ARTH 376 Topics in Indigenous Art

• Mondays, 15:00-17:30
• EV-1-605
• Instructor: Lori Beavis

This course will concentrate on contemporary First Nations, Métis and Inuit art, with a focus on the body. In Indigenous lexicons there is a belief that the body refers to both the land and the beings who live upon it. We will explore Indigenous art practices that disrupt prescribed definitions of identity in favour of self-definition. Through the lens of self-representation, we will explore the art production of various Indigenous artists and consider the critical intent of the work as it relates to history, current affairs and socio-political realities. Students will be introduced to the diversity of Indigenous contemporary practices across the land now known as Canada, in media such as painting, photography, video, performance, and installation. The course will also provide an introduction to Indigenous theories and methodological approaches that contextualize these current practices, including resistance, resilience, sovereignty, self-determination and survivance.