Joseph Cornell and the Art of Assemblage
Joseph Cornell (1903-1972) created collages and assemblage boxes that are among the most interesting and influential works of 20th-century American art. By placing Cornell's art and life into larger frames of Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, and Pop Art, students will consider such issues as creative process, popular culture, and multi-contextuality. In particular, we will examine the question of assemblage, not just in Cornell's signature box constructions, but also in his compilation films and flat collages. Using the online resources of the Archives of American Art, students will do primary research on original topics.