Henry Sayre, a retired Oregon State University – Cascades professor of art history will lead a special workshop series this fall that examines the transformation of contemporary art over the last half-century.  Registration for the workshop, offered over four evening classes, is open to community members.

“Since 1968: Art in the Last 50 Years” surveys five decades beginning in 1968, when the Tet offensive in Vietnam, the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy, the May Days in Paris, and police riots at the Democratic Convention in Chicago marked a turning point in world politics, and by extension, in art.

Over the four sessions, Sayre will examine the disintegration of traditional aesthetic distinctions over five decades, as well as the distinctions between painting and sculpture, and other art forms.  Participants will explore the emergence of photography, video and performance art, as well as the significance of the increasing accessibility to art across demographics and around the globe via the internet.

Sayre received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University and a doctorate from the University of Washington. He joined OSU in 1983 and during a 30-year career won awards for his teaching and service.  He received numerous grants and fellowships, including three from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Sayre is the author nine books, co-editor of another, and has published widely in national and international journals. Two of his textbooks, both in their sixth editions, are widely used throughout the nation—an art appreciation text, “A World of Art”, and a writing guide, “Writing about Art”.

The workshop series will take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 26, Oct. 24, Nov. 14 and Dec. 5.  All classes will be held at the OSU-Cascades campus in Bend.

The registration fee is $119, including an application fee.  The registration deadline is September 22.