AR220-5-AU-CO:
Art and Ideas II: More Art, More Ideas - Critique and Historiography in the History of Art

The details
2022/23
Art History and Theory
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Thursday 06 October 2022
Friday 16 December 2022
15
14 September 2022

 

Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

(none)

Key module for

BA V314 Art History,
BA V315 Art History (Including Placement Year),
BA V31B Art History (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA V350 Art History (Including Foundation Year),
BA V35A Art History (Including Year Abroad),
MARTV399 Art History,
MARTVB98 Art History (Including Placement Year),
MARTVB99 Art History (Including Year Abroad),
BA VV31 Art History and History,
BA VV32 Art History and History (Including Placement Year),
BA VV38 Art History and History (Including Foundation Year),
BA VV3B Art History and History (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA VV3C Art History and History (Including Year Abroad),
BA V3RB Art History and Modern Languages (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA VR39 Art History and Modern Languages,
BA V3R9 Art History with Modern Languages,
BA VR3B Art History with Modern Languages (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA PV33 Film Studies and Art History (Including Year Abroad),
BA VW36 Film Studies and Art History,
BA VW37 Film Studies and Art History (Including Placement Year),
BA VW38 Film Studies and Art History (Including Foundation Year),
BA VW3B Film Studies and Art History (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA QV23 Literature and Art History,
BA QV24 Literature and Art History (Including Placement Year),
BA QV2H Literature and Art History (Including Foundation Year),
BA QV32 Literature and Art History (Including Year Abroad),
BA QV3B Literature and Art History (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA VV53 Philosophy and Art History,
BA VV54 Philosophy and Art History (Including Foundation Year),
BA VV55 Philosophy and Art History (Including Placement Year),
BA VV5H Philosophy and Art History (Including Year Abroad),
BA VVHP Philosophy and Art History (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA V351 Curating,
BA V352 Curating (Including Year Abroad),
BA V353 Curating (including Placement Year),
BA V359 Curating (Including Foundation Year),
BA V35B Curating (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA W350 Art History, Visual Culture and Media Studies,
BA W351 Art History, Visual Culture and Media Studies (including Year Abroad),
BA W352 Art History, Visual Culture and Media Studies (including Placement Year),
BA W353 Art History, Visual Culture and Media Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA R100 Art History and Language Studies,
BA R101 Art History and Language Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA R102 Art History with Language Studies,
BA R103 Art History with Language Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA V305 Curating with Politics,
BA V306 Curating with Politics (Including Foundation Year),
BA V307 Curating with Politics (including Placement Year),
BA V308 Curating with Politics (including Year Abroad),
BA V309 Curating with History,
BA V310 Curating with History (Including Foundation Year),
BA V311 Curating with History (including Placement Year),
BA V312 Curating with History (including Year Abroad),
BA VV40 Art History, Heritage and Museum Studies,
BA VV41 Art History, Heritage and Museum Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA VV42 Art History, Heritage and Museum Studies (including Placement Year),
BA VV43 Art History, Heritage and Museum Studies (including Year Abroad),
BA V301 Curating, Heritage and Human Rights,
BA V302 Curating, Heritage and Human Rights (Including Foundation Year),
BA V303 Curating, Heritage and Human Rights (Including Placement Year),
BA V304 Curating, Heritage and Human Rights (Including Year Abroad),
BA V5L5 Philosophy, Ethics and Sustainability,
BA V5L6 Philosophy, Ethics and Sustainability (Including Foundation Year),
BA V5L7 Philosophy, Ethics and Sustainability (Including Placement Year),
BA V5L8 Philosophy, Ethics and Sustainability (Including Year Abroad)

Module description

The first year Art and Ideas modules introduced some of the key methods in art history and in the philosophy of aesthetics. In this module, we will examine the methods of art history more closely and understand where these ideas came from.

We will look at this history of art history chronologically, beginning with the ideas that dominated art history from the sixteenth century. Each week, we will look at changes and challenges posed by successive generations of art historians.

Module aims

The aim of this module is to gain an understanding of the history of art history - when did scholars begin thinking of ‘art’ as something distinct from other kinds of making? When did scholars decide ‘art’ was something best understood as having a history? How have the methodologies of this ‘art history’ changed since it began? What are the underlying changes in values and in society which have changed how we do art history? What has become included or excluded from this history? In class discussions we will ask questions such as: What is art? Does it have a history? What is the relationship between art, society and politics? What is art for?

Module learning outcomes

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:

1. A broad understanding of the art history's methods and how they have developed.
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.

Module information

No additional information available.

Learning and teaching methods

There will be a two-hour combined lecture and seminar each week. Week 8 is Reading Week 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.

Bibliography

This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting
Coursework   500 word assignment     30% 
Coursework   Presentation     20% 
Coursework   2000 word essay     50% 

Additional coursework information

Guidance for set reading summaries: Weekly Summary Guidelines 10% of the module mark is awarded for weekly summaries of the set readings, above. Each article must be summarised in no less than 150 and no more than 200 words per article (summaries substantially over 200 words will not be marked). You should include 1-2 citations from the readings. When possible, you should aim to explain, clearly and concisely, the key and overall arguments of each particular reading, as if you were explaining to someone who has not read the piece what, fundamentally, it is about. Alternatively, when dealing with more challenging readings you may chose an artwork or particular term/concept that was discussed by the author and argue what points you think the author is making in this case. Summaries should be submitted online via FASer no later than 10 am on the day BEFORE each lecture, and in hardcopy on the day of the lecture. Late submissions will be awarded zero. Feedback will be provided when your coursework is returned. If you would like to discuss the feedback received then please do not hesitate to get in touch with your lecturer or class/seminar teacher in their office hours (as shown on their office doors) or by appointment. 150 – 200 words per reading (one per week), to be submitted according to the guidance provided below. These summaries will comprise in total 10% of the coursework mark. The assignments are intended to allow students to engage closely with the theories, critiques and art historical arguments of writers and thinkers from a range of approaches, methods and politics, and to develop skills in reading, writing and critical assessment over the entire module. See below for further details. Weekly Summary Guidelines 10% of the module mark is awarded for weekly summaries of the set readings, above. Each article must be summarised in no less than 150 and no more than 200 words per article (summaries substantially over 200 words will not be marked). You should include 1-2 citations from the readings. When possible, you should aim to explain, clearly and concisely, the key and overall arguments of each particular reading, as if you were explaining to someone who has not read the piece what, fundamentally, it is about. Alternatively, when dealing with more challenging readings you may chose an artwork or particular term/concept that was discussed by the author and argue what points you think the author is making in this case. Summaries should be submitted online via FASer no later than 10 am on the day BEFORE each lecture, and in hardcopy on the day of the lecture. Late submissions will be awarded zero. Feedback will be provided when your coursework is returned. If you would like to discuss the feedback received then please do not hesitate to get in touch with your lecturer or class/seminar teacher in their office hours (as shown on their office doors) or by appointment.

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

Coursework Exam
100% 0%

Reassessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Gavin Grindon, email: ggrindon@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Gavin Grindon
artquery@essex.ac.uk

 

Availability
Yes
Yes
Yes

External examiner

Dr Dominic Paterson
University of Glasgow
Senior Lecturer in History of Art / Curator of Contemporary Art
Resources
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), module, or event type.

 

Further information
Art History and Theory

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