Art Criticism
Code: 100558 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2500239 Art History | OB | 3 | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Jaime Vidal Oliveras
- Email:
- jaime.vidal@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject. Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2023.
Teachers
- David Gutierrez Torres
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites beyond the usual third-grade degree.
Objectives and Contextualisation
The aim of the subject is to develope the knowledge, analysis and use of conceptual and methodological tools that allow the student to produce critical content in different areas of art.
The subject is structured in three aspects:
- From a diachronic point of view, there will be a tour of the main lines that have shaped the critical practice since the Second World War
- From a synchronic point of view, it will reflect on the current role of art criticism, rather, on the roles of criticism, basically in its extension towards curating as a configurator of content in art
- And, in a practical sense, the practice of art criticism will be worked on, both from writing and from curating and debate as a basic critical tool.
The subject is configured in strong correlation with the artistic practice and with the artistic manifestations in course. It will encourage critical analysis of the current status of art and the ability to make proposals. In this sense, the subject proposes a work seminar in which to articulate theory and practice.
- Know the main lines of art criticism
- Become familiar with tools of analysis and opinion
- Work on writing and critical argumentation skills
- Learn to develop projects in the diferents issues of the critic
- Develop concepts related to curating as an extension of art criticism
- Apply the ability to relate concepts and works and diverse cultural productionsto each other.
- Become aware of the relationship between current and critical activity
Competences
- Applying the mastery of the basic critical and methodological tools in order to understand and narrate Art History and reflect on the profession of art historian.
- Applying the specific scientific methodologies of the discipline of Art History.
- Demonstrating they know the history of the artistic ideas and the main theoretical currents that inspired the reflection about art, cinema, its creators and its audience through history.
- Expressing specific knowledge about the origin, evolution and various fields of study of Art History, as well as the classic and actual subjects, vocabulary and debates of the discipline.
- Make changes to methods and processes in the area of knowledge in order to provide innovative responses to society's needs and demands.
- Recognising the fundamental problems, vocabulary and concepts of the Theory of Art and Cinema.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyse the sex- or gender-based inequalities and the gender biases present in one's own area of knowledge.
- Analysing classical and current debates of the History of Art.
- Analysing ideas about an artistic phenomenon in a given cultural context.
- Analysing ideas about an artistic phenomenon, and its creators and recipients in a given cultural context.
- Analysing the creators of an artistic phenomenon in a specific cultural context.
- Analysing the recipients of an artistic phenomenon in a specific cultural context.
- Applying the iconographic knowledge to the reading of artistic imagery.
- Applying the knowledge about aesthetic ideas and Art Theory to the analysis of the artistic imagery.
- Critically analysing basic concepts of artistic and cinematographic theory and its evolution through history.
- Demonstrating the knowledge of scientific methodology, sources and Art Theory in the reading, criticism and formal, iconographic and symbolic interpretation of any artistic or cinematographic imagery.
- Differentiating artistic theories about an artistic phenomenon, its creators and recipients in a given cultural context.
- Engaging in debates about historical facts respecting the other participants' opinions.
- Interpreting the fundamental concepts of Theory of Art with a critical eye.
- Propose new methods or well-founded alternative solutions.
- Summarising acquired knowledge about the origin and transformations experienced by the general Theory of Art and the various fields of study of the discipline.
- Using the knowledge of general Art Theory in the criticism of the artistic imagery.
Content
Introduction to art criticism from the configuration of the art system: art and city; Baudelaire; Walter Benjamin
The American critical tradition from Clement Greenberg; the criticism to formalism; the question of gender and queer theory, from Guerrilla Girls, Douglas Crimp, activism against AIDS and gender studies.
Criticism as a critical state: the questioning of its effectiveness; the possible meteorological inespecifity; the disappearance of critical space.
Map of criticism in Span: the effervescence of the art system from 90's and the appearance of critics, magazines, art centers, curators...
Tasks of criticism: curating as an extension of art criticism.
Criticism of art as a rapporteur: the consideration of criticism as a literary form of non-fiction; the definition of an author who speaks for others; the criticism of imagination and originality
Subjectivity vs. trans subject: the trans space of criticism and curating and the configuration of a contemporary subject.
Methodology
Autonomous activities are basically formed by reading and working on the evaluable texts as well as visits to exhibitions.
The directed activities consist of master classes with a high incentive to participation from the visits to recommended museums and artistic centers in the attempt that the discursive practice accompanies a critical praxis and analysis.
The supervised activities are formed by the contributions to the seminars, the contributions in the written tests and the public presentation of the projects of the students
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Master classes (curating introduction) | 25 | 1 | |
| Master classes (history of criticism, space of criticism, the story-teller and the Trans subject) | 25 | 1 | 7 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Critical reading | 20 | 0.8 | 7 |
| Public presentation of a critical reading project about artistic practices | 20 | 0.8 | 7 |
| Seminar: the state of criticism; the description and the critical attitude based on the observation. | 25 | 1 | 7 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Critical reading and writing | 20 | 0.8 | 7 |
| Exhibitions visiting | 15 | 0.6 | 7 |
Assessment
It is essential to attend and collaborate in class dynamics (debates, presentations and possible visits).
The evaluation will take into account the student's contribution to the class discussion dynamics. It will also propose several exercises of continuous evaluation that lead to the elaboration of an art critique essay or the elaboration of an art critique project.
At the time of carrying out each evaluation activity, the teacher will inform the students (Moodle) of the procedure and the date of revision of the qualifications.
single evaluation
Preparation of 3 research papers and a critique:
1. research paper on art criticism 20%
2. Research on Art Criticism medias. 20%
3. historical analysis of art criticism 30%
4. final critique with specific characteristics 30%
Recovery
To participate in the recovery process, you must have obtained a final median grade of 3.5 and you must have been previously evaluated in a set of activities, the weight of which is equivalent to a minimum of 2/3 of the total grade. (CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT) or free all scheduled tests (SINGLE ASSESSMENT).
The same recovery system will be applied as for the continuous evaluation.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active participation in critical debates | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9, 5, 6, 3, 4, 13, 12 |
| Paper on analysis and positioning | 20 | 0 | 0 | 9, 1, 3, 7, 8, 10, 13, 12, 16 |
| Paper on observation, recognition and description | 15 | 0 | 0 | 6, 7, 11 |
| Participation in the elaboration criticism map | 15 | 0 | 0 | 5, 2, 6, 1, 3, 4, 8, 13, 12, 15, 16 |
| Writing of a critical essay on a current artistic manifestation | 40 | 0 | 0 | 9, 5, 2, 6, 3, 4, 8, 11, 13, 12, 14, 15, 16 |
Bibliography
BALZER, David, Curationism. How Curating Took Over the Art World and Everything Else, Toronto, Coach House Books, 2014
BASSAS, Xavier, Genealogías curatoriales, Casimiro Libros, 2016
BENJAMIN, Walter, El autor como productor, Madrid, Taurus 1975
BOURDIEU, Pierre. Las reglas del arte. Génesis y estructura del campo literario, Barcelona, Anagrama, 2002
BOURRIAUD, Nicolas. Post producción. Buenos Aires: Adriana Hidalgo, 2004
CRIMP, D. Posiciones críticas. Akal: Madrid, 2005.
DANTO, A. Después del fin del arte. El arte contemporáneo y el linde de la historia. Paidós: Barcelona, 1999
DE DUVE, T. Clement Greenberg entre líneas. Acto ediciones, 2005.
FERNÁNDEZ PORTA, Eloy. Homo Sampler. Tiempo y consumo en la Era Afterpop, Barcelona, Anagrama, 2008
FRIED, M. Arte y objetualidad. La balsa de la medusa: Madrid, 2004.
GLICENSTEIN, Jérôme, L'invention du curateur, Paris, Presses universitaires de France, 2015
GREENBERG, C. La pintura moderna y otros ensayos. Siruela: Madrid, 2006
GOLDSMITH, Kenneth. Escritura no-creativa: gestionando el lenguaje en la era digital, La caja negra, 2015
GUASCH, Anna. El arte del siglo XX en sus exposiciones: 1945‐1995, Barcelona, Ediciones del Serbal, 1997
GUASCH, A.Mª. La crítica dialogada. Cendeac: Murcia, 2006
MANEN, Martí, Salir de la exposición (si es que alguna vez habíamos entrado), Bilbao, Consonni, 2012 ULRICH
MILLET, C. Le critique d'art s'expose. Editions Jacqueline Chambon: París, 1993
NICKAS, Robert. Live Free or Die, París, Les presses du réel, 2000
OBRIST, Hans. Breve historia del comisariado, Exit, 2010.
Software
Not applicable.