| Unit name | Cold War Culture: Art and Politics since 1945 (Level I Special Field) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HART26001 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Mike O'Mahony |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
HART22225 Special Field Project |
| School/department | Department of History of Art (Historical Studies) |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This unit will introduce students to the theory and practice of the visual arts after 1945 in the context of Cold War politics. It will adopt a tripartite structure exploring three geographical arenas of central importance to Cold War politics: mainland Europe, the United States and the Soviet Union. Through a comparative analysis of the historical conditions and cultural debates generated in each of these arenas during the Post-Second World War era, students will gain a broader awareness of: the diversity of art produced in the second half of the twentieth century; the relationship between the artist and nation state; the use and abuse of visual culture in a context of heightened political tension; the important role played by the dissemination of information about art in public exhibitions and art publications; and the contested identity of the artist in the late twentieth century. Students will learn to engage critically with the complexity of cultural practices during a crucial period in twentieth century history.
By the end of the unit students should have:
Weekly 2-hour seminar Access to tutorial consultation with unit tutor in office hours
2-hour unseen written examination (summative, 100%)
The examination will assess their understanding of the unit’s key themes in the development of art and visual culture in the context of the Cold War, the related historiography as developed during their reading and participation in / learning from small group seminars, and relevant primary sources. Further assessment of their handling of the relevant primary sources will be provided by the co-requisite Special Field Project (HART 22225)
