Understanding 20th to 21st Century Art Course (F2)

Tutored by Stewart Roberts

Course overview
This course is intended to extend the studies that students have made on the History of Art Diploma Course (D4) and focus more particularly on more recent developments in art. Many former students have expressed a desire for a course of this nature, some because they find contemporary art so difficult to understand or appreciate, others because they wish to bring their knowledge and interest more up to date. I have called the course Understanding 20th and 21st Century Art because it really seeks to create a basis for understanding and appreciating more contemporary art, rather than suggesting any chronological study. Although compared with the previous course we are now only considering the last 120 years rather than two millennia or more of art, the sheer diversity and scale of art production would render a more comprehensive study more difficult to accomplish.

The intention is therefore much like the previous course – to provide a framework for students to appreciate and evaluate individual works that can then be applied to work outside of the course.

There is a diverse range of work to consider with a huge expansion in media and themes and I know from experience that LAC students are from all over the world, so I have tried not to be too parochial in my choices of work to focus upon. I have selected work that is sufficiently well known to be accessible via both books and the internet, without concentrating on that which is perhaps only well known for its media attention. I have also tried to redress the male dominance that is evident in pre-20th century art history.

It is suggested that students undertake the LAC Art History diploma course first, though it would not be such a requirement for students with a prior knowledge of general art history. The main intention is to encourage and develop interest and knowledge and though it may prove useful to students wishing to pursue a more academic course elsewhere, it is, like all courses at the LAC, primarily for your personal enjoyment and development. The exercises and assignments may be tackled at your own pace and to your own level of commitment.

Course Contents
Modernism
Pop art
Postmodernism
Exploring themes
Identity
The object
Deconstruction
Conceptual art
Graffiti and street art
Installation art
Land and environmental art

Course structure
This course has some exercises to be completed without sending in to your tutor and 10 assignments to be sent in to the tutor.  The coursework is all written.

Course Prices
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Samples pages from this course
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