HA7049 Contemporary Art and the Body
This module investigates political, social and cultural contestations of the body in contemporary art from the late 20th century to present, covering topics such as (but not limited to): gender, sexuality, identity, citizenship, and conflict, amongst other issues. As bodies are active, not passive or neutral, they are complex sites of meaning shaped by political and social discourses. In contemporary art, the body is activated in multiple ways: as a subject, medium, the site of knowledge production, meaning and struggle. The body is represented physically and symbolically, though its presence and absence, as well as through technologically mediated forms. This module draws from diverse artistic practices and media like performance art, photography, time-based art, installation, zines and street art, alongside more traditional media. Students will engage with relevant critical and theoretical positionings such as feminism and queer theory, postmodernism, and postcolonial thought, amongst others. This module utilises site visits to local collections, archives, and current exhibitions.
- Module Organiser:
- Kate Antosik-Parsons
- Contact Hours:
- 2 hours per week
- Weighting:
- 10 ECTS
- Assessment:
- The module is assessed by a combination of oral presentations, practical exercises and written assignments
Learning Outcomes:
On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
- Describe the different representations of the body in contemporary art with reference to media, subject matter and in relation to the topics covered.
- Identify and explain how artists activate the body as material, a site of meaning, and political and social understanding.
- Employ learned concepts and vocabulary to critically analyse works of art through a range of activities.
- Analyse a variety of media including performance art, photography, time-based art, etc.
- Create a zine that demonstrates independent research on the body in contemporary art