OVERVIEW

The course tackles issues of methods for the study of contemporary art with particular attention to research from recent decades and to the contextual development of the art system. 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 addressing general issues and specific themes in relation to 20th century and present day art, the course aims to provide students with the necessary methodological tools to conduct specialized studies in the contemporary art field.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide students with the necessary notions and methodological tools to correctly analyze and understand the complex phenomenology of 20th century and contemporary art. The phenomenologies of contemporary works will also be taken into account, as well as the current development lines 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 way and with a proper vocabulary, the developments the 20th and 21st century art, and critically interpret the art works in relation to their historical and cultural context;
• demonstrate an understanding of the methodological problems to orientate ourselves between the contemporary art historical evolution and the current aesthetic pluralism;
• construct paths of meaning, both thematically and problematically, between the various artistic currents;
• present a written paper, demonstrating the ability to select suitable themes and problems for an in-depth study. In the paper the student must be able to identify the appropriate sources, to construct a bibliography, to argue in an original way and with propriety of language the themes analyzed.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures are supported by multimedia materials and they are designed to encourage discussions on the topics addressed. Meetings with artists and specialists in the field are planned.

Classes are held in presence. Attendance, although not compulsory, is recommended.

No remote learning is available for this course.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Methodologies for the study of contemporary art, with particular attention to the last decades’ artistic research.

Thematic focus: Art Worlds. Art and the Art System: Authors, Texts, and Methods.

The program 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

Methodological problems for the study of contemporary art:

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

Art Worlds. Art and its system: authors, texts and methodologies:

• A. DANTO, The Artworld, The Journal of Philosophy, Oct. 15, 1964, Vol. 61, No. 19, American Philosophical Association Eastern Division Sixty-First Annual Meeting (Oct. 15, 1964), pp. 571-584.
• L. ALLOWAY, Network: The Artworld described as a system, Artforum, Sept. 1972, pp. 28-32.
• H. S. BECKER, Art as a Collective Action, American Sociological Review, Dec., 1974, Vol. 39, No. 6, pp. 767-776.
• E. CASTELNUOVO, Arte, industria, rivoluzioni. Temi di storia sociale dell'arte, Einaudi, 1985, pp. 65-83.

Non attending students (in addition to the bibliography mentioned above)

• K. HONNEF, Definizioni critiche dell'arte contemporanea, in V. Terraroli (a cura di), L'Arte del XX secolo. 2000 e oltre. Tendenze della contemporaneità, Skira, Milano, 2010, pp. 141-149.
• W. GUADAGNINI, Mercato dell'arte e nuove forme di collezionismo, in V. Terraroli (a cura di), L'Arte del XX secolo. 2000 e oltre. Tendenze della contemporaneità, Skira, Milano, 2010, pp. 293-299.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

PAOLA VALENTI (President)

ALESSANDRO FERRARO

LUDOVICO BALDELLI (Substitute)

LEO LECCI (Substitute)

ANDREA MASALA (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

II semester 

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.

Open Badges and Soft Skills 

The course is conceived according to active, interactive, and constructive teaching meths: this will allow students to earn specific Open Badges based on their active participation in the course and the linguistic properties demonstrated in the writing of the paper.

Depending on the type of activity and its duration, it will be possible to award one or more badges certifying competence at the primary or advanced level.