Studying online

There are now 2 possible online modes for units:

Units with modes Online timetabled and Online flexible are available for any student to self-enrol and study online.

Click on an offering mode for more details.

Unit Overview

Description

This unit covers the art historical debates over global modernism and the way that artists responded to colonialism and industrialism as it made its way from Europe to the rest of the world. It focuses on the disciplinary shift from European modernism to global, multiple modernisms that emerged out of situations of cultural contact and exchange. Today, modernism also describes a mode of art that engages with globalisation, with the big picture issues of economic and cultural convergence and collision. The unit develops the student's ability to recognise debates over the nature of modernism and discern their central contentions. It gives students a crucial grounding in a body of art historical knowledge that is necessary for understanding specialist units that follow in Level 3, in fields such as contemporary and new media arts where discourses often engage with and react to modernism.

Credit
6 points
Offering
(see Timetable)
AvailabilityLocationMode
Semester 2UWA (Perth)Face to face
Semester 2OnlineOnline timetabled
Details for undergraduate courses
  • Level 2 option in the History of Art major sequence
  • Level 2 elective
Outcomes

Students are able to (1) identify historical and cultural contexts of art historical studies of modernism; (2) analyse some key theoretical and historical moments in the development of modernism's significance within art history; (3) investigate some issues of display, dissemination and museology that relate to artworks produced within modernism; (4) synthesise visual information of modern artworks into broader art historical discourses; (5) make arguments relating to modernism; and (6) use art historical methodologies to derive understanding of relevant artworks.

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) short essay; (2) long essay; and (3) tutorial presentation. Further information is available in the unit outline.



Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Unit Coordinator(s)
Dr Darren Jorgensen
Unit rules
Prerequisites
HART1000 Great Moments in Art (formerly VISA1000)
or HART1003 Ways of Seeing: Themes and Theories in Art
Incompatibility
VISA2223 Modernism and the Visual Arts
Contact hours
lectures: 2 hours per week
tutorials: 1 hour per week
Note
Enrolled students can access unit material via the LMS (Learning Management System).
  • The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
  • All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
  • Unit readings, including any essential textbooks, are listed in the unit outline for each unit, one week prior the commencement of study. The unit outline will be available via the LMS and the UWA Handbook one week prior the commencement of study. Reading lists and essential textbooks are subject to change each semester. Information on essential textbooks will also be made available on the Essential Textbooks. This website is updated regularly in the lead up to semester so content may change. It is recommended that students purchase essential textbooks for convenience due to the frequency with which they will be required during the unit. A limited number of textbooks will be made available from the Library in print and will also be made available online wherever possible. Essential textbooks can be purchased from the commercial vendors to secure the best deal. The Student Guild can provide assistance on where to purchase books if required. Books can be purchased second hand at the Guild Secondhand bookshop (second floor, Guild Village), which is located on campus.
  • Contact hours provide an indication of the type and extent of in-class activities this unit may contain. The total amount of student work (including contact hours, assessment time, and self-study) will approximate 150 hours per 6 credit points.