The Rise of Modern Cities and the Birth of Modern Art and later of Contemporary Art

In the beginning of the twentieth century, the international avant-garde made Paris the center of modern art and of major artistic revolutions such as fauvism and cubism. Parts of Paris, such as Montmatre, and later Montparnasse, played a major role in attracting artists from all over the world. The city became a cosmopolitan, artistic hub and transformed into a laboratory of new artistic experiences and practices.
Of course, Paris was not the only city inventing new ways of painting or sculpting. Although Vienna, Berlin, and later New York also became major artistic centers, Paris set the pace until the mid-twentieth century. New York took the lead in the sixties, but later, in cities such as Tokyo and Mexico, and today in African cities such as Johannesburg or Kinshasa, new ways of creating art emerged.
The aim of this course is to understand how the transition from a medieval city to a modern one created a favorable environment for the rise and the expansion of modern art. Later in the twentieth century, contemporary art found its way in the urbanization movement. We will first focus on Paris, and then will draw on many examples in and outside of the western world. Today, with the influence of globalization, no single city dominates the fields of artistic creation.

Required texts:
Paul Ardenne, Un art contextuel, Edition Flammarion, ISBN 978-2081225138
Walter Benjamin, Paris Capitale du XIX em siècle, Editionan Alia, 2003, ISBN 978-28448510