The Body, the Lens and the Law

How have artists activated their own bodies and
the bodies of others to examine the human
condition and society at large? This class explore
the ways in which artists use the human body to
explore questions of labor, identify, sexuality,
etc. through their work. Performative gestures and
durational Life/Art works depend on documentation
in order to circulate in popular imagination. We
will examine the ways that censorship, legal
definitions, and the Internet work to make bodies
more and less visible, both today and
historically. Contemporary societal norms can
sometimes respond to art with legal ramifications,
which artists should be acutely aware of. This
course will address topics such as activism,
obscenity, pubic art, and pornography.