Spring 2022 BFA Electives, X-Studio: Maximalism – Johannah Herr

 

Miriam Schapiro, The Beauty of Summer, 1973–74. Acrylic and fabric on canvas, 50 × 70 in. (127 × 177.8 cm). Collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody. © 2019 Miriam Schapiro / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

X-Studio: Maximalism

PSAM 3703; CRN 3304

This interdisciplinary studio course explores material strategies of making where more is more. Maximalist ornament can be used for veneration, for satire, or even as a tool for subversion. It can instill awe or overload the senses. From the 17th c French Baroque to 1990’s Harijuku fashion in Japan, students will explore the various ways in which maximalist strategies are employed from a global perspective. We will also take a multifaceted dive into the political implications of maximalism, from the Pattern and Decoration Movement to Kitsch, Camp and the maximalism of our contemporary digital landscape. Projects in this class will span 2D, and 3D media including collage, installation, textiles and sculpture.