BERGAMO
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The course aims at developing an understanding of the relationship between contemporary art and social space by drawing on the tools of social art history, visual studies, cultural studies, and institutional criticism.
It aims as well to develop a critical awareness of the relationship between contemporary art and society, especially with regard to social, cultural and identity issues, and in particular:
_the question of representation and representation: what presences and what silences, omissions, removals?
_the question of the transfer of space/agency: who speaks in the "commons" (museums, archives, libraries, public spaces...), and on behalf of whom?
_the question of monuments: do they still serve as a "monito" (warning), and for whom?
_the question of corporeality: which bodies, and with regard to which idea of “normativity”?
Course Prerequisites
Knowledge of the main phenomena in art history, with particular reference to the modern and contemporary periods.
Teaching Methods
The course alternates between lectures, always accompanied by slides made available to students on a weekly basis, and seminars in which essays, made available on Moodle in advance, will be read and discussed. Experts (professors of other disciplines, researchers, activists, practitioners, etc.) will be invited to share their perspectives and work practices in the classroom. One or more field visits will be organised to visit exhibitions, meet artists and, in general, the debate on the relationship between contemporary art and society, intercepting this debate where it takes place (in workplaces, museums, squares, buildings with traces of “difficult heritage”, etc.).
Assessment Methods
The exam takes the form of an oral interview, aimed at assessing the acquisition of the skills and knowledge specified in the learning objectives, both through the study of the texts in the bibliography and, for those attending the course, through the understanding of the content developed and discussed in class.
Those who wish to do so may bring to the exam an in-depth study of a contemporary work that raises significant questions regarding its social impact. This in-depth study, which may not exceed 7-8 minutes in length, may be accompanied by slides (on your own digital or paper medium, not on a pen-drive). It is not necessary to agree on the subject of this in-depth study: its identification will be subject to evaluation.
The assessment is based on the following factors:
_ability to critically analyse the cultural phenomena studied in their cultural, social and political complexity;
_understanding of the relationship between artistic code and issues of social justice, representation and identity claims;
_ability to place an artist's work within its socio-cultural context;
_precision of language.
Contents
The course analyses the relationship between contemporary art and social space from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day. Starting with the reversal of the romantic artist paradigm in favour of collective production, it analyses the methods of some artistic avant-gardes, in particular Dadaism and Surrealism, and the outcomes of the post-World War II period (Situationism, Black Mountain College, Black Arts Movement, etc.). The major part of the course, which aims to move away from an exclusively Eurocentric perspective, focuses on decolonial thought and practices through the dynamics of diaspora, the aesthetics of protest, a reflection on the role and legitimacy of monuments in public space, the relationship between visual art and performance, etc. Within this framework, the work of several contemporary artists will be analysed, highlighting the intersectional relationship between their practices and anti-racist, ecological, post-human and non-binary thinking.
Online Resources
More information
Non-attending students are encouraged to consult Leganto: the supplementary readings requested by them are intended to consolidate their knowledge from a critical and multi-faceted perspective. The slides used in class are available to all students enrolled in the course and can be a useful tool for familiarizing themselves with the content covered, even for those unable to attend.
Communications to students will be sent via the e-learning area, which students are therefore invited to register for promptly, consult periodically and download materials from as needed.
International students, as well as students with PDP/PEi, are invited to contact the professor at the beginning of the course to agree on assessment methods and any programmes that correspond to their educational path.