Course syllabus

115 image.png

Global Art Histories

ARTHIST 115 and 115G

Semester 1, 2017

Dr Gregory Minissale and Dr Caroline Vercoe

This course will provide a broad survey of art and visual culture spanning the early modern world leading up to an examination of the contemporary world we live in today. This course is an important meeting of history, politics and art. In history and in different cultures images, materials and art practices are used to express and extend power and authority. Yet such images have also been used for revolution and change. In this unique course, students will be introduced to art, history and politics in a global context including European and American, Māori, Pacific, African and Asian traditions. Taking this comparative approach, the course provides students with the knowledge to recognize how power manipulates vision, concepts and materials, and how artists have challenged this power.

The classes are structured within thematic topics which include the expression and representation of authority and power; the emergence of different perspectives on modernity and different cultural and political explorations of feminism and identity, migrations and diasporas.

 LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of the course students will have acquired the following skills and competencies:

  1. To be able to visually analyse artworks, images and examples of visual culture using reliable methods and terms
  2. Confidence in comparing and contrasting artworks and examples of visual culture across cultures
  3. The ability to situate artworks in their social, historical, cultural and economic contexts
  4. The skills to sustain an argument and logically compose a narrative in essay writing
  5. Techniques to find and research quality resources and information in the library and online.

The course aims to be exciting and exploratory featuring digital media, online learning, discussion groups, multimedia bibliographies and tutorials to encourage fresh and innovative ways of learning, understanding and engaging with artworks.

RECOMMENDED READINGS

There will be digitised readings provided for each lecture on TALIS in the coming weeks. In the meantime, this is a list of the books we will be using:

Adrienne Kaeppler, The Pacific Arts of Polynesia and Micronesia. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008)

Gregory Minissale, Images of Thought: Painting in Islamic India. (Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Press, 2009)

Partha Mitter, Indian Art. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001)

Nicholas Thomas, Oceanic Art. (London: Thames and Hudson, 1995).

Caroline Turner, ed. Art and Social Change: Contemporary Art in Asia and the Pacific. (Australia: Pandanus Books, 2005).

Frank Willett, African Art (London: Thames & Hudson, 2003)

David Joselit, American Art Since 1945. (London: Thames & Hudson, 2003)

 

Course Assessment:

One test (25%) sat in class: April 12th 

One essay (25%) 1500 words minimum.  Due Friday 26th May

One exam (50%)

For further information about your coursework please see the attached file below in the Course Summary section.


Classes: 1st Semester, Wednesdays 2-3 pm and Fridays 2-3 pm

Click here to see the Lecture programme.

Click here to see the Tutorial programme.

Click here for the Lecture and Tutorial timetable.

 

Coordinators:

Dr. Gregory Minissale, Arts 1, Room 749, ph: 373 7599, ext. 86033
Email: g.minissale@auckland.ac.nz

Dr Caroline Vercoe, Arts Student Centre, ph. 373 7599 ext. 87489
Email: c.vercoe@auckland.ac.nz

Tutor:  TBA

Course Reps: TBA

Course summary:

Date Details Due