Art History

This course addresses philosophical and methodological questions relevant to criticism of the arts, especially the question of value and evaluation. It discusses the issues regarding interpretation of artworks, examining theories of interpretation with examples of actual artworks. It also examines various aspects of art's value including aesthetic value, cognitive value, moral value, etc. It then moves on to the issue of applying standards of evaluation to some controversial cases found in the area such as erotic art, public art and popular art. Finally, some meta-critical issues are addressed.

This course is about arts and artists in the Nusantara, the archipelagic Malay–Indonesian world. Attention is drawn to the art making and distribution processes which are not only determined by artists but also involves other stakeholders. This includes critics, museum personnel, gallery owners, collectors, art consumers, interest groups as well as the state. The political, social, cultural and economic contexts in the Nusantara at different time periods are considered to explain the kinds of artworks that emerge. Topics include gender and race in the arts, art and activism, censorship and patronage.

This course examines how art and visual culture in Europe and the United States both reflected and shaped the cultural discourses of politics, class, gender, race, religion, and science that accompanied these ongoing changes. Particular attention will be paid to processes of industrialization, urbanism, and colonialism and their effects on art’s making and reception from the French Revolution (1789) through the beginning of World War I (1914). In addition to painting, drawing, and sculpture, we will chart the development of emerging media from new printmaking technologies to photography and early film. 

This course examines perspectives on biomedicine through the lens of art. Students follow a series of original podcasts that bring together leading Australian scientists and artists to discuss how real-world scientific problems can be solved through artists’ creative thinking. The topics investigated represent the most pressing biomedical concerns including death, stem cell technology, the brain and consciousness, cancer, personhood and infectious diseases.

The course presents a study of twentieth century art by examining the works of prominent artists of various avant-garde movements from 1905 through 1960. It discusses art prior to World War I (fauvism, German expressionism, cubism, futurism, Russian avant-garde); art during World War I (dada, neo-plasticism, Russian constructivism and realism); art between World War I and World War II (Bauhaus, the return to order, trends of the 1930s); architecture prior to World War II; and art after World War II (American informalism, abstract expressionism, geometric abstraction).

This course discusses the various creative fields in which Barcelona has been a pioneer. Topics include: urban design, art, culture, design and fashion, theater, dance, music.

The course examines several approaches to key players – director, curator, patron, architect – through case studies, site and/ or virtual visits, analyses, review-writing, and a practical exercise in curating. Part I departs from the concept of museum script to consider the agency of curatorship. Part 2 considers forms of agency exercised by modern patrons in public museums. Students research an aspect of curatorship for their term paper.

This course examines Spanish culture and society today through a study of its history and art. Topics include: Paleolithic, Neolithic, and Metal Age; Iberians and Celts; Roman Empire; Visigoths; Islam and Al Andalus; Christian kingdoms; late Middle Ages and Catholic Monarchs; empire of Charles I; Bourbons in Spain; Enlightenment; colonization and independence of American colonies; first and second republics; Franco dictatorship and transition to democracy; Spain and the European Union.

This course provides a study of artistic movements that have taken place in Spain from the 16th century to the present day. It analyzes the stylistic characteristics of the Renaissance, Baroque, Romanticism, Cubism and Surrealism. Particular attention is give to Spanish art within the European context, as well aspects of patronage or the art market. The course includes an examination of fundamental Spanish artists such as El Greco, Velázquez, Goya, Picasso or Dalí, and their works in relation with artists from other European geographical areas.