OVERVIEW

Since the 1990s, studies of visual culture have defined a series of methodological approaches and tools that are particularly useful to better understand the problem of incessant production and circulation of visual contents in contemporary society. The course requires solid basic knowledge of 20th century history, history of contemporary art and history of cinema and photography. 

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Analysing and historicising the knowledge of theoretical reflection on the aesthetic, linguistic and philosophical statute of cinematographic images in the framework of a wider 20th century reflection on images and viewing. 

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aim of the course is to provide students with the tools to understand the contemporary media horizon, to analyze visual and audiovisual texts and to problematize the political, social and cultural role of the media and their discourses.

At the end of the course the student will: 1) learn about the history and theory of visual studies; 2) be able to analyze visual and audiovisual texts; 3) know how to interpret the social and cultural role of the media; 4) be able to describe, analyze and contextualize media, visual and audiovisual content; 5) possess the ability to move critically within the history of the media.

PREREQUISITES

Cinema and Art history

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

First part: cinema in the framework of contemporary digital society and media culture; introduction to the field of visual culture studies.

Second part: the course explores the theoretical debate and the artistic production between the Seventies and Eighties of the Twentieth Century (with particular reference to Italy)

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

- A. Pinotti, A. Somaini, Cultura visuale. Immagini, sguardi, media, dispositivi, Einaudi, Torino, 2016

- C. Marra, Fotografia e pittura nel Novecento (e oltre), Bruno Mondadori, Milano, 2012 (capitoli 8 e 9)

- N. Leonardi, Fotografia e materialità in Italia. Franco Vaccari, Mario Cresci, Guido Guidi, Luigi Ghirri, Postmedia, Milano, 2013

- L. Ghirri, Niente di antico sotto il sole. Scritti e immagini per un'autobiografia, Società Editrice Internazionale, Torino, 1997

- L. Malavasi, Viaggi nell'Italia postmoderna. Luigi Ghirri e Pier Vittorio Tondelli, "Imago", n. 18, 2019

- L. Malavasi, Postmoderno e cinema. Nuove prospettive d'analisi, Carocci, Roma, 2017 (capitoli 1 e 2)

- Essays uploaded on AulaWeb

Non attending studentes will add:

- V. Flusser, Per una filosofia della fotografia, Bruno Mondadori, Milano, 2006

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

LUCA MALAVASI (President)

GABRIELE RIGOLA

LESSONS

LESSONS START

March 2020

Class schedule

THEORIES OF IMAGE FILM

EXAMS

ASSESSMENT METHODS

1. Oral exam aimed at assessing knowledge of the constituent elements of contemporary mediality with particular reference to the role of new technologies and new viewing devices.
2. A paper about one of the themes studied during class.

Exam schedule