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 looks at some of the central debates over contemporary art, investigating both these debates and the art that it describes. Contemporary art is a Utopian term which aims to include all kinds of art produced around the world since the 1960s, though some art from this period has been more prominent than others. The unit goes on to investigate some of the power relationships at work within the institutional structures of contemporary art production and display, looking at some of the major actors (curators, museums, patrons and others) who have enabled artists to become successful in the late-twentieth century. The unit will give students the ability to recognise and discuss contemporary art, and to address the central contentions that contemporary art presents for art history. It assesses the relativity of the value systems that produce art history, and the relationship of art history's narratives to a period of art production that is defined as post-historical, postmodern and post-gender. It gives students a crucial grounding in the thinking, actors and relationships for art produced in our own time, understandings that graduates seeking employment in the art world today require.
- 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 Fine Arts; History of Art; Art History and Curatorial Studies major sequences
- Level 2 elective
- Outcomes
Students are able to (1) identify historical and cultural contexts of contemporary art; (2) analyse some key theoretical and historical moments in the development of the discourses around contemporary art; (3) investigate some issues of display, dissemination and museology that relate to contemporary art; (4) synthesise works of contemporary art into broader art historical discourses; (5) make arguments relating to contemporary art; and (6) apply art historical methodologies in relation to works of contemporary art.
- 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)
- Associate Professor Darren Jorgensen
- Unit rules
- 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.
- 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.