Art 302-01: History of Photography

Spring 2008, TTh 1:50-3:20pm, Fields 207

Professor Matt Johnston

This course examines the history of photography from its invention up until contemporary practice. Major technical developments will be covered, as well as changes in perceptions of the social role and meaning of the photographic image. A particularly recurrent theme in this class will be the relationship between photography and art – the manner in which it has served as a tool for creating art in other media, the nature of its documentary status, and what kind of unique aesthetic experience it provides on its own. Although anchored by a textbook, the class will be supplemented by additional readings, principally by past photographers, critics, and other cultural figures across the historical spectrum of the medium’s evolution.