Information Session for Social Life of Art (Norway/Iceland) Study Away Course

Meet your faculty, hear more about the itinerary and the course goals!

ART/ANTH 339: Social Life of Art (Norway/Iceland)
Instructors: Ben Moore (Art); Maryna Nading (Anthropology)
[Fulfills GE and elective within Art and Anth majors/minors; Cost Est.: $5250-$5950]

We will study the social life of art in Norway and Iceland as it is produced and exchanged between people. We will probe the distinction between fine art and craft by tracing art’s social functions. For example, we will visit national museums and galleries to think about how decisions are made about what to display and who gets acclaim. We will visit folk art museums and workshops to examine how art figures in nation building and nation branding. We will spend time outdoors to examine street art and how it compares to official narratives that come from museums and galleries. We will meet with curators, artists, and business owners to hear about their engagement in various aspects of art production and circulation, for example how traditional art forms evolve with time, how art can mobilize people around pursuit of social justice, how making items by hand resists commoditization and exploitative economic practices. In short, we will ask: what does art do?

The course is open to students of all majors and no prior experience with Art or Anthropology courses is required.