Assignment #4

Estifanos Berhe

WMST 250 – Assignment Four: Learning Analysis

There are several aspects of this class that make up the general description of this course. I feel that there are several goals that were set out for students to ensure they leave this class with a different outlook. Many types of art, by or about women, have been created to address inquiries regarding power and gender struggles, nationality and language barriers, questions of religion and faith, and many others. We have come to learn these are what are considered the marked and unmarked categories of society.

But this leads us to the question, what is the story of the class? What is the goal and true purpose? I believe the answer to these questions is one that incorporates women, art, and culture through the means of exploration, ascertainment, understanding and change. This course was designed to offers an introduction into some form of women studies, therefore assuming that most of the people who have chosen to take this class have little or no knowledge on the subject matter. Every major assignment that was assigned signified level of understanding that is correlated with the previous assignment.

In the first assignment, we were asked to visit four museums, two of which were mandatory and two that we were able to choose from a list. I feel that this step was very important in order for us to gain a general feel about what art is and what feminism is also about. This assignment offered museums that displayed what is considered feminist art and others that did not. I felt that it was very important to incorporate museums that had other genres of art (other than feminist art); because it is sometimes also beneficial to understand this in order to gain a richer definition of the subject. This trip allowed us to accomplish two things. The first, is that it helped us begin to define what we considered as “Art” and the second, what we considered to be “Feminist Art.” I have always considered “Art” to be any form of expression that portray creativity and meaning to any one person; this could be a painting, sculpture, drawing, play, song, poem and the list goes on. Although, we have ethics and laws to distinguish what is considered art and what is considered to be immoral. For example, in some twisted way a murderer could consider his or her murderers to be art, whereas society, as a majority, considers that to be wrong and unethical. My definition of art has not changed to much as this course is coming to an end, but that is not the same case for what I consider to be “Feminist Art.”

Before taking this class, I though feminism was strictly about the empowerment of women. I simply thought it was a female movement, whose goal was to increase the status of women. I had some notion that it dealt with equality issues but was very far from what I believe it to be now. By traveling to the different museums and taking in all the different pieces of artwork, I began to reevaluate and sculpt my own definition of feminism and feminist art, although it was not complete after concluding assignment one. We were asked to submit assumptions that we had, that changed, after visiting the different art galleries. This allowed us to witness and understand the change that was about to begin. It took other ideas and thoughts about art before a more fulfilling meaning was reached. After completing assignment one, we moved on to the book But is it Art? by Cynthia Freeland. This book discussed about what art is, what it means, and why we value it. It reviewed different art theories and took a very bold approach towards the audience. In this primer on aesthetics, Freeland explains why innovation and controversy are valued so highly in art, intertwining together philosophy and art theory with many gripping examples. It explains why society is so drawn into the type of art that is shocking and provocative; art that taps into the different aspects of one’s identity.

This led us into the second assignment, where students as a group, were asked to create an event that focuses on our own definition of feminism. This point in the class allowed students in the discussion section, to confer thoughts and perspectives and gain a better understanding of the different viewpoints of feminism our peers had to offer. Every person in our discussion contributed in order to reach our one agreed definition. I feel that this assignment was very important because it allowed so many people, like myself, who only had a broad assessment about feminism, to truly focus and consolidate a new meaning to the word.

The third assignment we were asked to evaluate ourselves in the marked and unmarked categories of society. It asked us to assess our lives where we felt either privileged or oppressed due to some aspect of our character. I feel that this was a very enriching experience because it brought a different twist to the concept beyond feminism. We also worked with a few peers in our discussion class and I feel that the contrast in our characters helped me understand feminism somewhat better. This assignment focused on the different trials and tribulations that everyone faces because of their gender and sexuality, race and religion, nationality and language, and other socio-economic factors. I feel as though feminism is incorporated in the larger scheme which was explored in this assignment.

Assignment after assignment, reading after reading, has led us to this point. The culmination of what we have learned and gained from this class; the change we have undergone. I feel it would be difficult to grasp all this in a few sentences. The conclusion to this class has provided so much I have experienced. It has enabled me to understand what exactly needs to be done and what change needs to take place in our society. It magnified the issue in my eyes and how it links everyone as a whole, and each of us individually. We need to understand that the solution to all of this has been trying to be accomplished through art activism and feminist art. It shows how art itself has a voice of its own, that can reach the deepest depths of a person, far deeper than words could ever reach. The story of this class is about our beliefs, how they were affected through the different art that was presented to us through our assignments, and what we choose to do with this new found knowledge.

Initially, I registered for this course because of two reasons. The first was because I am currently a senior and I still needed one more CORE class to fulfill my requirements. And the second reason was that this class was recommended to me by a friend. I must admit, I was very skeptical about this class and whether or not I would enjoy it. I was not against feminism in any way at the beginning of the class but as mentioned, my definition of the topic was somewhat distorted.

I am a part of the story of this course because I am an individual different than any other person in the class. Like everyone else, there is no other person exactly like them. Each person contributes some part of themselves to the story of this course through participation and involvement. By accomplishing the different tasks put in front of me, I have reserved my seat in this story. Similarly, every student in the class has done the same. Therefore, if the story were to be retold (which it will be with a new group of students), it will never be this exact story, it would be a different version. It would be a version which ultimately reaches the same theme and understanding, but through various means due to the fact that its contributors are different and unique than its predecessors.

Again, I truly feel that I underwent different changes in my outlook towards art, feminism, and myself, changes that will continue to affect me and how I live my everyday life. I mentioned that my definition of feminism has changed. I now know that feminism is not about status of women, but is more about the struggle for equality. This change took place throughout the semester but mostly between the first and second assignment for me. I feel this time period is where I honed my outlook on feminism and this was done mostly through the art I was exposed to. Visiting the museums and discussing the different pieces of artwork broadened my horizon and allowed me to consider alternative perspectives. The different assumptions we had and the free writings we completed during lecture, throughout the semester acted as a live journal. It allowed us to keep a record of our thoughts and reflections about readings, artworks, and other things during that specific time. I feel that this was a good idea because it charted each phase of our transformation as a result of the class. Another concept that changed in my eyes was the concept covered in the third assignment; the marked and unmarked categories I have always felt that there is prejudice and discrimination in this society but I never really understood the individuality of a person and how aspects of their character may benefit or hinder them in everyday life. It showed me that there is and probably will always be some form of a power struggle in our society as long as we continue to perpetuate these dominant and subordinate theories. As I continued to label myself in the marked and unmarked categories, I realized that I fall directly in the middle. Things like my race, religion, nationality, and class offer more oppressions than privileges whereas aspects like my gender, sexuality, able-bodiedness and age offer me more privileges than oppressions. I did not fully comprehend the fact that there were so many different dynamics that offered opportunities to a person in life.

The part of this course which benefited me the most has to be the discussion. From years of education, I know that I work best in smaller classes, and this class offered both. I feel that the students in our discussion were very comfortable speaking and in turn made me more comfortable as well. I am normally a timid person but did not feel that way in our discussion sessions. Throughout the semester, I felt that I gained a greater understanding of the course through the discussion since we were able to address and voice specific issues that we were interested in. Our meetings allowed us to become a part of the story of this class because it enabled us to reach higher conclusions and meanings in terms of the concepts discussed in the lecture. It is as if we made our own chapters in the story of the course.

There were several things of this course that worked for me and others that did not. The only aspect of the course that I did not find as helpful as other parts was the lecture itself. I felt that it brought about some new information but it did not have a great role in my development in the class. I like to find out what others feel about a certain topic, to enrich my knowledge on a specific matter; this was generally accomplished in the discussion section. I found myself needing clarification on what was discussed in the lecture quite often. Eventually, I found myself attending the lecture less frequently yet I attended all of the discussion sessions. On the other hand, this course has offered me so much. I felt all the major assignments were significant in gaining the most out of this class. I enjoyed the out of class experiences like the museum trip and the tunnel of oppression that was held on campus. They helped me grasp the issues better by experiencing them outside of the classroom. I also believe the smaller tasks we did in our own discussion sections helped as well. I am not sure if every teaching assistant (TA) had freedom to bring in material of their own liking to the discussion, but I felt that was the case in our discussion. This was valuable to me because it incorporated our TA into the discussion more as a participant rather than an observer.

There were five different texts that were offered in this course. Of those, the first that I enjoyed had to have been one I’ve mentioned earlier; But is it Art? by Cynthia Freeland. I felt she addressed the idea of art theory and activism in a very bold manner, discussing why and how innovative and controversial art is so valued in our society. The part of this book that intrigued me the most was the fourth chapter entitled “Money, Markets, Museums.” It discussed how art sold for unbelievable prices in the past years and how this tarnishes the true value of the artwork. She mentioned sales in the millions of dollars that took place in the late 20^th century, specifically mentioning the well renowned artist Vincent Van Gogh. The reason why this chapter interested me so much is because, like many others, I was completely captivated when first seeing his “Starry Night.” Prior to this class, I did come to learn that Van Gogh was a very poor artist in his time, and his work did not sell for the millions of dollars they are said to be worth, until centuries past his life. This book reminded me of this fact, and how things like money and museums can strip the true value and beauty of a piece of art. By putting a price on things like this, it is forcing society to gauge its caliber on what it’s “worth” rather than how it influences them. I feel like this reading is connected to the story of the class because through one chapter, it shows how art affects this world and how it will continue to affect the motive behind creating art. It has shown me to appreciate art strictly on a personal level, rather than a global one.

A second reading I enjoyed, but did not expect to, was Kindred by Octavia Butler. I assumed this book to be another historical journal of slavery and did not initially see the correlation towards this the story of this course. This book focuses on the abuse of power, the gender struggle, and racism. This book did not necessarily address art but it did incorporate racism and the struggle faced by women in the early 19^th century. I felt this was linked to the third assignment that we completed and touched on some of the marked and unmarked categories that were introduced. Although fiction, I found it to be amazing how the main character, Dana, reacted to the extreme change in the time periods (1819 and 1976). She grasps the true nature of slavery and the struggles African Americans endured in order to survive. I feel that this reading helped understand what it was like to be oppressed by domination and racism. This was a very good text that set up for the third assignment and understanding power relationships.

Lastly, one other text I felt connected to was Feminism is for Everybody by Bell Hooks. This book touches on feminist theory and history; it targets an audience that has the stereotypical theory about feminism. I learned to appreciate this book because it helped me mold my definition of what I believe to be feminism. It talks about the different successes and failures of the feminist movement and how feminism is the catapult into a new future. Strangely, I feel that this reading is aimed to transform the meaning of the movement in they eyes of men specifically. This text informed me on things that I was unaware of prior to taking this course. It has affected me and in turn, changed my outlook on feminism as an idea.

Overall, the different readings and materials have all influenced the meaning of women, art & culture, and feminism. I think the overall goal of this course was to encourage us to discovery and interpret things, regarding art, women, and power, for ourselves and leave with a different mindset. As we are each individuals contributing to the story of this course, we are also contributors to a larger, more prominent tale, one involving the entire world. It is our mission that some sort of change is attained through different means, but it is absolutely necessary that citizens of our society come together. We have all witnessed the change that has taken place in ourselves, through the different artwork and readings presented to us. It is time that we do our parts outside of the classroom and spread the knowledge of our experiences.