Course Title: Apply research and critical analysis to inform artistic and design practice

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2012

Course Code: BUSM6277

Course Title: Apply research and critical analysis to inform artistic and design practice

School: 340T Art

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5234 - Diploma of Visual Art

Course Contact : Ninna Cikoja

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4472

Course Contact Email:TAFEArt@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Anthony Riccardi - City campus
anthony.riccardi@rmit.edu.au
+61 3 9925 4472

Sharon West - Bundoora campus
sharon.west@rmit.edu.au
+61 3 9925 7501

Nominal Hours: 100

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

This course describes the skills and knowledge required to research and critically analyse historical and theoretical concepts for application to own artistic and design practice. The course includes the need for critical analysis of information and own work and the challenging of different points of view to inform own personal work and philosophy.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

VPAU011 Apply research and critical analysis to inform artistic and design practice

Element:

1 Conduct research to inform artistic/design practice 

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Identify relevant sources of information on history and theory
1.2 Identify and explore potential new and alternative sources which are relevant to own practice
1.3 Use advanced formal and informal research techniques appropriately to access information
1.4 Organise research materials and findings for current and future use
1.5 Identify and use opportunities to update and expand knowledge of history and theory

Element:

2 Apply research to artistic/design practice 

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Critically evaluate research/information in the context of own artistic/design practice and the work of others
2.2 Explore, investigate and experiment with information or new ideas in own work
2.3 Explore, investigate and experiment with new technology(ies) in own work
2.4 Incorporate sociological/historical/theoretical themes, motifs or styles of into own work
2.5 Articulate and discuss reasons for incorporation of
historical/theoretical influenced themes, motifs or styles in
own work using appropriate and accurate terminology

Element:

3 Evaluate own work 

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Seek and apply constructive criticism from others to improve own work
3.2 Evaluate own work against planned strategy for own art/design practice
3.3 Evaluate own work in the context of work by others in order to extend own practice
3.4 Adjust work processes and practice as necessary to improve technical, conceptual and commercial outcomes


Learning Outcomes


On successful completion of this course you will be able to:

  • Conduct research to inform artistic/design practice
  • Apply research to artistic/design practice
  • Evaluate own work.

You will also have an understanding of:
  • Cultural, sociological and scientific theories, philosophies and issues and how they relate to own work and the work of others
  • The influences of philosophical concerns upon contemporary art and design both internationally and within Australia e.g. feminism, identity, post modernism, post colonialism, gender, Marxism, land and place, cultures, sub-cultures etc
  • Understanding and use of appropriate terminology as related to theories, philosophies and contemporary art and design
  • Histories including world, art, craft and design, film, the web and multimedia, religion, spirituality, aesthetics, politics
  • Role of art criticism including aesthetics, technique, social context and philosophical foundations
  • Understanding of new technologies and contemporary practices.


Details of Learning Activities

You will study all the significant movements in Western Art of the last 150 years. Beginning with the Victorian Period you will be introduced not only to the key practitioners, philosophies and theories in Western Art, but also to the broader societal influences and changes that occurred concurrently.

The course will also focus on the last 30 years, with a focus on the impact of postmodernity and globilisation. Issues of Race, Gender, Politics and societal change will be examined through the work of key contemporary practitioners. Priority will be given to the reading and interpreting of contemporary art, which is often metaphorical and multi-layered.
 
In this course, you will learn through:
1. In class activities:

  • lectures
  • handouts
  • teacher directed group activities/projects
  • class exercises to review discussions/lectures/projects
  • class presentations
  • group discussion
  • class exercises to review discussion/lectures.


Out of class activities include:

  • practical exercises
  • reading articles and excerpts
  • preparing for discussion
  • report writing
  • project work
  • independent research
  • revision.


You are expected to manage your learning and undertake an appropriate amount of out-of-class independent study and research, project work and speak to industry experts


Teaching Schedule

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.

Semester 1

Week 1:   Orientation

Week 2:   Impressionism 1

Week 3:   Impressionism 2

Week 4:   Heidelberg School

Week 5:   Post Impressionism

Week 6:   Post Impressionism

Week 7:   Symbolism

Week 8:   Fauvism

week 9:    Cubism

Week 10: Expressionism 1

Week 11: Expressionism 2

Week 12: Dada

Week 13: Surrealism

Week 14: Surrealism

Week 15 Nazi Art and the art of the Holocaust

Week 16: Review

Week 17: Assessment

Week 18: Assessment

Semester 2

Week 1:    Orientation

Week 2:    Introduction and overview of the semester. How do we look at paintings?

Week 3:    Library tours

Week 4:    What is Postmodernism? – Part 1. “Blue Velvet” and constructed reality

Week 5:    What is Postmodernism? – Part 2. Looking at Deconstruction

Week 6:    The Rabbit in the Hat: Postmodernism and Storytelling

Week 7:    Nan Goldin. “I’ll be your Mirror” Personal Storytelling

Week 8:    The Sublime and Me. One of Julia’s many stories. Essay topic is handed out.

Week 9:    Copyright and Intellectual Property.

Week 9:    Metaphor and Mathew Barney – Fantasy and storytelling.

Week 10:    The Other. Stories of Difference

Week 11:    Woman is the Nigger of the World: Feminism and art.

Week 12:    Looking at Nothing. Abstraction and Minimalism

Week 13:    Marfa. Judd’s vision of purity.

Week 14:    The Trouble with Beauty. Essay is handed in.

Week 15:     Film: Hiroshima Mon Amor

Week 16:    Film: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Week 17:    Assessment
    
Week 18:     Assessment

 


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References

D’Allena, A. How to Write Art History, Laurence King Publishing, 2006
Barnet, S. A short Guide to Writing about Art (7th ed.) Longman Publishers, 2003


Other Resources

RMIT information on structuring an essay.
http://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/lsu/content/2_AssessmentTasks/assess_tuts/essay_LL /index.html  


Overview of Assessment

To demonstrate competency in this course, you will need to complete the following evidence of assessment to a satisfactory standard. You will receive feedback on all assessment. On completion of this course, you will receive graded assessment.
Assessment may incorporate a range of methods to assess performance and the application of essential underpinning knowledge, and might include:

  • case studies
  • oral questioning/interview
  • projects/reports
  • portfolios of evidence.

Assessment must take place over a period of time in order to determine competence in the ongoing implementation and monitoring aspects of this unit. Assessment for this course is on going throughout the year.You will be tutored with a verbal and/or written evaluation of your progress, within class time. 


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.

You will need to complete the following  assessment tasks for this course:

  • 2 art history case studies - topics will be given out during the semester
  • 3 theory reports
  • theory journal.

Graded assessment is undertaken for this course. The grading criteria is outlined in the program handbook.
Grades used in this course are as follows:

* CHD Competent with high distinction
* CDI Competent with distinction
* CC Competent with credit
* CAG Competent achieved - graded
* NYC Not Yet Competent
* DNS Did not submit for assessment


Assessment Matrix

Assessment evidence Element Performance criteria Essential knowledge Essential skills Critical evidence Suggested outcomes
 Case studies  1. Conduct research to inform artistic/design practice  1.1, 1.2, 1.3,1.4, 1.5 Cultural, sociological and scientific theories, philosophies and issues and how they relate to own work and the work of others

Role of art criticism including aesthetics, technique, social context and philosophical foundations

Function and philosophical basics of community arts as related to practice

Understanding of new technologies and contemporary practices  
Research skills including ability to:
  • identify, explore and access potential new and alternative sources of information in a  cultural appropriate way
  • analyse and interpret complex information and the work of others
  • use advanced formal and informal research techniques
  • organise information
  • explore and analyse conventions, practices and customs in art/design practice Identify,
  • explore and access potential new and alternative sources of information in a culturally appropriate way
The demonstrated ability to: 
  • research and critically analyse history and theory
  • apply research to own and others artistic/design
  • practice
  • evaluate own work



The essential knowledge and skills must be assessed as part of the unit.
Documentation to show the following:
  • Visual journals and/or workbooks that document the idea development of relevant projects and context of contemporary, historical and theoretical approaches
Theory reports  2. Apply research to artistic/design practice  2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5 The influences of philosophical concerns upon contemporary art and design both internationally and within Australia e.g. feminism, identity, post modernism, post colonialism, gender, Marxism, land and place, cultures, sub-cultures etc

Histories including world, art, craft and design, film, the web and multi media, religion, spirituality, aesthetics, politics ! signs and symbols and myth and legends how they relate to own work and the work of others

Role of art criticism including aesthetics, technique, social context and philosophical
foundations
 
Literacy skills sufficient to communicate ideas and opinions

Communication skills sufficient to develop and articulate own position in relation to history and theory and how position relates to ones artistic/design practice

Apply research, repertoire and knowledge to own art/design

Apply the elements and principles of design to own art practice  
The demonstration of this competency will predominantly
be demonstrated in their artistic practice.  
 
 Theory journal  3. Evaluate own work  3.1, 3.2, 3.3  Understanding and use of appropriate terminology as related to theories, philosophies and contemporary art and design Plan for self development including updating and expanding own knowledge of history and theory
 
Listening skills so as to discern advice and feedback received from others  
   

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.

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;

Course Overview: Access Course Overview