OVERVIEW

The course tackles issues of methods for the study of contemporary art with particular attention to research from recent decades and specifically performance practices and intermediality. Critics, artists, and scholars of the sector will be involved in the course. Theoretical reflection will be be complemented by the workshop Exhibition practices and market strategies for contemporary art (prof. Chico Schoen), which enables gaining 1 cfu - Other activities.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By dealing with general issues and specific themes in relation to 20th century and present day art , the course aims to give students the necessary methodological tools to conduct specialised studies in the sector of contemporary art.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide students with the notions and methodological tools necessary for the correct analysis and understanding of 20th century art, the complex phenomenology of contemporary works, the current lines of development of artistic research and the logics governing the so-called 'contemporary art system'.

At the end of the course the student must be able to illustrate in a precise manner, and with an appropriate vocabulary, the lines of development of 20th and 21st century art and critically interpret the works in relation to their historical and cultural context; he/she must demonstrate an understanding of the methodological problems that the scholar of the discipline must face in order to orientate him/herself between the evolution of contemporary art in historical terms and the aesthetic pluralism that characterises the results of the research carried out by artists from the avant-gardes to the present day; he/she must be able to autonomously construct paths of meaning, both thematically and problematically, between the various currents; he/she must present a written paper in which he/she must demonstrate the ability to select themes and problems suitable for in-depth study, identify the appropriate sources, construct a bibliography of reference, and argue in an original manner and with propriety of language the theme he/she has chosen to examine.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures with the support of multimedia material and designed to encourage discussion on the topics addressed. Meetings with artists and specialists in the field are planned.

Classes are held in person. Attendance, although not compulsory, is recommended. No remote learning is available for this course.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Methodology for the study of contemporary art with particular attention to the artistic research of the last decades and, specifically, to performative practices, multimedia and the history of exhibitions.

Main Theme: The politics of spectatorship: case studies through the history of 20th-century exhibitions.

The programme is addressed to both attending and non-attending students.

The course will be complemented by the workshop Exhibition practices and market strategies for contemporary art, prof. Chico Schoen (1 CFU Other activities)

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

C. BERTOLA, Curare l'arte, Electa 2008, pp. 12-38.

 E. CRISPOLTI, Come studiare l’arte contemporanea, Donzelli, Roma 2010.

For the Main Theme, the study of the chapters contained in the following essays is required: 

H. BAYER, Aspects of Design of Exhibitions and Museums, "Curator", 4(1), July 1961, pp. 257-288.

H. BREDEKAMP, Il museo di se stesso, in "Nuova Museologia", n. 1, 1999, pp. 2-4.

B. O'DOHERTY, Inside the White Cube. L'ideologia dello spazio espositivo, Johan&Levi, Milano, 2012, pp. 15-34; 55-72; 129-133.

- The reading of the following essays is also suggested (OPTIONAL):

M. BECK, The Exhibition and the Display, 2009 [Trascrizione della conferenza tenuta durante il simposio "Forms of Exhibition" presso la Kunstverein di Amburgo]. 

B. ALTSHULER, E. FILIPOVIC, J. HOFFMANN, Exhibitions have a history, in "Mousse" n. 47, Febbraio - Marzo, 2015,  pp. 377-384.

Further bibliographies related to the exhibitions that will be examined will be provided during the course.

Non-attending students should supplement the indicated bibliography with the study of:

Denys Riout, L'arte del ventesimo secolo. Protagonisti, temi, correnti, Einaudi, Torino 2002

The list of texts is subject to change and it is therefore advisable to wait for the start of the lectures and the presentation of the programme by the lecturer before purchasing or borrowing.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

ALESSANDRO FERRARO (President)

PAOLA VALENTI (President and Coordinator of Integrated Course)

LEO LECCI (President Substitute)

LUDOVICO BALDELLI (Substitute)

ANDREA MASALA (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

27 February 2023

Class schedule

METHODOLOGIES FOR THE STUDY OF CONTEMPORARY ART

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral Exam

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The examination will take place in oral form; an in-depth study will be required, to be presented at the examination in the form of a thesis accompanied by images, notes and specific bibliographical indications, on a topic dealt with in the course (the editorial standards to be followed in writing the paper will be uploaded on the Aulaweb).

N.B. The written paper constitutes an integral part of the examination and of the student's assessment: the motivations underlying the choice of topic, the ability to organise the discourse, the originality of the treatment and critical points, the quality of the sources used and the bibliographical references, the correctness and clarity of the presentation will all be taken into account.

Lecture materials will be made available to all enrolled students at the end of the course and uploaded to Aulaweb.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

The paper must be sent by e-mail to the lecturer and assistants (Dr Alessandro Ferraro, alessandro.ferraro@edu.unige.it; Dr Ludovico Baldelli, ludovico.baldelli@edu.unige.it; , Dr Stella Cattaneo, stella.cattaneo@edu.unige.it) at least 10 days before the date on which you intend to sit the exam and must then be submitted to the roll call in paper form.