[Bernard Uwineza | Banner] Dr. Katherine Papineau, assistant professor of architecture and art history, teaches ART 381, Women in the Arts, to students interested in learning more about the female role in art over the ages. The class, according to Papineau, offers a different perspective on art as a whole.
ART 381, “Women in the Arts,” is a new art class added to California Baptist University’s course list, focusing on the evolution of the role of women in art through the ages.
Taught by Dr. Katherine Papineau, assistant professor of architecture and art history, this class is one of the many new changes in the Art Department. In addition to one new upper-division class every semester, there is a new art history and visual art minor, as well.
“This specific class is different than previous art classes because it focuses on art that women produced and how the role of women has changed over time,” Papineau said.
Papineau explained how the class was studying Proverbs 31:10-31, a passage focusing on the strong, respected woman. The class then compared this to women typically represented in media and how they are portrayed in the entertainment world. The underlying issue is studied through situations where men may be objectified the same way as women in media, revealing double standards.
“This class simply sheds light on how women’s social constructs have directly impacted their ability to learn and grow at the same rate as their male counterparts,” said Hannah Kondrit, senior visual arts and psychology double major. “Feminists and female artists had to fight a line of thought that assumed women had no intelligence or creative capabilities. This class allows us to learn from a very specific perspective, and this consequently sheds light on a more holistic art history record.”
Amy Schwarz, senior visual arts major, said she believes this class is unique from previous art classes she has taken.
“This class shows how the world has created a social construction for women because it’s basically a timeline of women and how they’ve been able to thrive over the years,” Schwarz said of the content.
Papineau explained how all majors are welcome to these new courses because it provides a different perspective on art pieces and the class as a whole.
The class displays a different perspective by not only going over the history, but also the imperative roles of women in the fine arts.
