00951 - History of Contemporary Art

Learning outcomes

After completing the course the student will be familiar with the history of painting, sculpture, and decorative arts from the neoclassical age to the present day, with a particular focus on the relationships between the Italian context and the international sphere.

Course contents

The course of History of Contemporary Art aims at providing the student with basic notions and methods suitable for the comprehension of those complex, multiform and often apparently contradictory phenomena that populate the artistic horizon of the contemporary age, according to the manual, that is, from the end of the 18th century to the present day. However, greater emphasis will be placed on issues and problems of art from the second half of the 19th and 20th centuries.

The student must mature in the conviction that, not from today, we must no longer confront ourselves with normative aesthetics and the category of Beauty, and that beyond the economic and social changes of the last two centuries, the real key to understanding contemporary developments in art lies above all in the technological progress that underlies artistic phenomena from both a symbolic and a substantial point of view.

Readings/Bibliography

The program is the same for all, attending and non-attending students

Two obligatory books:

- BARILLI, Renato, L’alba del contemporaneo. L’arte europea da Füssli a Delacorix, Feltrinelli, Milano, 2005 o edizioni successive.

- BARILLI, Renato, L’arte contemporanea. Da Cézanne alle ultime tendenze, Feltrinelli, Milano, 2005 or following.

*(for students who have never studied contemporary art, and for students with learning disabilities, it is recommended to read - though not mandatory and not part of the required texts - following manual: P. DE VECCHI, E. CERCHIARI, L’arte nel tempo. Dall'Illuminismo al Postmoderno, Milan, Bompiani, 1991, vol. 3.)

Teaching methods

The method used involves the active partecipation of the students who are invited to speak during the lessons with observations. All this makes the lessons a chance to exchange views and debate.

Assessment methods

The test will consist of an oral examination in which the candidate will demonstrate that they have assimilated the content of the lesson, both in terms of fundamentals and in terms of references. Will be evaluated, as well as the degree of preparation, properties of language, knowledge of the authors which reference is made, the ability to build a speech critically aware. Training gaps, imprecise language, only rote learning will be evaluated negatively.

1. Those students who show developed analytical skills of selected readings and their correct contextualization within a complete vision of the issues discussed during lectures will be given a mark of excellence. Mastering of field-specific language and good expression during the examination will also be required (A =28-30 con lode).

2. Those students who show mnemonic knowledge of the subject and a superficial analysis of selected readings, as well as a correct but not always appropriate mastering of the field-specific language will be given a satisfactory mark (B = 25-27 and C = 23-24).

3. Those students who will show vague knowledge and superficial understanding of selected readings, limited analytical skills and a not always appropriate expression will be given a ‘pass’ mark roughly (D = 18-22).

4. Those students who show gaps in their knowledge and lack of familiarity with selected readings will not be given a ‘pass’ mark (E).

Teaching tools

Various audiovisual aids (audio files, image projections and digital movies).Through the platform “virtuale.unibo.it”, students will be provided with images and lecture-based presentations and other educational materials.

Office hours

See the website of Giuseppe Virelli