74798 - Art and Cultural Mediation: History, Methods and European Trends (LM)

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, the student: acquires critical knowledge about the conditions of creation, production, dissemination, mediation and teaching that characterize the art and its history; knows how to situate the cultural object and the work of art in a specific historical and social context recognizing the major actors involved and the dialectic aspects between the artist's expression and the use of the work by the community; acquire the tools, to understand the links between the cultural heritage institutions (museums, archives, libraries, historical monuments and major archaeological sites) and citizens. In particular, through the study of trades between artistic heritage and society, the student learns to provide the capacity to interpret and discover the art to an evolving international audience.

Course contents

Since the early 90s, the expression “cultural mediation” has been commonly used; but the practices which it refers to are dated back much earlier: mediation permeates each stage of any artwork – from creation to preservation, including dissemination, collection, and introduction into the museums. Being a tool and an object, at the same time, of a both cultural and scientific mediation involving history, society, and religion, the artwork is nowadays perceived also as an essential component of a cultural heritage that must become a reference point in the daily life of an increasing audience.

The syllabus offers an analysis of strictly correlated aspects:

1. Art and cultural mediation in modern and contemporary Europe: history, methods and approaches with a selection of case studies;

2. Mediation, communication and teaching of art in public areas: out of the museum, into the community;

3. Instruments of mediations: projects and implementations.

4. During the a.y. 2017-2018, the connection between exposition, didactic and the public’s fruition will be in-depth analysed through a course dedicated to the places and to the historical instruments of mediation.

By the end of this course students will know the general outline of how it develops the connection between art, art history, and cultural mediation, and will be able to combine theoretical aspects with practical expertise. They will have acquired an in-depth knowledge of both the historical and technical issues related to the dissemination and mediation of artwork. They will develop the necessary skills and competence to critically evaluate the ever-evolving ways in which the perception of the artwork is connected with, and affected by, the artistic, historical, social, and cultural milieu.

Readings/Bibliography

For the final examination, students are required to prepare all the texts listed in Section One, plus at least one text from Section Two and one text from Section Three

Section One

Sandra Costa, I Pubblici, la fruizione e la storia, in Costa S., Poulot D., Volait M. (a cura di), The Period Rooms - Allestimenti storici tra arte, collezionismo e museologia, Bologna, BUP, 2016, pp. 29-48.

Sandra Costa, Giovanna Perini Folesani (a cura di), I savi e gli ignoranti. Dialogo del pubblico con l'arte, Bologna, BUP, 2017.

Antonio Somaini (a cura di), Il luogo dello spettatore / Forme dello sguardo nella cultura delle immagini, Milano, Vita & Pensiero, 2005.

Section Two

Howard S. Becker, I mondi dell'arte, Bologna, il Mulino, 2012 [titolo or. Art Worlds 1982].

Pierre Bourdieu, A. Darbel, L'amore dell'arte, le leggi della diffusione culturale: i musei d'arte europei e il loro pubblico, Rimini Guaraldi 1972 [titolo or. L'amour de l'art: les musées et leur public1966].

Régis Debray, Vita e morte dell'immagine. Una storia dello sguardo in Occidente, Milano, Il Castoro, 1998 [titolo or. Vie et mort de l'image – une histoire du regard en Occident, 1992]

David Freedberg, Il potere delle immagini. Il mondo delle figure: reazioni ed emozioni del pubblico, Einaudi, Torino 2009 [titolo or. The Power of Images: Studies in the History and Theory of Response 1989].

Anna Maria Mura, Il pubblico e la fruizione, in L'Artista e il pubblico, Storia dell'Arte italiana, Torino, Einaudi, 1979, vol.2, pp. 267-315.

M. Pireddu, M. Serra, (a cura di), Mediologia. Una disciplina attraverso i suoi classici, Liguori, Napoli, 2012.

Dominique Poulot, L’art d’aimer les objets, Laval, Presses de l’Université de Laval, 2016.

Section Three

D. Capaldi, E. Ilardi, G. Ragone, I cantieri della memoria. Digital Heritage e istituzioni culturali, Liguori, Napoli 2011.

Sylvie Lacerte, La médiation de l'art contemporain, Trois –rivières, Éditions d'art le Sabord, 2007.

Emma Nardi (a cura di), Musei e pubblico: un rapporto educativo, Milano, edizioni Franco Angeli, 2014 [1 ed. 2004].

Ettore Spalletti, La documentazione figurativa dell'opera d'arte, la critica e l'editoria nell'epoca moderna (1750-1930), in L'Artista e il pubblico, Storia dell'Arte italiana, Torino, Einaudi, 1979, vol.2, pp. 417-482.

AA. VV. L’art de l’exposition. Une documentation sur trente expositions exemplaires du XX^e siècle, Parigi, édition du regard, 1998.

Assessment methods

Students will be assessed during an interview: the final examination will evaluate the competence acquired at the end of the course. Successful candidates shall demonstrate an adequate knowledge of the contents covered during the course and the material indicated in the recommended readings/bibliography. They shall demonstrate critical ability to understand and explain both the theoretical approaches to the art mediation and the constantly evolving practical solutions proposed within the EU.

1. It will be graded as excellent the performance of those students demonstrating to be able to thoroughly analyse the texts and to put them into an organic view of the topics discussed during the course. The proper use of the specific language during the examination will be also essential.

2. It will be graded as discrete the performance of those students with mostly mnemonic knowledge, no in-depth analysis capabilities and a correct, but not always appropriate, language of the recommended texts.

3. It will be graded as barely sufficient the performance of those students with approximate knowledge, superficial understanding, poor analytical capabilities and a not always appropriate language.

4. It will be graded as insufficient the performance of those students with learning gaps, inappropriate language, no orientation within the recommended bibliography.

Teaching tools

Lectures; powerpoint slides and videos.

On-site visits to art exhibitions, museums, art galleries or historical complexes will integrate the course. Meetings with various experts involved in art mediation will also take place.

Office hours

See the website of Sandra Costa