VSA1000

Introduction to visual culture: back to the future

(ART)

John Gregory, Anne Marsh, Constantine Verevis and Deane Williams

6 points + 4 hours per week + First semester + Clayton

Synopsis: The unit is designed to introduce students to the study of visual culture in its various forms, including film, video, photography, painting, sculpture, the built environment. Issues to be considered will include the origins and character of the 'society of the spectacle,' the growth of new urban forms such as arcades, and the early development of photography and the cinema. Themes to be discussed will include the Futurist preoccupation with speed, the characteristics of modern styles such as Surrealism and Pop, and the rise of televisual culture. A broad range of relevant visual images, film and video will be shown and discussed throughout the unit.

Assessment: First essay (1500 words): 25% + Essay (2000 words): 50% + Visual test (1 hour): 25%