Class explores art in Istanbul

Art History Professor Renata Holod decided she wanted to increase students' appreciation of Orientalism. So instead of having them study additional works in a textbook, she took them on a field trip to Istanbul. The 10-day trip, which took place over spring break and involved 17 students, was made possible through a Pew Charitable Trust grant. One major idea students took from the trip was the importance of viewing art within the context of its culture. "We tried to study and observe the differences between our cultures, and only a trip, as westerners could have permitted such a perspective," College senior and Art History student Lauren Jaeger said. "Being there, seeing everything in person, and living and breathing the culture was part of the purpose of the class," she continued. The culture of Orientalism happens to be over nine hours away by plane. Holod, according to her students, was determined to make the experience possible anyway. "Essentially, Professor Holod made everything possible, and we know that we would not have been able to even scratch the surface of Istanbul without her," Jaeger stated. The trip consisted of sight-seeing, private art collection viewings, and meetings with curators and professors of Islamic art. The class' access to private art collections was made possible through Holod's relationships with colleagues in Istanbul. One of her contacts allowed the class to make a very rare visit. "I have to admit I was surprised when our minibus pulled up to the gates of the Sabanchi family residence, the richest family in Turkey, and the guard let us in," Jaeger said. Through the class' experience, students clarified many misperceptions about cultures of the east. "Orientalism is, most simply put, the way we view other cultures, but perhaps more frequently, the way we misview other cultures," College junior and Art History student Ian Black said. "This was one of our 'Orientalist' lessons -- that there are not fundamental differences between Turkish and American students," Jaeger added. "The Turkish students we met were the products of modern Turkey. They didn't go to baths, smoke the hookah, or wear headdresses, the way one might think of a traditional Turk doing." Holod's students hope the trip will set a precedent for future Art History classes. "Trips such as this one give students the opportunity to have an altogether different academic experience," Jaeger said. "Classes that allow students to experience the material more deeply does wonders for the interest level in the subject matter."

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