60-368 Likeness: Portrayal After Warhol
9 units, Carnegie Mellon University
We live in a world in which science and technology are among the most powerful forces reshaping our culture and thus our definitions and perceptions of identity and likeness are in flux. In this seminar, we will examine the impact of science and technology on identity and likeness as we undergo an exploration of the evolution of human portrayal globally from the time of Andy Warhol to the current era. In order to comprehend the present we will briefly look at earlier decades. In this era of technological advancement and social transformations the presentation of human likeness has undergone major change. Thanks to photography and cyber technology portrayal no longer is a of a revered as a unique or rarified object but a conglomeration of cultural influences. Facebook and the SELFIES dominate the field of portraits. Images of individuals who were once viewed as a primary indicator of national identity, social status, religious belief, or a signifier of historical events, no longer dominate. Shifting cultural values, rise of celebrity culture, global expansion and technology have played an influential role in reshaping the concept of human likeness and identity each has challenged the hierarchical pretext regarding the portrait. Nowadays images of the self and others, prompt viewers to consider a wide array of psychological, spiritual, and political information beyond visual manifestation. A variety of themes will be explored and a range of artists, as well as nonartists. In class discussions we consider how new technologies have affected the evolution of the portrayal of the humanity.
Prerequisites: none listed
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