Contemporary Art and its Politics: Visual Culture, Social Practice and Activism

2019/2020

Academic Year

ENG

Instruction in English

4

ECTS credits

Delivered at:

Institute of Media

Course type:

Elective course

When:

1 year, 3 module

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This course aims to introduce students in recent theories, debates and practices around contemporary art, the creative industries, curating cultures and their respective institutional frameworks. It critically revises the most important discussions and standpoints around the shift in the global visual art of the last decades towards expanded educational and socially engaged practices. Central to this shift is the post-1970s questioning, often coming from feminist and post-colonial perspectives, of traditional aesthetic categories for reproducing dominant ideologies and canons. Cultural production is mediated and evaluated by a variety of actors, cultural policy agendas, local communities and the public. The course will draw attention in such aspects of the economy of culture as well as on issues around gender, race, class, political economy and ideology. The students of this course will be equipped with critical knowledge around recent debates in the area of contemporary art, the cultural and creative industries and an understanding of the values and qualities of cultural activities, involving those taking place in official institutions such as museums, art fairs and biennials, or unofficial settings such as various subcultures and scenes.

Learning Objectives

• The course will equip students with critical and analystical skills on contemporary art and issues around gender, race, class, political economy and ideology. The students of this course will be able to acquire knowledge around recent debates in the area of visual art, including films and video clips, and an understanding of the values and qualities of cultural activities, involving those taking place in official institutions such as museums, art fairs and biennials, or unofficial settings such as various subcultures and scenes.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Be able to acquire knowledge around recent debates in the area of visual art, including films and video clips
• Be able to understand the values and qualities of cultural activities, involving those taking place in official institutions such as museums, art fairs and biennials, or unofficial settings such as various subcultures and scenes

Course Contents

• Introduction: Contemporary Art and Its Politics
• Curating Cultures and Cultures of Curating
• The Social Turn in Art
• Art and Cultural Policy
• Museums Biennales and Art Events
• Art and Activism
• Art and Value
• Post-Human Aesthetics

Assessment Elements

• Attendance
• Presentation
  The student needs to select one of the course readings and present in the class. The presentations should be around 10-15 min followed by a couple of questions.
• Essay
  2.500 words, font Times New Roman, size 12 including references, footnotes and bibliography
• Critical analysis
  The students should write an one page review related to how a particular art work (or cluster of works) that they will choose from a list produce meaning, identities, political and moral standpoints, what they oppose/ affirm and so on.

Interim Assessment

• Interim assessment (3 module)
  0.2 * Attendance + 0.2 * Critical analysis + 0.4 * Essay + 0.2 * Presentation

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Bishop, C. (2012). Artificial Hells : Participatory Art and the Politics of Spectatorship. [Place of publication not identified]: Verso. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1694865
• O’Neill, P. (2007). The culture of curating and the curating of culture(s) : the development of contemporary curatorial discourse in Europe and North America since 1987. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsndl&AN=edsndl.oai.union.ndltd.org.bl.uk.oai.ethos.bl.uk.568395
• Saha, A. (2017). Race and the Cultural Industries. Cambridge, UK: Polity. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1682275

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• B&H Editorial Staff. (2018). Art : Biblical Truths for Creatives. Nashville, Tennessee: B&H Books. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1915073