IAHIS 5625 Visual Narratives Across Time and Media
Throughout history, visual narratives have played a primary role in defining social and cultural experience. This course provides students with an introduction to visual narratives as they have functioned in different cultures and historical contexts. Students will develop the analytical skills and theoretical language to understand how visual narratives mediate our sense of reality on both an individual and collective basis. By examining artifacts from the past and present, students will explore both the evolution and impact of visual narratives across various fields of cultural practice and media - including advertising, animation, design, film, gaming, illustration, photography and the fine arts. In order to accomplish this task, students will study both the content and structure of visual narratives, analyzing the various ways in which artists and designers employ pictorial codes, cultural tropes and graphic styles to create compelling narratives for viewers and consumers alike.