University of Essex

AR119-4-AU-CO:
Art and Ideas: I

The details

Year: 2023/24

Department: Philosophical, Historical and Interdisciplinary Studies (School of)

Campus: Colchester Campus

Term: Autumn

Level: Undergraduate: Level 4

Status: ReassessmentOnly

Start date: Thursday 05 October 2023

End date: Friday 15 December 2023

Credits: 15

Last updated: 27 September 2023

Requisites for this module

Pre-requisites: (none)

Co-requisites: (none)

Pre and / or co-requisites: (none)

Prohibited modules: (none)

Key module (requisite for): (none)

Key module for

(none)

Module description

This module is an introduction to art-historical theories and debates. Closely engaging with a selection of key texts, It will explore some of the themes and methods that have shaped the discipline and continue to influence it today: from formalism and originality to feminism and psychoanalysis.

By analysing the different ways in which art historians approach the object of their study, we will think about the relationship between words and images. Consequently, the aim of the module is to encourage students to reflect on the history of art history, recognising how theory might affect the way we 'see' artworks.

Module aims

The aims of the module are:

To provide students with knowledge of some of the key theoretical issues relating to the history of art.

To encourage students to interact and to engage critically with theoretical texts relating to the study of art history.

To develop students' skills of analysis and interpretation of works of art and architecture.

To stimulate students to develop skills in oral and written communication through debates, an essays, and an examination.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:

To demonstrate a sound knowledge and grasp of a number of key theoretical texts relating to the study of the history of art.

To speak and write articulately about theoretical issues relating to the study of the history of art.

To analyse and interpret works of art and architecture.

To relate their analyses and interpretations of works of art to theoretical literature.

To approach theoretical literature in a critical fashion.

Module information

No additional information available.

Learning and teaching methods

This module will be delivered via:

One 2-hour combined lecture and seminar per week.

There will also be Reading Week when no teaching will take place. There will be an exam in the summer term.

Bibliography

Greenberg, C. (1988) ‘Modernist Painting (1965)’, in F. Frascina and C. Harrison (eds) Modern Art and Modernism: A Critical Anthology. London: Paul Chapman. Available at: http://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780429498909-2/modernist-painting-clement-greenberg?context=ubx&refId=3232985f-ad7b-4d03-aa26-2907a386092c.
Fried, M. (1967) ‘Art and Objecthood’, ARTFORUM, 5(10). Available at: https://www.artforum.com/print/196706/art-and-objecthood-36708.
Collins, B.R. (1991) ‘What Is Art History?’, Art Education, 44(1). Available at: https://doi.org/10.2307/3193265.
Clark, T.J. (1980) ‘Preliminaries to a Possible Treatment of “Olympia” in 1865’, Screen, 21(1), pp. 18–42. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/screen/21.1.18.
Nochlin, L. (1989) ‘Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists? (1971)’, in Women, Art, and Power and Other Essays. London: Thames and Hudson. Available at: https://www-taylorfrancis-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/chapters/mono/10.4324/9780429502996-7/great-women-artists-linda-nochlin?context=ubx&refId=06ab1745-89cb-4f80-bb06-cdc392f89933.
Broude, N. and Garrard, M.D. (1982) Feminism and art history: questioning the litany. New York: Harper & Row.
Sedgwick, E.K. (1990) Epistemology of the Closet. University of California Press.
De Salvo, D.M. et al. (1992) Hand-painted pop: American art in transition, 1955-62. Los Angeles: Museum of Contemporary Art.
Barthes, R. (1977) ‘The Death of the Author (1967)’, in Image, Music, Text. London: Fontana.
Godeau, A.S. (1984) ‘Winning the Game When the Rules Have Been Changed: Art Photography and Postmodernism’, Screen, 25(6), pp. 88–103. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/screen/25.6.88.
Oguibe, O. (1993) ‘Editorial: In the “Heart of Darkness”’, Third Text, 7(23), pp. 3–8. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09528829308576410.
Kirchner, E.L. and Nolde, E. (2021) Kirchner and Nolde: expressionism, colonialism. Edited by S. Tates. Munich: Hirmer.
Buren, D. (1979) ‘The Function of the Studio’, October, 10. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2307/778628.
Hertz, R. (1985) Theories of Contemporary Art. New Jersey: Prentice Hall (Higher Education Division, Pearson Education).
Karp, I. and Lavine, S. (1991) Exhibiting cultures: the poetics and politics of museum display. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press.
Rosler, M. et al. (2013) ‘Notes from the Field: Materiality’, The Art Bulletin, 95(1), pp. 10–37. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/00043079.2013.10786104.
Callen, A. (2023) ‘Degas and the Matter of Contagion: Dirt, Skin, Touch, and the Cosmetic Arts’, in Contagion, Hygiene, and the European Avant-Garde. Taylor & Francis Group. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/reader.action?docID=7262723&ppg=50.

The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam	Description	Deadline	Coursework weighting
Exam	Main exam: Remote, Open Book, 24hr during January
Exam	Reassessment Main exam: Remote, Open Book, 24hr during September (Reassessment Period)

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
60%	40%

Reassessment

Coursework	Exam
60%	40%

Module supervisor and teaching staff

Supervisor: Dr Natasha Ruiz-Gomez, email: natashar@essex.ac.uk.

Teaching staff: Dr Melissa Gustin

Contact details: artquery@essex.ac.uk

Availability

Available to incoming Essex Abroad / Exchange students: Yes

Available to Outside Option: Yes

Available to Audit: Yes

External examiner

Name: Dr Dominic Paterson

Institution: University of Glasgow

Academic role: Senior Lecturer in History of Art / Curator of Contemporary Art

Resources

Teaching materials: Available via Moodle

Lecture recording: Of 458 hours, 18 (3.9%) hours available to students:
440 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).

Further information

Department website: Philosophical, Historical and Interdisciplinary Studies (School of)

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Module Directory

AR119-4-AU-CO:Art and Ideas: I