Global Histories of Art (ARTCR-UE 58)

Designed for BFA (Studio Art) students, this course is an introduction to the global history of art, exploring the meanings associated with “art.” The class is a series of linked test cases involving specific art objects & the context of their creation. By working closely with a range of materials –– art history & theory, artist’s writings, & documentary film –– we will survey how artists have contributed to the history of art and question how this history matters for contemporary artists.

Art Theory & Critical Studies (Undergraduate)
2 credits – 14 Weeks

Sections (Fall 2019)


ARTCR-UE 58-000 (13090)
09/03/2019 – 12/13/2019 Mon
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Late afternoon)
at Washington Square
Instructed by Fresko Madra, Lara · Harouni, Shadi


ARTCR-UE 58-000 (13091)
09/03/2019 – 12/13/2019 Mon
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Late afternoon)
at Washington Square
Instructed by Harouni, Shadi · Fresko Madra, Lara


ARTCR-UE 58-000 (13092)
09/03/2019 – 12/13/2019 Mon
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Late afternoon)
at Washington Square
Instructed by Harouni, Shadi · Fresko Madra, Lara

Contemporary Art (ARTCR-UE 52)

New art and new definitions of art and artist are discussed. Major attention is paid to the New York scene with guest lectures by artists and visits to galleries, museums, and other major sites in the current art system.

Art Theory & Critical Studies (Undergraduate)
3 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2022)


ARTCR-UE 52-000 (12940)
01/24/2022 – 05/09/2022 Mon
9:00 AM – 12:00 AM (Morning)
at Washington Square
Instructed by Graves, Anthony

Art & Ideas: Art World Today – Berlin & Beyond (ARTCR-UE 9153)

The contemporary art world is a convoluted interplay of aesthetics & economics; ego & idealism. How can an emerging artist navigate its layers & idiosyncrasies? Through readings of theory & criticism, lectures, discussions, site visits, guest speakers, & student responses in the form of multimedia projects and art writing, this course explores contemporary art’s mechanisms & current discourse, always keeping Berlin’s local context in mind.

Art Theory & Critical Studies (Undergraduate)
3 credits – 14 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2025)


ARTCR-UE 9153-000 (2176)
01/20/2025 – 04/30/2025 Tue
3:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Late afternoon)
at NYU Berlin (Global)
Instructed by Segebre Salazar, Jose B.

Art: Practice & Ideas (ARTCR-UE 10)

’Art: Practice and Ideas’ examines key developments in the visual arts from modernity to the present. Focusing on the ways in which representations both create and reflect the values of a society, the course introduces students to the full range of expressive possibilities within the visual arts, covering painting and sculpture, as well as photography, film, video, conceptual art, and computer media. Topics to be covered include classical, modern, and postmodern relationships to politics, vision, the mind, the body, psychology, gender, difference, and technological innovation. Students will see and understand how artists have integrated perceptions of their historical moment, as well as physical and social space, into creative practices that have, in turn, had a significant impact on the culture of the time. Liberal Arts Core/MAP Equivalent – satisfies the requirement for Expressive Cultures

Art Theory & Critical Studies (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2022)


ARTCR-UE 10-000 (12834)
01/24/2022 – 05/09/2022 Mon
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Early afternoon)
at Washington Square
Instructed by Gookin, Kirby

Art of Now (ARTCR-UE 55)

This course examines the current developments in contemporary art over the past decade – the art of ‘now’ – from the viewpoint of an artist’s practice & working ideas, looking at current global art production in aesthetic, economic, & social contexts. The major movements in painting, photography, sculpture, installation & performance are examined. Readings will be drawn from first hand interviews & point-of-view accounts, reviews, & critique; a major emphasis on interviews & online studio visits will accompany the texts. Guest artist lectures & off-site museum & gallery viewings will complement the weekly visual presentations & theory conversations. Liberal Arts Core/CORE Equivalent – satisfies the requirement for Expressive Cultures

Art Theory & Critical Studies (Undergraduate)
4 credits – 15 Weeks

Sections (Spring 2022)


ARTCR-UE 55-000 (12147)
01/24/2022 – 05/09/2022 Wed
9:00 AM – 12:00 AM (Morning)
at Washington Square
Instructed by Weiner, Andrew