Özlem Eren (Ph.D. Candidate) will be teaching ART HIST 403 Discover Eastern European Art asynchronous online during the AHH session, May 28th–July 21st. Sophomore Standing | Humanities Breadth | L&S Credit. Enroll here.
Description: This course is an epic adventure in what had been missing from your curriculum so far Art and Architecture of Eastern Europe! In 8 weeks, we will travel from the charming wooden architecture of the Russian North to the Byzantine-inspired churches in Kyiv; from the sturdy white stone churches of Vladimir-Suzdal to the iconic onion domes and glitter of Muscovy. We will be analyzing architecture, paintings, mosaics throughout the beautiful Balkan peninsula and enter into the world of Serbian despots. We will enter magnificent ballrooms, palaces that whisper conspiracies, a room entirely covered with amber (!) and witness the imperial splendor and luxury of Catherine the Great. Finally, we will feel the revolutionary energy of the avant-garde Ballet Russes!
This comprehensive introduction to the art and architecture of the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe will fill a significant void in your knowledge of world art. Besides covering a broad spectrum of artistic developments, this course will help you find answers to highly relevant questions of contemporary politics today. Is there a continuity in the architecture of Rus’? How is the artistic legacy of Medieval Rus’ interpreted today in Russia and Ukraine? Is the art of Medieval Rus’ Byzantine art? Is the whole idea of “Byzantine Commonwealth” just a myth? We’ll critically analyze all of these concepts.