EXCO 160 - BadArtCo

2 credits
Why does only good art deserve serious academic consideration? What about the bad stuff? The real stinkers? This class seeks to fill that academic void and offer a survey course of ugly, tasteless, and confusing art practices, as well as examine what constitutes ‘bad art’ and the inherent subjectivity of that phrase. We’ll discuss all varieties of bad art, from poorly rendered paintings to ethically questionable performance art to music that hurts your ears. It is our hope that in giving serious attention to forms of art deemed culturally unworthy, students will become better rounded, fairer, more personally-informed consumers of art rather than simply echoing common notions of what is truly ‘good’ and ‘bad’ expression.

Fiona Giménez-Collins (she/they)
fgimenez@oberlin.edu
Jo O’Leary (they/them)
eoleary@oberlin.edu
Link to Syllabus
Link to Application