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
From Degas' selfies to Warhol's serials, photography has reshaped artistic practice since the nineteenth century. This unit investigates how artists have deployed photography as an observational tool and expressive medium since the first creation of the fixed image. By analysing a diverse range of global photographic practices from the middle of the nineteenth century to the present day, the unit charts how the photograph changed the artistic discourse surrounding mimesis and visual representation. The history of photography reveals a persistent debate concerning the truth-value of the photographic image, and this unit examines how artists have explored and challenged the idea of the photograph as a form of documentary evidence. The photograph is much more than a mechanical capture of a moment, and this class considers how artists construct, manipulate, and market photographs as forms of representation. In the photographic realm, what differentiates an artist from an amateur? What is the role of artifice in the art photograph? How has photography responded to and changed the global art market? Through exposure to a wide range of photographic methods and artists, students learn how art historians critically discuss, contextualise and analyse photographs.
- Credit
- 6 points
- Offering
(see Timetable) Availability Location Mode Semester 1 UWA (Perth) Face to face - Details for undergraduate courses
- Level 2 option in the History of Art major sequence
- Level 2 elective
- Outcomes
Students are able to (1) identify specific photographs and photographers from a diverse range of cultures, dating from the nineteenth century to the present day; (2) understand the technical and social processes of photography and their impact on the interpretation of photographic images in an age of globalisation; (3) differentiate between the interpretation of photographs as empirical evidence and as art; (4) apply various methods of historical and theoretical discourse to the interpretation of photographs in a written essay; and (5) use oral communication skills to discuss and debate various interpretations of photographic images.
- Assessment
Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) short essay; (2) long essay; and (3) discursive learning. 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)
- Associate Professor Emily Brink
- Unit rules
- Contact hours
- lectures: 2 hours per week
tutorials: 1 hour per week
- 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.
- Visit the Essential Textbooks website to see if any textbooks are required for this Unit. The website is updated regularly so content may change. Students are recommended to purchase Essential Textbooks, but a limited number of copies of all Essential Textbooks are held in the Library in print, and as an ebook where possible. Recommended readings for the unit can be accessed in Unit Readings directly through the Learning Management System (LMS).
- 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.
Face to face
Predominantly face-to-face. On campus attendance required to complete this unit. May have accompanying resources online.
Online flexible
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit is asynchronous delivery, with NO requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online timetabled
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit includes some synchronous components, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online Restricted
Not available for self-enrolment. Students access this mode by contacting their student office through AskUWA. 100% Online Unit.
NO campus face-to-face attendance. All study and assessment requirements are online only. Unit includes some timetabled activities, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times. In exceptional cases (noted in the Handbook) students may be required to participate in face-to-face laboratory classes when a return to UWA’s Crawley campus becomes possible in order to be awarded a final grade.
External
No attendance or regular contact is required, and all study requirements are completed either via correspondence and/or online submission.
Off-campus
Regular attendance is not required, but student attends the institution face to face on an agreed schedule for purposes of supervision and/or instruction.
Multi-mode
Multiple modes of delivery. Unit includes a mix of online and on-campus study requirements. On campus attendance for some activities is required to complete this unit.