| Unit name | Art in Britain (Level I Lecture Response Unit) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HART20024 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Mr. William Hamilton |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of History of Art (Historical Studies) |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
In recent decades there has been a renaissance in British art studies, turning an art-historical backwater into a hot-spot of academic debate. The unit draws on this wave of scholarship to examine the development of art in Britain, and its struggle to assert itself in the wider international art world. There is a vast amount of material that we could explore. Indeed, questions of narrative, coherence and canonicity – of what to include/exclude from the story of art, and how it might connect – are a major theme of the unit. We take as our starting point the careers of four artists who are central to the canon of British art, and whose work still sparks debate. These case-studies will vary from year to year. Previously, they have included William Hogarth, William Blake, J.M.W Turner, Walter Sickert, Vanessa Bell, Bridget Riley, Steve McQueen and Lubaina Himid. With each, we go on to examine their reception and how they have shaped developments across the history of British art. Which other artists did they influence? Possible examples are Lucian Freud, Tracey Emin, Grayson Perry, Pauline Boty and Olafur Eliasson. How have later generations adapted or subverted their work, and reinterpreted the themes and genres that they explored? e.g. Hogarth’s satirical theatre, Turner’s sublime landscapes; Bell’s experiments in figuration and abstraction; and Himid’s spotlighting of race, racism, and British colonialism. Building through the unit will be a larger discussion about the idea of a tradition of British art, and the value and stability of an artistic canon. Is there such a thing as tradition, and if so, what are its themes and preoccupations, and where might it be tending?
On successful completion of this unit students will have developed: (1) a wider knowledge of the development of British Art; (2) the ability to analyse and generalise about the significance of developments in British art studies; (3) the ability to select pertinent evidence/data in order to illustrate/demonstrate more general issues and arguments; (4) the ability to identify a particular academic interpretation, evaluate it critically, and form an individual viewpoint.
Classes will involve a combination of long- and short-form lectures, class discussion, investigative activities, and practical activities. Students will be expected to engage with readings and participate on a weekly basis. This will be further supported with drop-in sessions and self-directed exercises with tutor and peer feedback.
One 2000-word essay (50%) (ILOs 1-4)
One timed assessment (50%) (ILOs 1,2-4)
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. HART20024).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
