Introduction to the Hispanic culture through art

UNAM United Kingdom

Every Wednesday, from May 15th to July 31st, 2024 
18h-19h

Location: King’s College London, Waterloo Campus, Franklin Wilkins Building, Room G.50A

Description: This course aims to provide students with an approach to the history, identity, and culture of the Spanish-speaking world through various forms of art: literature, painting, music, and classic and historical audiovisual materials. Upon these materials, students will write essays, give presentations, organize conversation circles, and take midterm and final exams.

Structure and topics of the course:

History and Music
-Latin/Hispanic/Ibero-America: linguistic terminology, cultural aspects, and geography.
-Hispanic identity: introduction to the history of Spain through music: Moors, Jews, and Christians in Spain.
-Brief recapitulation of the history of Spain. From the “reconquest” to the Franco regime.

Audiovisual Arts
-Hispanic-Mexican film to be analysed: “Pan’s Labyrinth,” directed by Guillermo del Toro.
-Analysis of the work: director, genre, and influences, historical context, the role of women, the role of fantastical creatures, reference to other Spanish artistic works, photography, and international awards.

Literature
-The Latin American Boom: Gabriel García Márquez, Juan Rulfo, Carlos Fuentes, Jorge Luis Borges. Julio Cortázar, Mario Vargas Llosa, among others.
– Classical literature: Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes.

Painting
– Mexican Muralism: Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Juan O’Gorman, José Guadalupe Posada.
-Main exponents of Spanish art: Salvador Dalí’s Surrealism, Pablo Picasso’s Cubism, Francisco de Goya and his “Black Paintings,” Diego Velázquez and Spanish Baroque.