By Samantha Walker

Photo by Samantha Walker

“I believe art history matters to everyone!” Dr. Cindy Persinger stated.

Jan. 22, Dr. Cindy Persinger, a professor of Art History at California University of Pennsylvania, dove into the importance of art history.

Dr. Persinger stressed establishing the subject of an art piece and crediting the correct painter using a painting of Leonardo DaVinci’s that was wrongly credited until 2008 as an example.

The history of representation was another large topic, or rather the lack of representation. Persinger displayed Faith Ringgold’s Dancing at the Louvre: a story quilt that tells of a black woman from America who moved to France to be an artist.

Persigner introduced multiple artists to her audience, including Wendy Ewald’s “socially art” and Jeff Koon’s “market driven art.” While Ewald’s pictures depict social issues, Koon’s focuses more on art market trends.

“Both their arts are important, but for different reasons.”

Persinger gave examples from her own teachings. This included projects and class trips to Carnegie Museum of Art to research the life of Duane Michals, a local painter.

Persinger rounded up her presentation with a lengthy quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character  that is the goal of true education.”