Professor Ayako Kano of the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations and her "Anime to Zen" freshman seminar visit the Shofuso Japanese House in Fairmount Park and participate in a tea ceremony.
Photo credit: Brooke Sietinsons
Courses like Inescapable Classics: Reimagining Antiquity Through the Visual Arts and To A(nime) from Z(en): Japanese Performance and Aesthetics are welcoming Penn freshmen to the museums, galleries, theatres, music venues, and literary hubs of Philadelphia. Sponsored by Penn Arts and Sciences, Penn’s Art and Culture Freshman Seminars are small, discussion-based classes designed to introduce first-year students to the wealth of opportunities available to them both in the city of Philadelphia and through Penn's own academic programs and cultural centers.
Destinations range from familiar Philadelphia attractions like the American Philosophical Society Museum to lesser-known resources like the Colored Girls Museum in Germantown, and the students have lists of places to visit on their own. Local artists, actors, writers, critics, and curators also come to Penn to lecture, conduct workshops, and participate in discussions, letting students hear from working professionals in the arts. In-class workshops, like a traditional Japanese tea ceremony and kimono workshop, are also part of the programs.
