This
writing course examines “bad art”: cultural productions that raise
questions about censorship and freedom of expression, the ethics of
representation, “camp” and “bad” taste, and good art made by bad
people. We will consider a variety of cultural forms, including
literary texts (poems, fiction); music, television and film; and the
visual arts. We will work to develop criteria for engaging with these
forms; to develop these criteria, we will read critical theory, popular
journalism, and literary and art criticism. Student writing will
include shorter, low-stakes assignments, informal presentations, and a
series of essays (three) executed through a sequence of individual and
group-oriented activities (e.g. conferences, peer-review, drafting and
revision).