Transcultural Objects

Objects and materials are threads of connection that influence the societal, cultural, and political conditions of communities. Migration, trade, and exchange have been an important part of human history and served as such threads—tying people, ideas, and objects together. Can objects truly be tangible indicators of intangible communication, material connections, and travelling ideas? How can this be explored? With a focus on the African continent and its diasporas, this course centers object study on the Brooklyn Museum’s Arts of Africa collection. Students will explore the various intercultural aspects of objects as products of cultural contact through materiality, technology, ideology, taste, and style. This course will also involve workshopping with objects selected for the reinstallation of the Arts of Africa galleries at the Brooklyn Museum with material ranging from ancient to contemporary. 3 credits. Satisfies either the chronological or geocultural requirement. MDP.