In this course, students will investigate contemporary art practices, especially the way in which newer art has been used to investigate, document and illustrate political, social and/or historical concerns. Various art media will be reviewed such as mixed media installation, video installation, photography, and performance art. Specific contemporary artists who practice this media will also be studied.
After the general review of contemporary art practices, the bulk of the class will consist of each student learning to think about and represent concepts in open-ended, abstract ways. Students will then use contemporary art media (sound installation, abstract video, filmed performance, etc.) to give body to their ideas. The overall culmination of these practices will result in a larger, final work of art created by each student that represents their ancestral history, family background, and life experiences as means toward defining personal identity.
Meet Your Professor
Professor of Art
In 1986 I received a Bachelor of Arts Degree, with a focus in Painting from Simpson College. Between 1986 and 1995 I lived in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota and New York City. I occupied an art studio at each of these residences.
After returning to Iowa, I enrolled into the Graduate Painting Program at The University of Iowa where I received a Masters of Art degree in 1998 and a Master of Fine Arts degree in 1999.
Upon graduation from The University of Iowa, I taught design, art history, and photography at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. After this one-year assignment, I taught in another one year-appointment at Mount Union College, in Alliance Ohio. Since 2001 I have been teaching art as a full-time instructor at Simpson College.
I am currently a full-time, tenured, Professor of Art, and I continue to make art from my studio in Indianola, Iowa.
Meet Your SC Leader
My name is Ben Rockhold, and I will be your SC leader for Justin Nostrala’s “Discovering Identity through Art” 2018 SC class. I will be a senior this upcoming fall and can’t wait to meet all of you and get started!
I’m majoring in English with a minor in Secondary Education, and I plan on student teaching the spring of 2019 and then teaching full time after I graduate. Some interesting facts about me include: I play piano (but not very well, so if you’re expecting something fancy, prepare to be disappointed), I love movies and you will probably catch me quoting movies at random, I’m in Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and I have a twin brother that also is a student at Simpson, so if you see someone that looks like me outside of class who doesn’t acknowledge you (or looks at you frightened and confused if you try to say hi) don’t worry, that’s not me ignoring you, it’s a completely different person!
Everyone’s first year at college is different; it is something that is overwhelming, but also very exciting. I hope to make your first semester one to remember and to make your experience feel welcoming and comfortable! I hope you all are excited to get started!
Meet Your Writing Fellow
Soon!