Art of the avant-garde in the 20th century
2 points * One 1-hour lecture and one 1-hour tutorial per week * Second semester * Caulfield * Prerequisites: FNE1911 and FNE1912
Objectives On successful completion of this subject students will have a thorough understanding of the development of major `avant-garde' movements of the twentieth century in relation to their cultural and theoretical context; further development of skills in study, research and communication; the ability to integrate historical, theoretical and visual concepts into individual creative development.
Synopsis Modernist theory is studied in relation to the dominant conceptual and stylistic characteristics of movements such as expressionism, cubism, surrealism and formalist abstraction. Issues to be discussed include the contradictions of modernism, intellect vs intuition, the anti-art tradition of Dada and the role of the artist as social/political critic. Such issues will be linked to modernist revivalism in the USA post-1945, through movements such as abstract expressionism, pop-art and neo-Dada and their impact on art in the international scene and in Australia. Reference will be made to aspects of contemporary art which relate to precedents in terms of theory and practice and to concept of post-modernism.
Assessment Essay (2000 words): 40% * Tutorial paper presentation (1500 words): 30% * Examination/visual test (1 hour): 30%
Prescribed texts
Read H A Concise history of modern painting rev. edn, Thames and Hudson, 1985
Stangos N (ed.) Concepts of modern art Thames and Hudson, 1981
Recommended texts
Arnason H H A history of modern art Thames and Hudson, 1981
Burger P Theory of the avant-garde U Minnesota P, 1984
Chipp H B (ed.) Theories of modern art U California P, 1968
Hamilton G H Painting and sculpture in Europe 1880-1940 Penguin, 1983
Hughes R Nothing if not critical Collins-Harvill, 1990
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