Fiber Art Histories, Theories, and Genealogies of Practice

This course seeks to chart the histories, theories, and genealogies of practice in fiber art from the post-war era to the present. We will assess the underappreciated relationships between design reform, abstraction, and the textile in the early twentieth century, take a deep dive into the emergence of the fiber art movement of the 1960s and 70s, investigate the upsurge of interest in craft and the handmade that catalyzed the use of fiber in art of the 1980s and 90s, and conclude with a survey of the recent widespread appearance of fiber in contemporary art. There are two overarching goals of this course: 1) to develop a working expertise in the history of fiber art and its legacy in art today and 2) to understand the function and consequences of the material and aesthetic boundaries that once had the power to exclude fiber as a non-art medium in the hierarchy of the arts to the near collapse of this form of cultural authority in the twenty-first century. Course readings and discussions will be supplemented by visits to the Museum of Arts and Design and the Museum of Modern Art, among other venues. In addition to required reading, students will be responsible for leading or co-leading one seminar or set of readings and submitting one final project. The scope and design of the final project is open for discussion but will require a brief consultation with me to confirm it responds to the scholarly and applied content of the seminar. 3 credits. MDP.