Deception

This research seminar uses a comparative method to study the aesthetics of deception. A deep dive into theories of art's proximity to trickery, illusion, and duplicity will be followed by student-led studies of key concepts (e.g., realism, forgery, camoflauge, passing, faux materiality) arising in the art practices of various periods and cultures. This class is open to HAA students in any subfield, and graduate students from across the humanities wishing to pursue shared interests related to the long history, and complicated theory, of art and deception. The semester’s research will culminate in a 2-day symposium, open to the public, with keynote addresses by an invited scholar and artist.