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Arts in Paris

Academic Calendar

The Arts in Paris program is offered in both the fall and the spring semesters; students may also enroll for a full academic year. Each semester runs for 15 weeks, from 28 August to 12 December 2010 for the Fall 2010 semester and from 15 January to 1 May 2011 for the Spring 2011 semester.

Credits at Wells Study Abroad

Most studio art courses and all art history courses carry three credit hours each; dance courses carry variable credit, from one to three credit hours per course; French language courses at all levels carry three credit hours each. Students may earn up to 18 Wells College credits, which are usually transferable to any other American institution, as Wells College is fully accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSCHE). Students receive a Wells College transcript at the end of each semester.

Courses

Most art history and studio art courses meet once a week for three hours each session. Dance classes are usually 1.5 hours long. Enrollment is usually limited to 10-12 students per class in art history courses and to 8-10 students in studio art classes.

French language courses run for 5-week sessions: the first five-week session meets 4 mornings per week for a total of 60 contact hours; the second five-week language session meets 3 mornings per week for a total of 45 contact hours. All students enroll in the first 5-week session of French, and many students choose to enroll in the second 5-week session in order to continue making good progress in their language skills.

The teaching methodology employed in the program is based on dynamic interactive activities incorporating frequent site visits, painting in the Louvre, etc. In language courses, up-to-date audio and video materials and activities such as role-playing are used to improve linguistic comprehension and understanding of everyday French life and culture.

"I chose the Wells exchange program for a main reason, my interest of art. However, when I arrived in Paris and as I lived there, I not only enjoyed the artistic qualities and characteristics of the classes, teachers, trips, but I truly benefited from the smallness of the program. A group of eighteen people became my family along with the directors, teachers and advisors...Even if the Wells exchange program is small in quantity, the quality is larger than one can imagine. Through the opportunities we had and care we were given it was more than a study abroad program, it was an experience. One I will never forget." (S.S., University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Arts in Paris Course Descriptions

I. Art History
II. Studio Art
III. Dance

I. Art History

Art history courses meet both in the classroom and at various sites in and around the city (museums, art galleries, historic sites, monuments, etc.) each week, and carry three credit hours.

ARTH 218 Introduction to the Louvre

The aim of the course is to show how to look at art as opposed to reproductions in a museum environment. Using the Louvre as a classroom, students study the collection in a chronological order and examine techniques of presentation. They reflect on the reasons why some works turn into myths (Mona Lisa among others), and examine the social and cultural backdrop of the works studied.

ARTH 285 French Cinema

The primary objective of this course will be to study the historical relationship between French cinema and French culture from the silent era to the present day. We will concentrate on the major cinematic movements that left their mark on the history of the septième art, including surrealism, poetic realism, new wave directors, as well as the development of minoritarian cinema after 1980. Special attention will be given to the development of a national style as well as to the history of French film criticism. Readings will be drawn from the Cahiers du cinéma as well as the writings of individual directors. Films will be studied in connection with the major social, cultural, and political events of the twentieth century, including the Popular Front, WWII, the Marshall Plan, the Algerian War, and the American intervention in Vietnam.

ARTH 319 History of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism

A survey of the art and architecture of late nineteenth century France, including painting, sculpture, drawings and caricatures from Courbet to the Post-Impressionists. Topics studied include: the relation of art to transformations in urban space; art and leisure (parks and gardens, café-théâtres); politics and social change; city and country; exhibitions, museums, the Academy, patronage; the social place of the artist, gender, modernism and the avant-garde; art and photography. Weekly visits to the Orsay museum, the Louvre, the Marmottan, and other such collections. Trips outside Paris will include the Monet gardens at Giverny and the Barbizon school at Fontainebleau.

ARTH 320 History of Photography

This course surveys the major artistic, social and technological trends in photography from its beginnings to the present day. It provides an overview of important photographers and their works while examining the context in which these works were produced and received. It also considers the broader applications of the photograph in everyday society and how the medium has remained a principal source of visual communication for nearly two centuries. Class lectures and readings will be supplemented by visits to museums and galleries to offer first-hand exposure to the images studied.

ARTH 324 Contemporary Art in France

Students explore the contemporary art scene in Paris by focusing on two areas: the work of the artists and the art venues for a better understanding of the trade. The course consists of a solid presentation of a wide range of works by individual artists situated in the context of the major trends of the century, and an overview of the distribution system of the visual arts in France: galleries, museums, art schools, exhibit halls. Students are encouraged to present their portfolio to a few galleries to get a first hand experience of the complex and often frustrating distribution process.

ARTH 328 French Fashion: Past and Present

Students examine the historical, commercial and creative factors that have shaped the French fashion industry since the eighteenth century, in order to understand how it has maintained its position as the most important fashion center in the world today. We will look into dress and identity, politics and dress, as well as the creative process and fashion rivalry. The classes will take full advantage of its Paris location, with guided visits to historical areas such as the Palais Royal, and examining the history of textiles and dress from paintings in museums such as the Orsay Museum.

ARTH 385 History of Modernism

This course provides an in-depth study and pictorial survey of modern art, its origins and its legacy presented from the following perspectives: A general overview of the evolution of painting, with a focus on key elements in modern painting; a study of the aesthetic evolution of modern art through the works of the avant-garde and a study of actual art in Paris. Students will study works from the following artists: Matisse, Braque, Picasso, Kandinsky, Duchamp, Breton, Klein, Dubuffet, Viallat, etc. The course is made up of lectures illustrated by slides and group discussion. Visits will be made to local museums such as the Musée d'Orsay, Musée Picasso, Musée d’art moderne, Palais de Tokyo, Galleries, etc. to view the art studied in the classroom.

ARTH 314 Medieval Art and Architecture (Offered occasionally - Please inquire)

A historical review of art and architecture in France between the end of the 10th century and the 13th century. Topics may include: the principal examples of manuscript illustrations, painting, sculpture of the period; the role of the church, patronage and the place of the artist; abbeys and churches, the pilgrimages, exterior and interior church decoration; philosophies and theories of medieval style, techniques and design, and iconography. Weekly visits to the Louvre and the Cluny museum, and to churches and abbeys studied.

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II. Studio Art

Most studio art courses meet for three hours once a week, and carry three credit hours. A materials fee is assessed for most studio art courses; studio fees are not included in the overall program fee.

ART 242 Bookbinding

Book structures for artists: Learn different types of structures: one section pamphlet, accordion photo album, Japanese side sewn, multi-section case binding, portfolio according to each personal project. This course is designed for the artist who is looking for new ways to present or bind their prints, photos, drawings, etc. Learn structures for binding existing single pages of art that cannot be folded and bound in the traditional manner, as well as structures to compensate for varying thicknesses of pages and various pages sizes. Students leave with several finished books, plus the skills necessary to continue binding at home: cutting, folding, sewing, and gluing. Learn about hand tools and materials used in bookbinding, as well as how to use the standing press and board shear. Artworks to be bound/projects in progress are welcome.

ART 251 Ceramics I

Art students who are looking for a deeper understanding of the potter’s art are well served by this course. Thanks to hands-on instruction, students acquire or further master the various techniques needed to deal effectively with clay, glazing, and the kiln. They learn or review the characteristics of the various types of clay (terra cotta, stoneware, porcelain, raku clay) and glazing and firing techniques (including raku). 

ART 252 Sculpture I

This is an introductory sculpture class with an emphasis on the human figure. Students learn how to work in the three dimensions from observation and then move on to abstraction. Traditional materials and techniques are used, including additive and reductive methods for working in clay, armature construction, plaster casting, and basic carving. Museum visits and the drawing of sculptures in specific sites are both integral parts of this course. (Please inquire to the program director re. advanced coursework in sculpture: ART 352 Sculpture II) 

ART 263/363 Trompe-l'oeil

Art students are encouraged to enroll in Trompe-l’oeil, since this type of course is not often taught in American universities, in spite of its place in Decorative Arts.

ART 263 Trompe-l’oeil I is an introduction to the traditional painting techniques as applied to the so-called Trompe-l’oeil, an imitation of various materials: wood, marbles, patina, fake moldings, ornaments, draperies, etc. This course is designed for students with little training in the fine arts as well as those well versed in the field of color and composition

ART 363 Trompe-l’oeil II assumes a good mastery of the techniques learned in ART 263. Students work on more complex decorative panels, and develop their sense of composition. They are also expected to carry out a personal project, which will demonstrate a good understanding of trompe-l’oeil use in Decorative Art.

ART 271/371 Photography I & II

In ART 271 Photography I, taking Paris, its landscapes and people as subjects, students discover how images produce a photographic reality that affects our sense of the real and blurs the limit between art and life, make-believe and reality. Particular attention is given to understanding the camera and specific techniques in framing, focusing, lab processing and chemical handling, print finishing and displaying. Students learn how to produce a pictorial essay. Much emphasis is placed on shooting interior and exterior landscapes. Students are expected to apply these various techniques to the development of their personal projects, which are linked by a recurrent photographic theme or subject.

ART 371 Photography II is designed for students who have completed Photography I and/or who have a portfolio that demonstrates their skills in darkroom techniques and photo shots. Our objective is to help you develop a critical eye and acquire a more coherent personal style. While consolidating basic photographic techniques, the course also presents opportunities to explore new creative expressions: pin hole photography, big format shots, and printing techniques both classic and standard. 

ART 293 Printmaking I

Basic printmaking techniques are taught with exercises chosen to illustrate the advantages of one process over another for expressive and practical purposes. Various types of materials are used with and without the printing press to acquaint the student with a large range of possibilities for the manufacturing of multiple, identical images. Students are expected to create experimental artist proofs and then complete several editions of their most successful works. (Please inquire to the program director re. advanced coursework in printmaking: ART 393 Printmaking II) 

ART 299 Independent Study in Painting: Atelier Judith Gratz

This painting course proposes a study of classical painting (from the XVI to XVIII centuries) through an exploration of its main technical medium, oil painting. The focus of this class will be the technical savoir-faire that is at the origin of classical painting (the subject of the painting will be considered secondary). The student will assimilate such a technique by putting him or herself in the situation of the painter and understanding the different steps leading to the construction of the painting. Throughout the semester, the class will analyze the different layers that constitute a painting’s structure. 

ART 320 Fashion Design Illustration

This course is an introduction to illustration for the different needs of the fashion industry. Tuition is offered in drawing the basic fashion figure and experimenting with different materials and techniques. A variety of work is produced from the presentation of ideas in a mood book to finished mounted pieces. 

ART 360 Painting in the Louvre [must be taken concurrently with ART 361; see below]; 2 credit hours.

ART 361 Raw Materials and Techniques in Painting (Spring semester only)

An introduction to the major techniques in painting, based on the "touch and try method" developed by Nicolas Wacker, artist and restorer, for the Ecole des Beaux Arts. Special attention will be given to the use of natural pigments and binders on various supports (wood, cardboard, canvas, etc.). Students will experiment with pure pigments, wax medium, water-based glue, oil and acrylic. As an additional application of the techniques studied, students may work on a copy of a masterpiece in the Louvre, both in the studio and in supervised copy sessions at the Louvre. 4 contact hours per week; 4 credits. 

ART 362 Drawing the Figure

This course is designed to lead each individual student through the basics of life drawing. We will be working from the nude model in fixed poses and in movement. The models will be constantly changed to allow the student to discover new solutions to transmit visual information. Students will work at their own level and be encouraged in their own expression. Work will be reviewed and critiqued openly in each class.

ART 365 Painting Portraits (Offered occasionally - Please inquire)

Students will discover why this ancient tradition is re-appearing in our age of high-tech imagery. They will improve their drawing and painting skills while learning to paint the head in a complete composition, using gouache. Much emphasis is placed on proportion, perspective, volume and movement, composition in light and dark, transition in foreground and background of the figure in space.

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III. Dance

Students interested in taking dance courses can choose from a broad selection of courses designed for beginners as well as for experienced dancers. Courses are taught according to the main methods developed this century in classical, jazz, and modern dance. Students are introduced to many innovative trends and strongly encouraged to explore all forms of dance from classical to Hip Hop and street jazz to traditional dances of the world.

Course selection includes:

100 level = Introduction (Intro)

200 level = Intermediate (I)

300 level = Advanced (II)

Ballet

DA 246: Modern Ballet I

DA 346: Modern Ballet II

DA 256: Classical Ballet I

DA 356: Classical Ballet II

DA 456: Classical Ballet III

Modern Contemporary

DA 258: Modern Dance I

DA 358: Modern Dance II

Jazz

DA 257: Modern Jazz I

DA 357: Modern Jazz II 

Funk Jazz

DA 267: Funk Jazz I

DA 367: Funk Jazz II 

Hip Hop – Street Dance

DA 159: Intro. to Hip Hop

DA 259: Hip Hop I

DA 359: Hip Hop II 

Dances of the World

DA 131: Intro. to African Dance

DA 231: African Dance I

DA 132: Intro to Oriental Dance

DA 232: Oriental Dance I

DA 133: Intro to Flamenco

DA 233/333: Spanish Dances I & II

DA 134: Intro to Tango

DA 135: Intro to Salsa 

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Photos courtesy of Kali Vermès