Course Title: Analyse cultural history and theory
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: VE 2016
Course Code: HUSO5194C
Course Title: Analyse cultural history and theory
School: 340T Art
Campus: City Campus
Program: C5308 - Diploma of Visual Arts
Course Contact: Jennfier Cabraja
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4472
Course Contact Email: visualarts@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Teacher: Anthony Riccardi
Email: anthony.riccardi@rmit.edu.au
Nominal Hours: 70
Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites
None
Course Description
In this course you will develop skills and knowledge required to research, analyse and debate cultural history and theory. You will be able to gain insight into historical art movements that will support and develop your own approach to creative work.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
CUVRES502A Analyse cultural history and theory |
Element: |
1. Select a focus for cultural research |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1. Select a focus for research in consultation with others based on individual needs and perspectives 1.2. Make an initial determination of the information and ideas to be sought 1.3. Challenge own assumptions and preconceptions about the research process and potential information sources 1.4. Select relevant historical and contemporary sources for investigation |
Element: |
2. Conduct critical analysis |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1 Seek out and compare the critical views of others in chosen area of inquiry 2.2 Investigate issues around the historical and contemporary production, interpretation, promotion and consumption of culture 2.3 Allow the process of analysis to take exploration of issues in new and unintended directions |
Element: |
3. Discuss cultural history and theory |
Performance Criteria: |
3.1. Develop substantiated opinions and ideas about cultural history and theory 3.2. Make informed contributions to discussions of cultural history and theory 3.3. Encourage and participate in open and constructive discussion
|
Element: |
4. Develop own practice from research |
Performance Criteria: |
4.1. Determine potential for integration of research findings into own work 4.2. Relate cultural history and theory to professional practice issues 4.3. Recognise connections and associations between history and theory and contemporary cultural practice 4.4. Develop ideas about how research might impact on or enrich own professional practice and its future direction |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Select an appropriate research focus
- Analyse cultural ideas and information
- Develop substantiated positions to support professional practice
- Participate in informed discussion of cultural history and theory.
In this course you will develop the following program capabilities:
- Recognise historical and theatrical contemporary cultural practices
- Develop opinions and ideas about cultural history and theory.
Details of Learning Activities
Learning activities will take place in a lecture theatre using industry standard resources. You will complete exercises and industry style projects. You will also be required to undertake independent study.
In class activities may include:
• lectures
• teacher directed group activities/projects
• class exercises to review discussions/lectures
• analysis/critique of relevant reading material
• seminar presentations
• class exercises to review discussions/lectures
Out of class activities may include:
• practical exercises
• reading articles and excerpts
• preparing for discussion
• project work
• independent research
• online research
You are expected to manage your learning and undertake an appropriate amount of out-of-class independent study and research.
Teaching Schedule
Semester 1 | |||
Week | Class Content | Task / Assessment | Learning elements |
1 | Introduction- Introductory lecture includes the overview of the entire year’s content from Impressionism to Beuys. Presentation and explanation of assessment is given and the students are informed about what is required of them. |
1.3 | |
2 | Impressionism 1 Impressionism and modernity. The influence of photography and Japanese art; Impressionist colour theory; the modern nude; Social/political/historical background. |
|
1,2, 3. |
3 | Impressionism 2 Continuation of last week’s themes. |
1,2, 3. | |
4 | The Heidelberg School Problems of representing the Australian landscape; Australian ethos and formation of Australian mythology; Federation; Myth vs. social/historical/political reality |
1,2, 3. | |
5 | Post Impressionism 1; Seurat / Cezanne The reasons for the development beyond Impressionism. Seurat: The formal and conceptual development and practice of Pointillism. Cézanne:The development of the representation of space and depth in Western art; the development of Cézanne’s ideas and practice regarding space, depth, composition and colour; his influence on cubism and modernism. |
1,2, 3. | |
6 | Post Impressionism 2: Gauguin / Van Gogh Gauguin-The development of Cloissonism / Synthetism; Gauguin’s artistic development in Brittany and Tahiti; the colonial context of his work; his relation to symbolism Van Gogh-The development of his art and ideas; religious and social context; his extension of Impressionist ideas towards a personal symbolism of colour, form and content. |
1, 3. | |
7 | Symbolism The ideas and practices behind the symbolist movement; Idealism; the literary sources regarding the use of form and imagery; |
1, 3. | |
8 | Examination Of 3 Paintings By Manet, Van Gogh, And Munch This class explores 3 paintings in great depth: formally, regarding content, historically, socially, political etc. |
1, 2, 3. | |
9 | Fauvism -Matisse, Derain, Vlaminck The development of Fauvism. The development of works of Matisse, Derain and Vlaminck |
2, 3. | |
10 | Cubism / Picasso Picasso’s early work; Blue and Rose period; The formal and conceptual development of Les Demoiselles d’Avignon; the development of cubism; an examination of varieties of cubism by different artists |
1, 3. | |
11 | Expressionism 1 The Bridge Definition and historical usage of the term “expressionism”; introduction to modern German Expressionism; the historical/ artistic/ economic/ social and political background to Germany at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century; The Bridge: Its artists, practices beliefs, aims; Philosophical background |
1, 3. | |
12 | Expressionism 2 The Blue Rider The development and aims of The Blue Rider in comparison to The Bridge; The development of the idea of abstraction, the influence of music, Theosophy; the development towards abstraction in his art |
1, 3. | |
13 | Paula Modersohn-Becker/Kathe Kollwitz The lives, art and ideas of Modersohn-Becker and Kollwitz. in the context of Expressionism and Feminism |
1,2, 3. | |
14 | Futurism The historical, cultural and economic background of Italy in late 19th century to early 20th century. The Formation of Futurism. Its ideas and attitudes and agenda |
Essay | 1, 3. |
15 | DADA Social and political background; the reasons for World War 1 and the social, political and psychological ramifications of the war; Swiss Dada-: the Cabaret Voltaire, the ideas and practices of the Swiss Dada artists New York Dada; Duchamp: His version of dada and his art as a precursor to conceptual and postmodern trends, the rise of the object as art Picabia: art and practice; machine aesthetic; Man Ray: art and ideas |
1, 3. | |
16 | Art Deco An examination of Art Deco in the context of the post war period and the application of “High art” ideas in design |
1, 3, . | |
Mid-semester break | |||
Semester 2 | |||
1 | New Objectivity and the Return to Order Movements. The artistic reaction to World War 1 and to the pre-war avant-garde movements |
|
1, 3, . |
2 | Geometric Abstraction: Malevich / Mondrian An examination of two forms of early geometric abstraction with historic and conceptual context |
1, 3. | |
3 | Surrealism 1 Its relation to dada; its responses to WW1 and its aftermath; influences on surrealism; an account of Freudian Psychoanalysis and Freud’s ideas regarding dream production and analysis The Surrealist group; its values, activities and ideas; its political aspirations; Breton’s and the Surrealists’ use of Freud’s concepts and practices in their own work. |
1,2, 3. | |
4 | 4 Surrealism 2 Precursors to Surrealism; ideas and practices of major Surrealist artists; the differences in approach, ideas, forms and influences between the male Surrealists and the female Surrealists |
1, 3. | |
5 | Nazi Art/ Art Of The Holocaust Ideological background to art in Nazi Germany. Art as propaganda. Also art of the concentration camps and dissidents. Art as resistance. |
1, 2, 3. | |
6 | Angry Penguins: Art In Melbourne In 1940’s/50’s The issue of distance and its effect on the development of Australian art. The major influences on Australian art in the 1940’s/ 1950’s, especially Surrealism and Expressionism. The impact of World War 2. The Herald Art Show. John and Sunday Reed. Visual versus Haptic approaches to art. A discussion of major artists. |
1, 3. | |
7 | Abstract Expressionism Impact of the 1930’s Depression and the Federal Arts Program on the development of American artists. The impact of World War 2. The influence of European Modernism on American art,. An introduction to Jungian Theory. An introduction to Existentialism. Characteristics of ABEX in relation to Modernism. An examination of major American ABEX artists. |
1, 3. | |
8 | Pop Art 1 Social change in the late 50’s/60’s. The rise of the mass media and popular culture. An introduction to the psychology of advertising. Pop as the New Realism. English Pop Art – The influence of American culture on English Pop Art. |
1, 3. | |
9 | Pop Art 2 American Pop Art – Background. Relation and Reaction to Abstract Expressionism. Characteristics of American Pop Art. Precursor; An examination of major American Pop artists. |
1, 3. | |
10 | Post Painterly Abstraction Relation and Reaction to Abstract Expressionism. Influence of European Abstraction. Greenberg’s ideas and his direct influence on PPA artists. Formalism in art and culture in the 50’s/60’s.Characteristics of PPA. |
1,3 | |
11 | Sculpture 1900-1960’s An account of the development of sculpture in the Twentieth century |
1, 2, 3,4. | |
12 | Minimalism The approaching crisis in Late Modernism. Characteristics of Minimal Art and questions raised by Minimal Art. Art as Object. Ideas and aims of Minimalism. Greenberg’s reaction to Minimal Art |
1, 2, 3. | |
13 | Conceptual Art The social/political/intellectual context of the late 60’s. The changing concept of what constitutes a work of art. The rejection of Formalism. The dematerialization of the object and the advent of art as idea. The legacy of Duchamp. A typology of Conceptual works. Examples of the variety of conceptual art, in form and practice. The influence of Conceptual art on later art |
1,2, 3. | |
14 | Land Art The relation between contemporary Land Art and traditional Land Art. Land Art and its connection to a growing ecological awareness. The influence of Minimalism, Conceptualism and Process Art on Land Art. The abandonment of the gallery space. The ambiguous relationship with the gallery system. Types of Land Art. American Vs European attitude and forms regarding Land Art |
Essay | 1,2, 3, 4. |
15 | Beuys The art and ideas of Joseph Beuys |
1, 3, . | |
16 | Street Art An examination of street art in the context of Situationism |
1, 2, 3, . |
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
References
Other Resources
RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems. Learning resources include access to studios and computer laboratories and relevant software. You will also be expected to make use of the library resources. Explore the extensive resources under Art in the subject guides in the library catalogue.
You will also be encouraged to attend exhibition openings and visit galleries outside of your learning environment. RMIT School of Art has two galleries and an ongoing exhibition program.
Overview of Assessment
Assessment for this course is on going throughout the semester. Your will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program capabilities. Assessment will incorporate a range of methids to assess performance and the applocation of knowledge and skills and will include:
- Written and or/oral questioning and discussion to assess knowledge and understanding
- Completion of an art journal
If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or the Disability Liaison Unit if you would like to find out more.
An assessment charter (http://mams.rmit.edu.au/kh6a3ly2wi2h1.pdf ) summarises your responsibilities as an RMIT student as well as those of your teachers.
Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies and procedures which are described and referenced in a single document: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=ln1kd66y87rc
Assessment Tasks
To demonstrate competency in this course, you will need to complete the following pieces of assessment to a satisfactory standard. You will receive feedback on all assessment tasks.
Semester 1
Assessment task Content/requirements Due date
1. Assessment 1:Essay. The essay should be minimum of 1,500 words Week 14
Semester 2
Assessment task Content/requirements Due date
2. Assessment 2: Essay .The essay should be minimum of 1,500 words Week 14
Essay 2
Graded assessment applies for courses within the Diploma of Visual Arts.
GRADE OUTLINE GRADING CRITERIA
CHD Competent with high distinction 80-100 Highly developed
CDI Competent with distinction 70-79 Well developed
CC Competent with credit 60-69 Developed
CA Competency achieved - graded 50-59 Sound
CA Competency achieved A competent result indicates that the assessment requirements for the course
have been met.
NYC Not yet competent Not yet competent indicates that the assessment requirements for the course
have not been met.
DNS Did not submit Did not submit for assessment.
Assessment Matrix
The assessment matrix demonstrates alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant Unit of Competency. These are available from the course contact person (stated above).
Other Information
Feedback
You will receive verbal and written feedback by teacher on your work. This feedback also includes suggestions on how you can proceed to the next stage of developing your projects.
Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.
Plagiarism
RMIT has a strict policy on plagiarism. Please refer to the website for more information on this policy.
Special consideration policy (late submission)
All assessment tasks are required to be completed to a satisfactory level. If you are unable to complete any piece of assessment by the due date, you will need to apply for an extension.
Please refer to the following URL for extensions and special consideration:
http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=qkssnx1c5r0y;STATUS=A;PAGE_AUTHOR=Andrea%20Syers;SECTION=1;
Please note
While your teacher will cover all the material in this schedule, the weekly order is subject to change depending on class needs and availability of speakers and resources.
Course Overview: Access Course Overview