| Unit name | Text and Image (Level M Lecture Response Unit) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HARTM0035 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| 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 |
Why is this unit important?
When the historian Jaś Elsner claimed that Art History ‘is nothing other than ekphrasis’ (that is, the art of writing about art), he sparked a debate about the relationship between words and images, and how we use language to describe our experience of art. This unit explores that relationship in the work of artists and writers who were closely associated as friends or collaborators; who made 'literary' pictures, or wrote 'visual' poems and stories; and who illustrated texts, or sliced through the physical material of a book in order to create a sculptural work of art. We will put such examples of creative practice alongside the ideas of art historians who have thought critically about the nature of the relationship, and how far it can be taken; and we will make space for our own interpretations of texts and images, and the ways in which they work together. The period under discussion will focus on the C19th and C20th, looking mainly at literature in English, and at art from Europe and America. Artists/ writers and topics may include: the visionary art of William Blake; Dante Gabriel Rossetti and the 'double work of art'; Walter Crane and his illustrations for children; the friendship between Henry James and John Singer Sargent; Virginia Woolf and post-impressionism; Cubism and 'concrete poetry'; and Frank O'Hara amongst the artists of New York.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
This unit introduces you to an array of visual and textual culture over a broad chronological period that extends the field of enquiry well beyond the traditional confines of art history. By taking a cross-disciplinary approach, the unit will expose you to key conceptual, historiographical, and methodological issues related to studying the intersection of images and text. As a result, you will gain confidence in evaluating critical models and challenging traditional historical narratives as you develop your independent research.
An overview of content
The teaching will focus on a handful of key case studies, which collectively shed light on intersections between text and image. This relationship will be approached from diverse perspectives, which may include: graphic responses to literary texts (and vice-versa); the integration of text and image in hybrid works; and the aesthetic potential of typography itself. You will develop analytical skills particular to text and image and adapt close looking for material on the periphery of art history, by drawing upon interdisciplinary methodological and theoretical approaches. This may include addressing challenges posed by: narrative storytelling; the unique expressive properties of text and image; artworks straddling different media; pictorial languages; and more.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
You will be taught in interactive settings that allow you to develop your knowledge and understanding through critical reading and extensive discussion that engages with current debates in art history. You will develop your analytical skills, building confidence and competencies that will help you in the approach to the assessments and provide a foundation for independent research.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
Classes will involve a combination short-form lectures, class discussion, investigative activities and practical activities, which include visual analysis. 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.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Essay 4000-word(100%) [ILOs 1-5]
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
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. HARTM0035).
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 University 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. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
