A new course, AP Art History, covers art from prehistoric times to the present. Students learn about the historical context of various art samples.
Junior Regan Gong was interested in the class because she took AP Euro last year and liked the art movements they covered in the course. “I like understanding why the artist created what they did and having another perspective,” she said. “Art is connected to literature and history, so in everyday life if a reference comes up, I’ll know what it is referencing,” she added.
The class was created by a group of students, led by senior Mitchell Carlson. “I researched the curriculum and wanted to study it more,” Carlson said. The students convinced Ms. Kerr to teach the class and then went on to persuade Mr. Walker and the administration to offer the course. It was a 2-3 month process and lots of hard work, but Carlson believes it was worth the effort.
Though lesson preparation takes extra time because it’s a new class, Ms. Kerr says it’s been running smoothly so far. “It’s a fun way to look at history and to investigate different societies,” she said.
The class plans on going on four field trips this year: the Grace Cathedral, the Architecture Tour of San Francisco, the Asian Art Museum, and the De Young Museum.
In class, the students do textbook reading, small art projects, and examine different pieces. “I absolutely love the class,” Carlson said. “It’s fascinating.”
“I think it gives you a good sense of the world around you and how different cultures represent themselves through art,” senior Zach Scherer said. “I’ve always been interested in different cultures and how they interact with each other, and this is a good way to learn about that.”
Scherer believes that the class will continue after this year. “I think people will talk to lower grades and tell them they enjoyed the class. It’s a fun group of people and a good teacher. We’re learning about a lot of interesting things,” he said.
