History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology Commons^™

“She Didn’T Know I Was In The Room”: The Effects Of Hatfield’S Illustrations On Readers’ Interpretations Of “The Yellow Wallpaper”, Mason Repas

The Downtown Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal Written and Peer-Reviewed by Mandel Honors College Students at Cleveland State University

When Charlotte Gilman's short story, "The Yellow Wallpaper," was first published in New England Magazine in 1892, staff illustrator Joseph Hatfield created three realistic-style images to accompany the text. Research suggests that Gilman had no control or influence over these images, which altered readers' perception of her story about the dangers of the rest cure for female hysteria. While Hatfield faced artistic limitations and his intentions are not discoverable today, the choices and details in his illustrations support interpretations of the short story as a piece of horror fiction in which his cohesive series of images is a more reliable …

The Great Unlearning, Catherine Mccrory Pears

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Great Unlearning is a conceptual exploration: sifting through experiences and objects to overcome psychological pain, expectations of society, individual upbringing, and outside influences in an ongoing quest for authenticity. To both embrace personal history and honor loved ones while letting go of lingering negativity is challenging. Using objects culled from my life, examining the past, and incorporating items gathered along my path through nature, the work seeks personal healing while promoting the power of all people to break from indoctrination, group think, and mob mentality to make better choices to live a satisfying and peaceful existence…hopefully in a democratic …

Beyond Participation: Hélio Oiticica And Neville D’Almeida, Jocelyn Elliott Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

The collaborative works by Brazilian artist Hélio Oiticica and filmmaker Neville D’Almeida responded to Brazil’s dictatorship and their self-imposed exile in New York between 1969-1974. Oiticica’s concept of crelazer and the artists elective “marginal” position converge to create a new cinematic language; challenging gender norms, and proposing new systems for living.

Lars Gustaf Sellstedt: Art In Buffalo And The Buffalo Fine Art Academy, Shannon N. Gilmartin

History Theses

This Master’s Thesis Project researches the life of a forgotten Buffalo artist, Lars Gustaf Sellstedt. He was born in Sundsvall, Sweden and started his life as a sailor when he became a cabin boy as an early teenager. For most of his young life until his mid-twenties, Sellstedt was a sailor traveling to all corners of the world. He started his journey as an artist while in between sailing jobs. Over many decades he portraits locally and abroad mainly in the Caribbean Islands. Sellstedt was one of the few artists in 19th century Buffalo, sharing the profession with William J. …

A Rouen Book Of Hours: Dynamic Religious Accoutrement, Cherished Accessory, And Looking Glass?, Sara Junkins

Art & Art History Student Scholarship

Sara Junkins ’23
Major: Art History and Creative Writing
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Welch, Art and Art History

Sara Junkins submitted an excellent art history thesis in which she mirrors the original owner and patron’s relationship to a 1510 book of hours made in Rouen, France, grappling like the patron with issues of faith, status, gender, and style. An external reviewer highlighted her sophisticated usage of Mircea Eliade’s theory of sacrality, saying that she “convincingly position[s] the book within the dichotomy of the sacred and profane.” Her investigation of the dynamic hybridities and dichotomies in the book—the sacred and the …

“You Will Never Touch My Roots”, Zari Apodaca

Art & Art History Student Scholarship

Zari Apodaca ’23
Major: Studio Art
Faculty Mentor: Professor Judd Schiffman, Art and Art History

An Exhibition of ceramic objects reflecting on genocidal trauma and cultural bereavement in Armenian culture. Through her art, Zari asks questions about the intergenerational effects of exile and persecution. In Zari’s words: “Through multiple ceramic copies of face plaques and head sculptures, I work to understand who I see myself to be, despite feeling so disconnected. I communicate my inner thoughts concerning identity and society through text carved into clay and broken up pieces of faces to better understand the missing gaps in myself.”

Lou Rizzolo: Art Installations Of East Hall And The Sky, University Libraries

East Campus Oral Histories

WMU Professor Emeritus of Art Lou Rizzolo speaks with Cassie Kotrch via FaceTime about his time at WMU first as a student and then as a professor and artist. Lou discusses two writings he prepared. The first details his first day on East Campus and a seemingly impossible mission. The second details some of the major works of his time as a professor, especially one series of works around the study of the brain that was in the East Hall gym.

Artistic Representation And Self Esteem, Brianna Davis

Honors College Theses

Dependent upon the constructs of the perception of self and the viewpoint of others, humans base the value of their self esteem on outer perspectives rather than internal ones. For this thesis in particular, the outer perspective to be examined is representation in the field of the arts. This thesis project explores the process of self esteem, artistic representation in the arts, how one affects the other, a history of the correlation between the two, and ways to inform and educate the masses with the tools necessary to advance representation in the arts thus raising the self esteem of its …

Critical Exhibition Methods In Museums, Jaimie Davis Ms

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Art and anthropology are intimately intertwined as art is an extension of culture which falls under the purview of anthropology. Utilizing interdisciplinary methodology that incorporates both anthropology's considerations for culture and art's consideration of aesthetic creates the best possible methodology for exhibition in museums. Art museums have enough aesthetic and could benefit from the considerations an anthropology's school of thought.

Art And Power: How The D'Este Family Ruled Renaissance Ferrara, Luke Ziegler

Tenor of Our Times

During the Renaissance, the d'Este family ruled the Northern Italian city of Ferrara. To make up for their modest land holdings, the d'Este chose to exert influence and control over Italian politics through artistic patronage. The court of Ferrara became known for its beauty, intelligence, and sophistication. All the dukes of Ferrara contributed to the city's cultural significance, and elevated Ferrara as one of the dominant cities on the Italian peninsula.

Artistic Engagement With Monadnock: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Jonathan W. Coffin

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This hermeneutic phenomenological study discloses the lived experience of creating art in association with New Hampshire’s Mount Monadnock. This study reveals the potential for artistic invention in association with place gradually to undermine an established sense of separation from environment and to prompt conscious awareness of continuity with environment. A series of interviews with four artists who create art of or in the presence of Monadnock revealed in the lived experience of creating Monadnock art a process that consists of five phases: first encounter, abstract appreciation, existential understanding, sustained attention, and continuity. A hermeneutic circular method of interpretation based upon …

World War Ii American Propaganda: The Art And Appeal Behind Women On The Domestic Front, Katherine Grace Noe

Theses

While men served their country through military duty during the second World War, women were encouraged to do their part in ways that challenged their traditional roles as the American housewife. Because so many men were off at the front, the United States government had to create new ways to manipulate and persuade American women to join the workforce. Posters and other media featured strong, relatable women and phrases that encouraged women to serve. Propaganda not only suggested how women should act, but also manipulated society’s view of women’s role in the war efforts. Most people are familiar with iconic …

The Beehive, The Favela, The Castle, And The Ministry: Race And Modern Architecture In Rio De Janeiro, 1811–1945, Luisa Valle

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation deploys a multidisciplinary and decolonial framework to investigate the architecture of cortiços, the Favela Hill, the Castelo Hill, and the Ministry of Education and Public Health (MES) building as constitutive of the history of modernization and modernity in the Centro (city center) of Rio de Janeiro, 1811-1945. The first three chapters investigate the distinct geographies, formal and material qualities, and populations of cortiços, the Favela Hill, and the Castelo Hill, as well as their racialization and essentialization by the “unsanitary” and “degenerate” labels bestowed upon these landscapes by the state. Traditional narratives and practices of modern architecture and …

Artists And The Push For Black People's Access To Healthcare, Kaitlin Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Using the works of Latoya Ruby Frazier, Simone Leigh, and Renée Stout, I explore the ways in which healthcare has been made inaccessible for Black Americans. Each chapter explores the impact of inaccessible healthcare and stereotypes, and the choice to opt for traditional alternatives to Western medicine.

Scenes Of Screens, Scenes Of Sodomy: The Role And Impact Of The Folding Screen In Eighteenth-Century French Erotic Novels, Katherine Delony

English Undergraduate Distinction Projects

This project provides an analysis of the folding screen as a literary agent and signifier which reflects the cultural happenings of the eighteenth century with specific emphasis on new ideas about queerness which arise in France during the eighteenth century. I will focus primarily on the Marquis de Sade’s (1740-1814) Justine, ou Les Malheurs de la vertu (1791) (as well as La Nouvelle Justine, 1797) and John Cleland’s (1709-1789) Le Fille de Joie (translated 1751) with reference to Jean-Louis Fougeret de Monbron’s (1706-1760) Margot la Ravaudeuse (1753), Sade’s Philosophie dans le boudoir Jean-François de Bastide’s (1724-1798) La …

Architecture In Anime: Miyazaki's Motifs, Jack Collins

Honors Projects

Internationally known, celebrated, and respected, director Hayao Miyazaki has become a household name by transforming an industry through his films. This research focuses on Miyazaki’s process and the similarities he shares with architects, both in and out of his works. By initially examining his background, the three motifs of architecture, inspiration, and sustainability are explored through works like Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke and more. The results of this research are to inform fans of both architecture and anime about the connection between someone who designs and builds the world, and one who designs and builds …

It Won’T Be Easy, Allison Arkush

School of Art, Art History, and Design: Theses and Student Creative Work

Interdisciplinary artist Allison Arkush engages a wide range of materials, modalities, and research in her practice. In It Won’t Be Easy, Arkush places and piles her multimedia sculptures throughout the gallery to create installations that overlap ­with her writing and poetry, sometimes layering in (or extending out to) audio and video components. This approach facilitates the probing exploration of prevailing value systems through a flattening of hierarchies among and between humans, the other-than-human, and the inanimate—though no less lively. Her work meditates on and ‘vendiagrams’ things forsaken and sacred, the traumatic and nostalgic. The exhibition title acknowledges that the …

Worcester Public Art For Esl Students, Eleanor Rueffer

Visual and Performing Arts

Funded by the Steinbrecher Fellowship, "Worcester Public Art for ESL Students" are original teaching materials (a 28-page booklet and worksheets) that utilize simple English to introduce some of Worcester's iconic public artworks. While the intended audience is English learners, the focus is on the content and is encouraged for use by anyone looking to enjoy and learn about Worcester history and art.

The booklet includes descriptions and histories of six Worcester artworks (Burnside Fountain, Soldiers' Monument, Major Taylor Statue, Mechanics Hall Mural, Rogers-Kennedy Memorial, and Chamberlain Fountain) with technical terms or difficult words bolded and explained in a glossary.

Eleanor …

History Of Fashion Installations As Art Exhibitions And Their Impact On The Public’S Perspective On Culture And Community, Arabella Riley

MA Theses

The current study targeted the problem of the relationship among the notions of fashion, art, and culture. The study aimed to determine the potential role of fashion brands and artists in the transformation of modern culture. Additionally, the study sought to analyze the forms of collaboration between fashion and arts, and their commercial and conceptual value. As to the research methods, qualitative secondary data review using thematic analysis methodology was utilized. The research findings included the recognition of the significant role of modern fashion and arts in the transformation of the public culture. Furthermore, it was revealed that different formats …

Forms Of Femininity: The Esoteric Visual Language Of Amazigh Women Through Ceramic Traditions And Symbolic Motifs, Mackenzie Nunnally

Theses and Dissertations

Amazigh women exercise agency and maintain autonomy as individuals through an esoteric feminine visual language. This language incorporates traditional, ritual-based pottery-making practices that are grounded in ancient spiritual beliefs and socio-cultural roles. Highly functional yet artistic ceramicwares serve as forms of femininity, or visual representations of the women. Decorative yet decidedly symbolic, geometric motifs decorate these wares and serve as esoteric signifiers of Amazigh heritage while allowing the female artisans to communicate their own experiences, principles, and worldviews. This esoteric visual language is defined and analyzed by connections made between ancient aspects of Amazigh culture and ritual-based pottery-making practices, comparing …

Case Study Of Byzantium, Shelby Johnson

BYZANTIUM: Trade, Treasure, Tradition

The Byzantine Empire (395-1453 CE) was a large cultural center that included a meshing of different societies in terms of trade. Located along the Mediterranean Sea, the empire had a monopoly of sea trade, leading to their multiple years of success under many different ruling emperors. Many different countries brought with them pieces of their culture and textile materials to the Byzantine Empire.

Around 500 A.D. China was known for their silk making textiles, holding the secret of their creation for many years until a group of traveling monks in Europe were able to smuggle out silkworm eggs from China, …

The Vienna Genesis And The Evolution Of Christian Book Illumination, Samantha Castro

BYZANTIUM: Trade, Treasure, Tradition

In this essay, I argue that the Vienna Genesis influenced future Christian manuscripts by pushing the idea that higher status and holiness were linked. The Vienna Genesis' expensive creation and classically-influenced illustrations, which were seen by some as conspicuous, would be imitated by the Paris Psalter, only differentiating in the subject matter. The Melisende Psalter would take a turn in its style, mimicking Byzantine icons rather than classical works, but it continued the high-cost production and ruler-appealing narrative of King David. And unlike the other two, the Melisende Psalter cements the initial bias, with signs hinting at possible royal/imperial ownership.

The Face Of Power: A Chronological Comparison Of Byzantine Coinage, Emma Duffin

BYZANTIUM: Trade, Treasure, Tradition

Coinage was an effective tool for representing imperial power in the Byzantine Empire. This short essay focuses on the evolution of power representation in coinage and argues that Byzantine emperors displayed power by employing classical Roman elements in their coinage. This argument is communicated through a chronological comparison of five coins ranging in date from 288 to 1425 C.E. These coins are a small example of the transition from imperial iconography to Christian iconography in which we see how classical forms are preserved even among a drastic change in style and narrative.

The Constantine And Zoe Mosaic, Lilly Jones

BYZANTIUM: Trade, Treasure, Tradition

In this case study I will go over the history behind the Constantine and Zoe mosaic in the Hagia Sophia, why it was hidden for so long, and the multiple theories behind its alterations. I will also cover the history of Zoe and her many husbands and why altering the mosaic would have been necessary to show history and they wanted it to be remembered. There is not the same record of events in Byzantium like we have today, history was written by the powerful and important to write to narrative they wanted. Because of the clues left behind we …

Utility, Liturgy, And Luxury, Olivia Brock

BYZANTIUM: Trade, Treasure, Tradition

The material legacy of medieval Byzantium is one of intricate luxury objects made of precious materials. As was evident in many cultures and periods, including the Byzantine, high-quality luxury materials were used to promote the status of individuals and institutions. The Attarouthi Treasure out of the Church of St. Stephen in Syria presents an excellent case study of luxury liturgical objects used to promote the social status of the church, as well as imbed the church in a series of complex social networks that both enhanced and retracted from the church’s social role. These objects were also physically dynamic as …

"The Christ Chosen Emperor": Representation Of Emperors As Divine Figures In Byzantine Art, Aly Hutchinson

BYZANTIUM: Trade, Treasure, Tradition

The concept of power has been evident throughout Byzantine culture, whether in its aristocratic and bureaucratic politics, textiles, architecture, or minted coinage. Consequently, the arts were frequently utilized to represent imperial and religious power with various renderings of symbols, colors, and icons. In addition, images portrayed significant visual and spiritual value as the viewers looked to them for knowledge, guidance, and prayer. The ruling emperors were held in high regard, and imperial families were dominant over Byzantine society. The emperor was created in God's image, given the responsibility to rule on earth and carry out the ten commandments. This essay …

Un Modernisme Méditerranéen? Usages Du Voyage De Klee En Tunisie, Dominique Jarrassé

Artl@s Bulletin

Parler de « modernisme méditerranéen » ne serait-il pas déguiser d’oripeaux bien-pensants le maintien de l’hégémonie dogmatique occidentale, donc « nordique » ? Le Sud revendique un rôle dans l’émergence de la modernité à travers le mythe de l’artiste qui y connaît une révélation, de la couleur ou du primitif. Le voyage de Klee en Tunisie en 1914, contrairement à celui de Kandinsky et Munter dix ans plus tôt, a donné lieu à une mythification (Klee n’y est pas étranger). Son récent centenaire à Tunis le montre : on a même parlé de kleeification. Il ne s’agit pas ici …

Contemporary Native American Art: Contemplating Fashion And Indigenous Craft, Madison Seiter

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on Indigenous and contemporary cultural representation expressed in the art of Wendy Red Star, Lisa Telford, and Jamie Okuma as presented in their clothing, shoes, and jewelry. These artists challenge marginalization through their works while also showcasing hybridity, cultural reclamation, and continuity through the materials and processes utilized. This thesis examines the elevation of Indigenous craft within the framework of recent craft theory. It explores what their art communicates in the contemporary art world and considers their significance to Native tradition, generational knowledge, innovation, and technical skill. The works discussed recognize the importance of Native art expressing …

Painting Outside Of The Lines: How Race Assignment Can Be Rethought Through Art, Giovanni Mella-Velazquez

Gettysburg Social Sciences Review

For centuries art has been used to make us think about our own human experiences. Unfortunately, works usually reflect the era which they were painted in; this has led to various artists showing, maintaining, and therefore reinforcing racist thoughts in our cultures. Art can be used to create a new narrative for our race assignments and their meanings. The idea of loving one's roots has been prevalent in many cultures, but in art form a disconnect between history and the everyday experience can arise which could miss the mark in helping us redefine our own race. Therefore, artwork which empowers …

2+2=Cake: A Book Of Conversations About Possibilities In Business And Art, Elizabeth Ann Alspach

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

2+2=CAKE is a toolkit for people interested in creating their own economic container to support their livelihood. Calling upon the entrepreneurial experience of artists and creatives who founded or run organizations, the book and accompanying workbook and motivational posters serve as an incubator, buoy, and affirming resource for those looking to build the economic container in which they make their livelihood.