Narrative: Heroic Distortions

Open to Art School only. This course may be open
to students at other year levels, and in other
Schools, by Permission of Instructor.
Practice Courses within the Photography and Media
program focus on making work and developing the
shape of students' practices. While each course
under this category may offer a particular theme
or subject matter, its primary organization and
outcomes will center around making. This category
will include, but not be limited to, modes of
production fundamental to photographic and
media-based practice, including film-based and
digital photography, video and moving image
production, sound production, performance and
book-making, and will sometimes include a focus
on the primary genres and categories of
production common to media and photography.

This studio course will examine the
characteristics of heroes in classic narratives
through close textual analysis of literature,
films and comic books. From Hamlet to John Wayne
to Spiderwoman, the position of the hero within
the text is sutured into a narrative structure,
which supports gender, race and class
stereotypes. Illuminated manuscripts, early
narrative strips, soap opera and contemporary
photo and video narrative strategies will be
explored as a counterpoint to heroic narratives.