving be without our national turkey, Easter without our rabbits and chicks? Proceeding chronologically, students will investigate and analyze key issues and themes in man’s attitudes and relationships to animals—often paradoxical--and the role of animals in art and society as manifest in visual culture and social studies, for example: the symbolism of animals; social constructions of animals and the human/animal boundary; animals in commerce, scientific research, pet-keeping, and therapy; the animal soul; abuse of animals and the animal protection movement; animal emotions, intelligence, and reflexivity; the human-animal bond.