The Aesthetics and Politics of Contemporary Art

What are the narratives that define contemporary art? The course will seek to answer this two-part question by examining five specific issues of exemplary relevance to the many and complex practices comprising the field of contemporary art. These five issues are: 1. The Rise and Fall of Postmodernism. 2. The End of Art? 3. The Turn to the Moving Image. 4. The Aesthetics and Politics of the Everyday. 5. Globalisation and the Critical Interpretation of the Contemporary. We will devote one to two weeks to each of these issues and consider in particular the intersection of (art) practice and theory alongside the relationship of aesthetics and politics. In general, the course does not attempt to prioritise specific media but is structured around concepts and ideas that play an important role in defining or challenging our understanding of contemporary practice. In the course of examining these concepts and ideas, we shall have the opportunity to reflect on a range of topical issues such as artistic labour, the post-medium condition, technology, documentation, feminism, socially engaged practice, economy and art etc. Credit Level: 10 Year taken: Year 4 Undergraduate

Not running in 2025/26