ARTH 4422: History of Modern Design
Term Paper: Mendori Table Lamp by Issey Miyake
The discussion and analysis of a designed object representing the evolution of modern design. This project is intended as a deep dive into something that might look minor or simple, but, upon analysis, it has a unique story to tell in the context of modern design.
ARTH 4445: Modern to Contemporary Asian Art
Research Paper: Asian Representation in American Comic Books During and After WWII
We had the opportunity to formulate our own thesis and research on a topic on modern and contemporary art in/of Asia of our choosing.
Writing Assignments
Write about your thoughts about the role of the qipao in The Goddess (1934).
Without fully knowing the backgrounds, what do you think the letter and response between Xu
Beihong and Xu Zhimo was about? How did they define “modernism”?
Reflect on the MIT Visualizing Culture controversy. What are our roles and responsibilities as
scholars, educators, consumers, and instigators of images, historical or contemporary, online?
ARTH 4561: Survey of Graphic Design History
Research Paper: The Invention of Photography in the Victorian Era and its Influence on Graphic Design and Printing
This research paper is an extended investigation of a subject in design history whether it is a design movement, designer, typographer, the story of the influence of an epoch in the history of visual communications such as the fifteenth century invention of printing, the early twentieth century surrealist movement, or contrasts two epochs, design movements or typographic epochs. The investigation will enable you to gain a deeper understanding of the spirit of that time and the social, political, and economic life of the culture of history of graphic design practice.
Discussion Posts
Discuss two examples (one from the Neolithic period and another from the Shang, Zhou, Qin or Han dynasty) that illustrate the close relationship between technique and design. Be sure to provide identification (name, date, medium) for both examples.
What were some of the design innovations and original approaches of the typographic book and "total design" by Italian printers of the Renaissance? Use at least two specific examples and relevant key terms to describe and discuss.
Discuss the role of type design, typography, and page layout in eighteenth century graphic design. How do these innovations and approaches apply to contemporary design practice?
Has the role of a Renaissance graphic designer in comparison to a contemporary designer as an intermediary between ideas and images and words changed? Are there similarities?
