Art Analysis: Theory and Criticism (VA 430)

2022 Fall
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Vis. Arts&Vis.l Comm Des.(VA)
3
6
Ahu Antmen Akiska ahuantmen@sabanciuniv.edu,
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English
Undergraduate
--
Interactive lecture
Interactive,Communicative,Discussion based learning,Guided discovery
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CONTENT

The aim of the course is to introduce theories of aesthetics from its early formulations to the present day. The students will be informed about post-1945 art theories and critical movements such as structuralism, post-structuralism and feminist art. The connection and interdependency between art and theory in the same period will be discussed. Students will be encouraged to produce written pieces which critically evaluate artworks.

OBJECTIVE

Enabling the student to gain an understanding of the critical tools that can be used in the analysis of works of art with a specific focus on 20th century art and current artistic production

LEARNING OUTCOMES

  • Understand different theoretical approaches in the analysis of art works
  • Assess works of art from different periods
  • Differentiate between different methods of art theory and criticism ranging from iconography to semiotics, feminism and postcolonialism
  • Analyse works of from different periods based on certain theoretical models

PROGRAMME OUTCOMES


1. Understand the world, their country, their society, as well as themselves and have awareness of ethical problems, social rights, values and responsibility to the self and to others. 3

2. Understand different disciplines from natural and social sciences to mathematics and art, and develop interdisciplinary approaches in thinking and practice. 3

3. Think critically, follow innovations and developments in science and technology, demonstrate personal and organizational entrepreneurship and engage in life-long learning in various subjects; have the ability to continue to educate him/herself. 3

4. Communicate effectively in Turkish and English by oral, written, graphical and technological means. 3

5. Take individual and team responsibility, function effectively and respectively as an individual and a member or a leader of a team; and have the skills to work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams. 3


1. Develop knowledge of theories, concepts, and research methods in humanities and social sciences. 3

2. Assess how global, national and regional developments affect society. 3

3. Know how to access and evaluate data from various sources of information. 3


1. Demonstrate safe working habits and a general understanding of materials and processes in the visual arts. 3

2. Demonstrate knowledge of representational processes using visual as well as audial material as mediums of representation. 3

3. Show working knowledge of the process of transforming abstract/textual concepts into concrete, audio/visual forms. 3

4. Appreciate and express the cultural significance of art and understand its evolution and purposes. 5

5. Develop an awareness of compositional and organizational strategies for the effective deployment of formal elements of visual art. 3

6. Read visual texts with a deep knowledge of art history and theory and the ability of situating the content and form of the visual representation both in a historical and thematic context. 5

7. Employ necessary background knowledge regarding art administration in the body of museums and galleries. 4

8. Show a practical and technical command of materials and methods in one or more media of the visual arts. 3

ASSESSMENT METHODS and CRITERIA

  Percentage (%)
Final 60
Midterm 40

RECOMENDED or REQUIRED READINGS

Readings

Thomas McEvilley, ?13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird?, Art and Discontent-Theory at the Millennium, Documentext
L. Schneider Adams, The Methodologies of Art, Westview Press
M. Hatt-C. Klonk, Art History-A Critical Introduction to its Methods, Manchester University Press
J. Harris, The New Art History-A Critical Introduction, Routledge
H. Wölfflin, ?Principles of Art History?, The Art of Art History: A Critical Anthology (ed. Donald Preziosi), Oxford University Press
E. Gombrich, ?Style?, The Art of Art History: A Critical Anthology (ed. Donald Preziosi), Oxford University Press
M. Schapiro, ?Style?, The Art of Art History: A Critical Anthology (ed. Donald Preziosi), Oxford University Press
C. Greenberg, ?Modernist Painting?, Art in Modern Culture-An Anthology of Critical Texts (ed. Francis Frascina-Jonathan Harris)
?Iconography-Iconology: Erwin Panofsky?, M. Hatt-C. Klonk, Art History-A Critical Introduction to its Methods, Manchester University Press
G. Vasari, ?Giotto?, Lives of the Artists, Penguin Classics
E. Kris-O.Kurz, ?The Heroization of Man?, Legend, Myth and Magic in the Image of the Artist, Yale University Press
A. Hauser, ?The Social Status of the Renaissance Artist?, The Sociology of Art-A Reader (ed. Jeremy Tanner), Routledge
N. Heinich, ?The Van Gogh Effect?, The Sociology of Art-A Reader (ed. Jeremy Tanner), Routledge
Laurie Schneider Adams, ?The Psychological Impact of Imagery?, Art and Psychoanalysis, Icon Editions
John Berger, Ways of Seeing, Penguin
L. Nochlin, ?Why Have There Been No Great Woman Artists?, Women, Art, and Power and Other Essays, Thames and Hudson
P. Mathews, ?The Politics of Feminist Art History?, The Subjects of Art History-Historical Objects in Contemporary Perspective (ed. Cheetham-Holly-Moxey), Cambridge University Press
N. Salomon, ?The Art Historical Canon: Sins of Omission?, The Art of Art History: A Critical Anthology (ed. Donald Preziosi), Oxford University Press
. Said, ?Orientalism?, Art in Modern Culture-An Anthology of Critical Texts (ed. F. Frascina-J. Harris)
L. Nochlin, ?The Imaginary Orient?, The Politics of Vision-Essays on Nineteenth Century Art and Society, Icon Editions
H. Foster, ?The Primitive Unconscious of Modern Art?, Art in Modern Culture-An Anthology of Critical Texts (ed. F. Frascina-J. Harris)
G. Mosquera, ?The Marco Polo Syndrome?, Theory in Contemporary Art since 1985 (ed. Zoya Kocur-Simon Leung), Blackwell Publishing
Brian O?Doherty, Inside the White Cube-The Ideology of the Gallery Space, University of California Press
G. McMaster, ?Museums and Galleries as Sites for Artistic Intervention?, The Subjects of Art History-Historical Objects in Contemporary Perspective (ed. Cheetham-Holly-Moxey), Cambridge University Press
Michael Brenson, ?The Curator?s Moment?, Theory in Contemporary Art since 1985 (ed. Zoya Kocur-Simon Leung), Blackwell Publishing
N. Heinich-M. Pollak, ?From Museum Curator to Exhibition Auter?, Thinking about Exhibitions (ed. R. Greenberg-B. Ferguson-S. Nairne), Routledge
J. Habermas, ?Art Criticism and the Institutions of the Public Sphere?, The Sociology of Art-A Reader (ed. Jeremy Tanner), Routledge
J.Elkins-M. Newman (ed.), The State of Art Criticism, Routledge
J. Elkins, What Happened to Art Criticism?, Prickly Paradigm Press
D. Birnbaum-Ib Graw (ed.), Canvases and Careers Today-Criticism and Its Markets, Sternberg Press