Kat Burke
Cincinnati Art and Architecture
Cincinnati Art and Architecture is a Honors Seminar that went far beyond the traditional lecture structure. Instead of discussing the material in the classroom, our class would take tour buses across the city to see our subjects in person. We explored Cincinnati’s rich art history in person, with a focus on how the art world influenced and was influenced by the local economy, political climate, and social standards.
Throughout the semester, my classmates and I discussed a wide range of artistic subjects, mediums, and time periods that are relevant to Cincinnati’s history. Many of Cincinnati’s buildings are excellent examples of artistic movements essential to the cultural history of the Midwest, like the 1920-1930s movement of Art Deco that is prevalent to many of Cincinnati’s buildings, like Carew tower and Union Terminal. We also discussed and viewed several pieces of art that related to social events that helped shape Cincinnati’s current art world, like the Mapplethorpe controversy and the Cincinnati Bicentennial Gateway. A large part of studying for this class involved taking pictures of the most important and recognizable features, which I've included in the gallery below. Being able to record the art after viewing it in person was a great way to share what I've learned with students who haven't taken the class. After taking this class, I felt like I had a much deeper understanding of the cultural aspects of Cincinnati.
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This class was a fantastic opportunity to explore something I am passionate about through a new lens, which led to me finding new pathways to explore in my time at UC. My time during this course has created a newfound appreciation for museum curation and art history. I was greatly inspired by the work ethics and passion of the docents and historians that we met with to discuss Cincinnati art history. As a communication design student, I’ve become very interested in museum environmental design, and I plan to explore internship and Co-op opportunities that will help me achieve this goal.
