Course Title: Context And Culture Level 2

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2008

Course Code: VART5142

Course Title: Context And Culture Level 2

School: 340T Art

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5048 - Diploma of Arts (Visual Arts)

Course Contact : Kellyann Geurts

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4472

Course Contact Email:kellyann.geurts@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Julia Powles julia.powles@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 48

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

VART5146 – Context & Culture Level 1

Course Description

In this course students identify and analyse diverse cultures and sub-cultures and their relationship to the arts.
This course presents a broad view of the major conceptual concerns associated with contemporary visual arts practice. These concepts and their historical precedents are discussed within local, regional, and international contexts. Context & Culture links with Contemporary Art Studies by aiming to present a broader view of theoretical issues, sociological concepts and their impact on the Visual Arts. Tuition will be conducted in the form of lectures.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

VBS652 Context And Culture Level 2


Learning Outcomes


1. Discuss major sociological concepts
2. Analyse the relationship between art, morality and reality in diverse cultures and sub-cultures
3. Evaluate the role of art criticism and promotion within the art industry


Details of Learning Activities

Tuition will be conducted in the form of lectures and accompanying group discussion. A comprehensive reading list will be supplied for each lecture. Students visit exhibtions and conduct research in consultation with their lecturer for a seminar paper.


Teaching Schedule

Week 1: Introduction to Context and Culture. The Structure and Expectations of Contect and Culture for first year students is explained.

Week 2: The ways in which we think about art have changed significantly in the last 30 years. An introduction to the basic ideas and concerns of Postmodernism.

Week 3: Who Speaks/ power structures and how they operate. What does it mean to put someone into the category of "other"

Week 4: metaphors and Signifiers. An expaination of metaphor and how artists approach thier subject matter.

Week 5: Feminism and Art.

Week 6: Where do artists get their sources? The inspiration for artists is often varied and idiosyncratic. Interviews with artists who discuss thier working process.

Week 7: Gallery Visit.

Week 8: Focus on Tracey Moffat. The art of Tracey Moffat is examined in relation to Post-colonialism.

Week 9: Continuing on from last week we watch the film "10 Canoes" and discuss Indgenous Australia.

Week 10: Video Art. An introduction to video art. Emphasis on the work of Nam June Paik and Bill Viola

Week 11: "I’ll be Your Mirror". Students view a documentary which looks at the work of photographer Nan Goldin.

Week 12: Gallery Visit

Week 13: Art from the everyday. Looks at the way that artists can make art form their immediate surrounds


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources


Overview of Assessment

Essay (80%)
Theory Journal (20%)


Assessment Tasks

Students will submit one Research essay this semester and theory journal. Emphasis will be placed on the application of research methods and the development of a conceptual approach to visual culture. Attendance and particpation is essential. (Essay paper 80% and Theory Journal 20%)


Assessment Matrix

Course Overview: Access Course Overview