MOLLI Fall 2011 Course Listings Fine Arts The Art & Culture of Central Europe
Evening Course
H. Rafael Chacón
Thursdays, 4:45-6:30 pm, Todd Building, UM
Five Extended Length Dates: Sept. 29 - Oct. 27
From the advent of the Hapsburgs through the collapse of Communism, central Europe has presented a rich and often troubling history over the last millennium. In six richly illustrated lectures, Professor Chacón will probe how successive empires have shaped the character of this important part of western civilization and left us an unsurpassed visual and cultural legacy in art and architecture.
Fine Arts
About the instructor: Dr. H. Rafael Chacón is a Professor of Art History and Criticism at The University of Montana where he investigates, publishes, and lectures on a variety of art, historical, and critical subjects. His most recent publications include an article on the art of Glacier National Park and an essay on modernist ceramics in Montana. He recently delivered a paper on large-scale, communally based art projects that go viral online at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences.
Fostering Creativity
Eileen Rafferty
Fridays, 9:00-10:30 am, Todd Building, UM
No Class Oct. 7; Make-up Nov. 18
Many think that artistic talent and creativity are gifts that are inherent and natural. In reality, artistic vision and creativity can be learned with the proper resources, hard work, and dedication. From a discussion of the concept of creativity to practical exercises, we will discuss the idea of artistry, examine past and present artists, their working methods, and delve into readings about the artistic process. Students will gain a clearer understanding of what creativity is to each of us, and how we can reach for it. Although much of the content is based in the field of photographic art, these concepts can apply to many mediums. About the instructor: Eileen Rafferty is an artist who combines her lifelong study of photography with digital technology to create photography, mixed media, and video. Based on ideas of memory, photographic history and visual culture, her work fuses archival imagery and processes with modern technology to join the past and the present. She received her MFA in Photography/Film from VCU in Richmond, VA, and currently teaches at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography.
Special Course in Conjunction with War Torn: The Art of Ben Steele at MMAC Surviving Bataan: The Art of Ben Steele
Keith Hardin and Herbert Swick, M.D.
Fridays, 9:00-10:30 am, Todd Building, UM
Late Start, Three Weeks Only: Oct. 14, 21 & 28
Optional Textbook: Tears in the Darkness, by Michael & Elizabeth Norman
Informal breakfast discussion with Ben Steele on last course date. Course fee: $30
The Battle of Bataan marked a major allied defeat in the early months of World War II. Tens of thousands of U.S. and allied prisoners of war endured horrifying conditions as they were marched across the Bataan Peninsula and held in Japanese POW camps for almost four years. Thousands upon thousands died, and many of the survivors were scarred for life. Ben Steele, a Montana artist who survived the Bataan Death March, used his art to both record and recover from his experiences. The Montana Museum of Art and Culture is featuring a major exhibit of Ben Steele’s art this fall. This special three-part MOLLI class will use this exhibit to explore historical, psychological, and medical consequences of the Bataan Death March. About the instructors: Keith Hardin is an artist as well as an art and military historian. He serves as a consultant to the Military Museum at Old Fort Missoula. Herbert Swick is a physician with an interest in how artists depict the experiences of illness and healing. 4