IAHIS 2220 The Power of German Film & Photography
This course explores visual and cultural meanings in German film and photography of the 20th century. The history of modern Germany has been marked by tremendous social and political upheaval, including economic depression, two devastating world wars, and a country divided from 1945 until 1989. The re-united Germany now struggles with an identity that seeks to come to terms with the shame of the past while looking to the future. This course will study the work of German photographers and filmmakers in the light of this complex history. Discussions about their artistic productions will be complemented by relevant philosophical, literary and critical texts. Highlights of the course will include work by August Sander, Fritz Lang, Leni Riefenstahl, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Wim Wenders, Werner Herzog, Anselm Kiefer, Thomas Struth, Thomas Ruff and Andres Gursky.