NAU in the Alps

Pablo Picasso once said that painting is just another way of keeping a diary, since art documents the life and experience of the artist. But art also reflects the social forces around it, such as the cultural and political atmosphere of the period it was created in, as well as the religion, nationality, class, gender and interpersonal connections of its creator.    Eagle Nest, Germany This summer, armed with sketchbooks, theories and a healthy dose of curiosity, 19 NAU   students traveled across the Alpine region to decode the invisible forces that have shaped art in this area for centuries. Led by Jessie Finch , chair of the Department of Sociology, and Neal Galloway , associate director of the School of Art and Design, the Sociology of Visual Art and Culture class took a two-week journey across Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France.   “There is a complex web of social systems and conventions that both construct and constrain the world of art that we experience,” Finch said. “This class helps students recognize and understand the structures that underlie the world of art and visual culture with a focus on the art and culture of The Alps region in Europe.”   The
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