Anti-Perspective

Course Description

Summary

“One could even compare the function of Renaissance perspective with that of critical philosophy… The result was a translation of psychophysiological space into mathematical space; in other words, an objectification of the subjective.” — Erwin Panofsky, Perspective as Symbolic Form This course is about how an image might represent a codified or systematic way of thinking. We will study the differences between one-point perspective, parallel projection, non-perspectival representation, and the problem of depth in these representational modes. Weekly drawing exercises will be paired with readings to elaborate on various ‘rules’ for creating space in a picture. After a series of directed drawing assignments, students will work individually to further explore, untangle, or build on the drawing methods studied in the course. Students will have the option of making original work, creating perspectival experiments, or conducting and presenting research for their final projects. Massimo Scolari’s book (after which the course is titled) will be used as a reader, and we will consider Anne Anlin Cheng’s proposition that “We do not master by seeing; we are ourselves altered when we look.”