Dust on the Page: Narratives of the Southwest with Irina Ruvinsky – G26010202
New Mexico has long captivated the imaginations of writers and artists, drawing them to its stark deserts, towering mesas, and vibrant cultures. This course explores the works of those who visited, lived in, and were transformed by New Mexico’s landscapes and peoples. We will study literature by D.H. Lawrence, Willa Cather, and Leslie Marmon Silko, alongside visual art by Georgia O’Keeffe and Ansel Adams. Through fiction, memoir, painting, and photography, we will examine how New Mexico’s Indigenous, Hispanic, and Anglo histories shaped creative expression. Students will engage in critical analysis, creative projects, and discussions on how place influences artistic vision. Field trips or virtual explorations of key sites, such as Taos, Ghost Ranch, and the Mabel Dodge Luhan House will enrich our study.
Instructor
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Irina RuvinskyIrina Ruvinsky is a writer and scholar based in Chicago, where she teaches at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her work explores the intersections of literature, philosophy, and place, with a special focus on memory, identity, and the poetics of landscape. With a background in comparative literature and continental philosophy, Irina brings an interdisciplinary approach to both her teaching and writing. Outside the classroom, she spends her time hiking trails with her dachshund, and working on essays that explore the ways narrative and theory shape cultural and personal geographies.