With Hope Tucker
“The way to right wrongs,” said journalist Ida B. Wells, “is to turn the light of truth upon them.” Through close examination of works by artists, filmmakers, photographers, and cultural workers who have turned towards borders and boardrooms; fields and factories; habitats and playgrounds; wetlands and wilderness, this course will advance students’ skills in reading and making images as they expand their understanding of environmental justice. Students will study a series of works and their relationship to the historical and cultural context (economic, political, intellectual and artistic) from which they came and create weekly responses to a variety of texts by Appalshop, Rosa Barba, Nanobah Becker, Blackside Films, Center for Urban Pedagogy, Shu Lea Cheang, Robert Del Tredici, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Carole Gallagher, Judith Helfand, Barbara Kopple, Dorothea Lange, Pare Lorenz, Cannupa Hanska Luger, Ana Mendieta, Richard Misrach, Mike Nichols, Tsuchimoto Noriaki, Emily Richardson, Martha Rosler, Mierle Laderman Ukeles, Frederick Wiseman. Class meetings will include screenings, discussions, and production exercises. No previous production experience is necessary. Attendance and participation in all activities is required.