2008/09 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

ARTF3156 The 'Rematerialisation' of Art? (circa 1960-present)

20 creditsClass Size: 21

Module manager: Dr Gail Day
Email: G.A.Day@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2008/09

Pre-requisites

ARTF1041	Museum/Country House Studies 1
ARTF1042	Museum/Country House Studies 2
ARTF1045	A Story of Art I
ARTF1046	A Story of Art 2
ARTF2000	Stories of Art:An Introduction

This module is approved as an Elective

Module summary

PRE-REQUISITES: Students wishing to take this module as an elective at level three must have completed at least 20 credits from ARTF 2000 or any other level two ARTF coded module.This module reflects on the question of the medium perceived as one of the central issues of art practice in the past forty years. The disappearance of medium-specific art in favour of installation, interdisciplinary investigations, and practices presented under labels such as anti-form, conceptual art or 'dematerialisation' has been a reality since the mid 1960s. We will consider the claim that we have entered a 'post-medium age', and the recent prominence of photographic and video work and of 'neo-conceptual' practice. Through your readings and essay preparation, you will become familiar with a body of theoretical and art-critical texts; with particular emphasis placed on primary texts. You will develop your knowledge of contemporary art practice and be able to assess and discuss the legacies for current art of key figures and discourses of the 1960s and 1970s. You should also be able to undertake analyses of specific works. As part of this module you are encouraged to travel to view contemporary art firsthand.

Objectives

On completion of this module, students should have developed their knowledge of contemporary art practice, become familiar with a body of theoretical and art-critical texts and developed their understanding of (selected) key debates in emergence of contemporary art, and be able to assess and discuss the legacies for current art (1990s-present) of key figures and discourses of the 1960s and 1970s.

Skills outcomes
- Textual analysis of primary and secondary sources.
- Analysis of art.
- Written communication, structure and organisation.
- Research.
- Critical engagement and construction of arguments.
- Verbal and written fluency in constructing a logical and coherent argument.
- Use of audio visual aids
- Participation in group discussions
- Co-ordination and dissemination of a range of historical, contextual visual information
- Using bibliographies and databases

Syllabus

The disappearance of medium-specific art in favour of practices presented as anti-form, conceptual or 'dematerialised' art has been a reality since the mid-1960s. The module reflects on the 'predicament of contemporary art'; on the questions of medium/post-medium, materiality (dematerialisation/rematerialisation, object/objecthood, 'literality') and relationality (situational, site-specificity) in the debates on contemporary art; and considers the extent to which connections can be drawn between the earlier practices and debates (60s and 70s) and examples of current ambitious art. Has art, since the 1990s, as Nicholas Bourriaud argues, ceased 'to take shelter behind the sixties'?

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Fieldwork	2	2.00	4.00
Seminar	9	2.00	18.00
Private study hours			178.00
Total Contact hours			22.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Directed study of key texts in preparation for seminar discussions
Study visits to selected exhibitions (equivalent of c.3 days' commitment - with tutor present at specified times)
Preparation, writing and research of project report (assessed)
Preparation, writing and research of essay (assessed)

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

- participation in class discussion
- mid-semester assessment task

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	2,000-3,000 words	70.00
Project	1,000-1,500 words	30.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 06/05/2009

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