AR220-5-AU-CO:
Art and Ideas II: More Art, More Ideas - Critique and Historiography in the History of Art
2016/17
Art History and Theory
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
15
17 December 2013
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BA V314 Art History,
BA V350 Art History (Including Foundation Year),
BA V35A Art History (Including Year Abroad),
BA VV31 Art History and History,
BA VV3C Art History and History (Including Year Abroad),
BA QV23 Literature and Art History,
BA QV2H Literature and Art History (Including Foundation Year),
BA QV32 Literature and Art History (Including Year Abroad),
BA VV53 Philosophy and Art History,
BA VV5H Philosophy and Art History (Including Year Abroad),
BA V351 Curating,
BA V352 Curating (Including Year Abroad),
BA V359 Curating (Including Foundation Year),
BA V35B Curating (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad)
Module Description
The aim of this module is to invite students to critically engage with as well as to challenge the various ideas and presuppositions related to the art object and the object of art. We will analyse a range of topics and methods of interpretation in the construction of the art discourses and consider how different authors have assessed its social or ritual functions, its ethical dimensions and its value. In class discussions we will be dealing with questions such as: What is art? What is the relationship between art and beauty? Should art be critical of society? What is modern art? and What is the end of art?
Following the art theories of Hans Belting and Arthur Danto, the module will be structured according to three main headings: 1) Art Before the Era of Art, 2) Art During the Era of Art and 3) Art After the Era of Art.
In the 'Art Before the Era of Art' section we will discuss the social and cultural function of what we would today consider to be 'art objects': how were these objects seen prior to the development of the concept of art as we know it today? We will also analyse how art and the artist were thought of before the emergence of ideas, such as 'genius' or 'the masterpiece'.
During the Middle Ages art began to be recognized 'for its own sake' and the figure of the artist as creator became central often to the extent that 'history of art' became synonymous with 'history of artists', as Vasari's Lives of the Artists attests to. In the 'Art During the Era of Art' section of the module we will look at the construction of different discourses around the art object and their changing preoccupations: from the conception of the artist as genius to the birth of aesthetics. Among the other topics that we will consider are: the notion of artistic styles as historical development, the social function of art and its criticisms, the challenges to the traditional notions of representation, and art becoming its own subject.
In the last section of the module, 'Art After the Era of Art', we will explore the distinction between modern, postmodern, and contemporary art. This section will discuss contemporary art, conceived not merely as the art produced 'now' and by our contemporaries, but as an art conceived within a certain structure of production that, as Danto claims, 'designates less a period than what happens after there are no more periods in some master narrative of art, and less a style of making art than a style of using styles.'
Aims and Learning outcomes
1.) By the end of this module the student should have a clear idea of the historical development of the discourse on art and the way that it has shaped our understanding of it. This will include:
* A clear understanding of the specific problematic of the construction of the discourses around art and, consequently, before, during and after the eras of art.
* The ability to identify the status and function of objects before the emergence of the notion of 'art.'
* A firm grasp of the particularities of the socio-cultural context that led to the invention of art.
* Knowledge about the context that from XVIII century lead European thinkers to reflect upon the field of objects we now call 'art'.
2.) The ability to critically engage with current debates around the status of contemporary art.
3.) A sound understanding of the key concepts and methods of interpretation in art history.
4.) An overview of different forms of writing about art, which will also enhance the student's writing and interpretation skills.
5.) The confidence to subject the texts studied to critical analysis.
6.) Skills to analyse works of art from different theoretical perspectives.
No information available.
No information available.
Available as an outside option and to international exchange students
Learning & Teaching Methods:
2 hours per week during the autumn term
Combined lecture and seminar discussion. Following the formal lecture, one group of students will present a short talk (c. 15 minutes) on the week`s main topic and its related readings. Afterwards, the entire class will be expected to participate in a sustained, careful discussion of the key issues raised in the lecture and student presentation.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Weekly reading summaries – 150–200 words each |
|
10% |
| Coursework |
Essay 1: 2000 words |
|
40% |
| Coursework |
Essay 2: 3000 words |
|
50% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Ian Dudley
Sarah Mumford, Deputy School Administrator, email: smumfo@essex.ac.uk
Yes
Yes
No
Prof Michael John White
The University of York
Reader
Available via Moodle
Of 18 hours, 18 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
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