00951 - History of Contemporary Art

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course students will:

- develop the critical and historical tools of contemporary art;

- know how to analyse and contextualize the main artistic currents;

- be able to critically evaluate the works of art of the 19th and 20th centuries;

- develop the basic skills for carrying out independent research.

Course contents

The course of History of Contemporary Art aims to address the main currents and the most representative artists who have brought about the most significant changes in art from the second half of the nineteenth century up to now.

More specifically, the following topics will be discussed:

• Courbet and realism around the mid-nineteenth century
• Manet and Impressionism
• The artistic scene at the end of the nineteenth century
• Historical avant-gardes
• The artistic situation between the two World Wars
• The movements of the fifties
• Art of the Sixties and Seventies
• Postcolonialism and globalization
• Relational aesthetics and participatory art
• The evolution of art in the new century

Readings/Bibliography

The bibliography is the same for both attending and non-attending students.

Bibliography Module 1

On the 19^thcentury: R. Rosenblum - H. W. Janson, Art of the nineteenth century, Palombi, 1986 (part III and IV). In particular, of Part Three: pages 207 to 284; and of Part Four: pages 307 to 399.

On the 20^thcentury: H. Foster - R. Krauss - Y.A. Bois - B. Buchloh, D. Joselit, Art from 1900, Modernism, Antimodernism and Postmodernism, Zanichelli, 2017 (previous editions are also permitted).

At the beginning of the lectures, the PDFs with the images projected during the lectures will be available online, along with alternative bibliographic paths and suggestions for in-depth studies.

Although for a better understanding of the historical period it would be appropriate to deal with the entire book Art from 1900, it is advisable to read carefully the methodological texts that introduce the volume and, in particular, to study the chapters marked by the years:

1900 b, 1903, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916 a; pp. 69–153.

1917 a; pp. 160–165.

1918, 1919, 1920; pp. 172–191.

1921b, 1922, 1923, 1924; pp. 198–219.

1926, 1927a, 1927b; pp. 244–255.

1930b, 1931 a, 1931 b; pp. 287–302.

1935, pp. 319–323.

1937 a; pp. 329–333.

1937 c; pp. 338–345.

1942 a, 1942 b; pp. 348–357.

1946, 1947 a, 1947 b, 1949 a; pp. 393-415.

1953, 1955 a; pp. 430-440.

1956, 1957 a; pp. 447-459.

1958, 1959 a, pp.466-476.

1959 e, pp.494-501.

1960 a, pp 504-508

1960 c, 1961, 1962 a, pp 515-533.

1962 c, 1962 d, pp. 540-549.

1964 a, 1964 b, 1965, 1966 a, 1966 b, 1967 a, 1967 b, pp. 556-590.

1968 b, 1969, pp. 603-613.

1970, 1971, pp. 616-624.

1973, 1974, 1975 a, 1975 b, pp. 644-667.

1977 a, pp. 672-675.

1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, pp 702-723.

1993 c, pp 741-746

1994 b, 1997, 1998 752-768.

2003, pp 778-783

2007 b, 2007 c, 2009 a pp 790-809.

N.B.: The chapters are the same for the three different Italian editions of the book, while the page numbers (in bold) correspond to the third edition of 2017.

At the beginning of the lectures, the PDFs will be available online with the images projected during the lectures, the alternative bibliographic paths, and the suggestions for the in-depth study.

Teaching methods

Due to the restrictions imposed by the current health emergency, teaching will be carried out with “traditional" teaching methods, i.e. the teacher will always be present in the classroom designated for teaching, students will alternate in attendance according to a schedule of shifts being defined (more detailed information about the shift and how to access the lesson in attendance will be provided later). It will always be possible to connect remotely and follow the lectures in the classroom live streaming via the TEAMS platform.

Assessment methods

The final examination consists of a first written test and a second oral discussion, which can be taken only if students pass the written test (the interview will be held on the same day as the written part).

The written test is based on the recognition of some of the images projected during the course (or extracted from the recommended bibliography), with questions related to the works. The images projected during the course are available on the virtuale platform (https://virtuale.unibo.it [https://virtuale.unibo.it/] ). The time available is 30/60 minutes. Students who have passed the written test are expected to take a second oral part, which usually takes place on the same day of the written test. During the interview, they shall demonstrate their analysis capabilities of works and artistic movements.

It will be assessed as excellent the performance of those students achieving an organic vision of the course contents, the use of a proper specific language, originality of reflection and familiarity with the analysis tools of contemporary art. It will be assessed as discrete the performance of those students showing mostly mechanical or mnemonic knowledge of the subject, disarticulated synthesis and analysis capabilities, or a correct but not always appropriate language, as well as a scholastic study of contemporary art. It will be assessed as barely sufficient the performance of those students showing learning gaps, inappropriate language, lack of knowledge of the instruments of contemporary art. It will be assessed as insufficient the performance of those students showing learning gaps, inappropriate language, no orientation within the recommended bibliography and inability to analyze the contemporary art.

Teaching tools

As already reported in the bibliography, the PDFs will be available online with the images projected during the lectures. In addition, further relevant materials relating to the course contents may be added.

Office hours

See the website of Roberto Pinto