HISTORY OF CONTEMPORARY ART
Although not compulsory, any prior knowledge of Western art, literature, history and geography in ancient, medieval and modern, as well as contemporary times will be of great benefit.
In order to verify the students' learning, an oral test will be held, aimed at the recognition of works of art representative of the movements and artists included in the syllabus. In addition, students' knowledge of broader issues will also be tested to assess multidisciplinary approaches and the ability to make connections between different issues and sources.
An in-depth study of the following texts is required:
- Irene Baldriga, Dentro l’arte. Contesto, metodo, confronto, edizione rossa, vol. 3 “Dal Neoclassicismo ad oggi”, pp. 91-472.
- Federica Rovati, L’arte dell’Ottocento, Einaudi, Torino, 2017, schede 18- 22, 26, 28-31, 33- 35, 38, 39, 41- 43, 47-50.
- Federica Rovati, L’arte del primo Novecento, Einaudi, Torino, 2015, schede 1-8, 12-19, 21-33, 35-41, 43-50.
- Alessandro del Puppo, L’arte contemporanea. Il secondo Novecento, Einaudi, Torino, 2013, schede 1-9, 12-24, 27-30.
Specific further readings on the individual themes addressed in the programme will be suggested at the end of each lesson. These texts will represent possibilities for in-depth study of individual issues and are therefore not compulsory for the preparation of the final exam.
The course aims at a thorough knowledge of the main themes, movements and artists that have characterized the history of western contemporary art, from the phenomenon of Impressionism to the neo-avant-gardes of the post-World War II period. Students will be provided with the fundamental methodological tools for understanding and analyzing the themes and works of the addressed period art. Great attention will be paid to a constant multidisciplinary comparison and framing within the historical context of production of the studied phenomena. The expected learning outcomes include therefore the ability to read a work of art independently, to orientate oneself in the geographical and temporal directives of the main Western artistic phenomena and to handle a specific and sectorial vocabulary.
Starting with an analysis of the art of the second half of the 19th century, the course will address all the main artistic movements that developed in the West up to the post-World War II period. For each poetics, the constituent themes and paradigms, theoretical insights, critical frameworks, leading artists and a core of related founding works of the art-historical canon of Western contemporary art will be explored. Particular attention will be paid to in-depth studies of a multidisciplinary nature.
The course will be conducted mainly through lectures with the projection of ppt presentations. The approach will always focus on participation and interaction with students. An integral part of the course will be exercises aimed at analysing works representative of the periods covered in the previous lessons. Visits to museums and temporary exhibitions will also be possible.