2024 Spring
OF 0013.133 The Art History of the Islamic Realm

Curious about amazing Islamic art? Do you wish to better understand religion and culture? Look no further! This course explores the manifold arts of Islamic art (including North Africa and Spain.) Join art historian Douglas Barker on a wondrous three-week aesthetic journey, exploring mosques, calligraphy, ceramics and carpets

Course Date(s)
February 20 - February 27
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Instructors
Douglas H Barker
2024 Spring
OF 0013.132 Osher Book Club: Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five

Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, our “Classic Book” for the Spring Semester might not be as well-known as our previous picks (To Kill a Mockingbird, Grapes of Wrath). Yet this 1969 antiwar novel, set in WWII, has been ranked #18 on the Modern Library’s list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th Century. To find out what makes Slaughterhouse-Five a classic of American literature, take a deep dive into it, and then join us for a lively discussion on our Spring selection.

Course Date(s)
April 17 - April 17
2024 Spring
OF 0013.131 Old Time Radio: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Radio drama was better than television. The pictures were better. In another time, radio was about telling stories - even SHOWING us those stories. In this course, we will explore the genres of science fiction and fantasy in old-time radio. Quiet Please. X Minus One. Escape and move! Not only will we listen to some amazing programs for ourselves, but the class will also explore the history and personalities behind some of radio’s greatest programs.

Course Date(s)
April 16 - April 25
2024 Spring
OF 0013.130 Charlie Chaplin: Silent Film Master

The student will learn not only about Chaplin’s film career, but about his life and challenges. The class will include an analysis of cases when Chaplin’s films serve as an autobiography.

Course Date(s)
March 4 - March 13
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Instructors
Robert Jordan
2024 Spring
OF 0013.129 Steal This! Loot that!- Art Heists on Film

Whose hands don’t feel just a little itchy when you encounter a piece of art you LOVE, held captive in a museum? Is EVERYTHING in a museum legitimate? If you could steal work by any artist, would it be Picasso, Basquiat, Goya? We’ll look at films about heists- Mona Lisa Is Missing, art forgery- Made you Look, and the tragedy of stolen and destroyed artifacts- Haunting the West as well as looting a museum, Museo, not to mention The Thomas Crown Affair and Lupin. We will also discuss when is it robbery or repatriation- and can the museum survive in an era where Nazi victims and indigenous groups can point to something and say that is ours, it needs to be returned (ex: the Nigerian bronzes). Students will learn about significant art mysteries, consider what is appropriation and what is theft, and reflect on where the future of museums might be headed.

Course Date(s)
April 2 - April 23
2024 Summer
OF 0013.128 How the European Enlightenment intellectually promoted America's Revolution

After the European Renaissance, Europe started to experience an enlightenment period. While various factors contributed to the emergence of the Enlightenment, including intellectual and cultural developments, the correlation between economic prosperity and relative peace in some European regions helped create a conducive environment for the spread of Enlightenment ideas. Brilliant European minds merged to mold a new human rights and intellectual development reality. These revolutionary ideas traveled deep and far and found a home in the colonies, contributing to radical change postures conducive to extreme endeavors such as the US Independence movement.

Course Date(s)
May 2 - May 2
2024 Spring
OF 0013.127 How the Spanish Civil War and WWII promoted America's intellectual and artistic boom

“Cultural Migration.” Intellectual migration occurs when artists, writers, scholars, and intellectuals leave their home countries due to conflicts, political persecution, or other adverse circumstances and settle in a different country. These migrants often bring their ideas, artistic expressions, and intellectual contributions, enriching their host countries' cultural and academic life. In this sequence, we will witness how America's cultural landscape was improved by those who, risking life and freedom, came to our shores to express their art and wisdom.

Course Date(s)
April 4 - April 4
2024 Spring
OF 0013.126 How America's discovery promoted Europe's Renaissance.

The discovery of America by Europeans in the late 15th century had profound and far-reaching consequences for both the Europeans and the indigenous populations of the Americas. Before, Europe was already experiencing economic growth and expansion, but its trade routes and commerce depended on the Silk Road and the east territories plagued by mediators interests, warlords, political adversaries, and bandits. They needed new ways and supply chains. Then came THE COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE, AND EVERYTHING CHANGED FOREVER.

Course Date(s)
February 15 - February 15
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2024 Spring
OF 0013.125 Studio Art: A Distinctive Studio Art Experience, Drawing

This unique and enjoyable course offering is designed to build self-assurance with freehand drawing skills in a variety of mediums. Participants will benefit from individual attention and guidance while building their drawing proficiency. Through instructor demonstrations and practice, participants will acquire technical and perceptual skills while addressing the properties of Line, Value, Perspective, and Composition. Accompany other enthusiastic participants and together we will dispel the mystery of "how to draw" successfully. No previous drawing experience is required. However, every level of experience is welcome in this rewarding opportunity.

Course Date(s)
March 18 - April 29
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Instructors
Damon Hitchcock
2024 Spring
OF 0013.124 Art History: Interpreting What We See in the Visual Arts

Broaden your visual vocabulary and further develop your terminology for discussing art and its principles of design. This engaging course will identify the most inspiring and influential artworks, the social and cultural backgrounds of the great movements in art, the changing roles of women, and the richness of the artist's contributions. Broaden your visual vocabulary and further develop your terminology for discussing art and its principles of design. A focus on the richness of the architectural environment and art in San Diego will also be presented.

Course Date(s)
February 16 - March 22
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Instructors
Damon Hitchcock

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