ARTH 1505

All the other comments say this is an easy A, but if you don't like art, history, reading, or writing, then find another easy A gen-ed class because this isn't for you. I took this class because I read that it was an easy A, and I most definitely got below a 90. I struggled with the readings, fell behind very very easily, and found it difficult to do the writing on the midterm and final just because putting European art into European historical context was very difficult for me. If you have never taken an art history class before or aren't passionate at all about art/history/reading, then find another class.

Having said that, if you do take this class, Fordham is honestly amazing as a professor and as a person. Great lecturer. He makes things semi-interesting, but it's still super easy to get distracted in class. Pay attention to the lectures and take notes, even on the smallest things.

#tCFF23

(Art and money). I don't have much to say about Fordham - he's a great lecturer and a great person! I kinda wish he taught a class in my major because he's just that good.

If you're like me and most people at this school, you probably are taking this class for the gen ed, and you're probably not an art history major. Big mistake. Take a class where the content is legit interesting. If you don't have an inch of interest in art, history, or reading, then don't take this. Don't even take it if you like money because this class was barely about money as you may expect it to be. I gave up on taking notes so quickly into the semester because this was just that boring. People say 'take this class if you like art or history' but like seriously, take this class if you are good at analyzing things. If you were good at analyzing readings in AP lang or something, then you're probably great at looking at a picture and analyzing the crap out of it, as well as actually understanding the readings. I, unfortunately, was not gifted like that. I hated the readings and hated analyzing so much. If none of the classes in your major will fulfill the reqs that this class does, try finding something else that will fulfill it instead of this class.

Having said that, if you are an art buff, do yourself a favor and take this class. It's seriously not hard to get an A- regardless of your skill. I suck at writing (and everything mentioned above), and I got an A-. You need some serious skill to end with an A.

Tip: For the midterm and final, start memorizing the artworks early. Memorizing is the one good skill of mine that came handy in this class. Use quizlet or anki or whatever you choose, but just memorize things. This is where the easy points on the exams come from.

Art and Money (the course topic of this semester of Art and the Modern World) was easily my favorite class this semester. If you love both art and history or at least one of them, this is a great course for you. The course goes over how art influences the market and vice versa. You learn a lot about how the most common art forms change over time and it's so so interesting. There is a week's worth of content on Aboriginal (Australian indigenous peoples) art that was super interesting too. Professor Fordham is a really great lecturer and you can tell he really does love the subject. The discussion sections are weekly and mandatory, but all you really need to do is show up and contribute at least a little. The TA for my discussion section (Dustin) was a really great lecturer and also hilarious. There is a paper, a midterm and a final, but they are all pretty straightforward. There are a couple readings per week and if you read slow like me, you might fall behind a bit sometimes, but it's not too hard to catch up again. Professor Fordham and the TAs are very kind and understanding and funny, and I would highly recommend this course to anybody! #tCFfall22

The best class I've taken at UVA. Fordham is an incredible teacher, the workload is super reasonable, and it gives a great survey of contemporary art that's relevant so the lectures feel applicable to daily life. Also super accessible for those outside the major since it's also business and money based. Loved the guest lecturers and the unit on aboriginal art and UVA's Kluge-Ruhe museum. Would recommend this class to anyone considering it!!

Professor Fordham is a great teacher and clearly cares a lot about the material being taught. That being said, I don't like or care about art or history but I still thoroughly enjoyed this class. The lectures were easy to follow and had a lot of interesting information. He randomly took attendance some days and seeing as that was one of the few things that counted towards your grade I would highly recommend attending lecture. There is also a mandatory discussion that counts for participation where they really check to see if you did the readings but as long as you keep up with the reading and speak up in discussion you'll basically get a 100 for discussion. The tests are basically straight up memorization. You have to memorize dates, artist names, and painting names but if you can memorize all the slides you'll do well on the exams. Overall a pretty easy class that had a very manageable workload!

This is a really good class to get a requirement out of the way. Professor Fordham is good at teaching art history in a way that makes it easy for everyone to understand. I'd never taken an art class before and I thought it was super interesting. There is one paper, a midterm, a final and readings that you complete for class. The readings are important for discussion because the discussions are very small and you are expected and graded on your participation. If you go to class and pay attention, you will do well.

The class is not too difficult but it is important to attend every lecture. Your grade is based off of only attendance, discussion, a midterm, one paper and a final. It is possible to get an A, but tests draw heavily from lecture and reading and you are expected to be specific in your essays, so it is important to keep up! Fordham is a great professor but it is easy to get distracted in his class!