The class wants to provide the students with a basic knowledge of the history of contemporary art, from avant-gardes to the present day, with a focus on the materials, the techniques and the languages adopted by contemporary visual arts, in the attempt to make them aware of the complexity of contemporary practices and of the way they challenge preservation and restoration.

The class offers a short historical excursus on contemporary art, from avant-gardes to the present day, and a platform for debate of specific topics, from the notions of avant-garde and contemporary, to the relationship between art practices and the art system, to the issue of collecting, marketing, and preserving contemporary art. The techniques and the languages adopted by contemporary visual arts will be also discussed in depth. These topics will be discussed in this order:

1. Introduction. Basic concepts and topics

2. From Impressionism to the Avant-gardes

3. Classicism and Monumental Art after the World War I

4. Art in between the World Wars

5. Informel and Abstract Expressionism

6. The Sixties: New dada, Pop Art and Fluxus

7. The Seventies: from Conceptual to Land Art

8. Postmodernism and art in the Eighties

9. The Nineties: globalization and the academia of the avant-garde

10. Art and New Media in the XX and XXI century

The class is thaught in collaboration with Dr. Alice Devecchi

Basic knowledge of the history of art

- The student will have to show the knowledge and understanding of the history of contemporary art, and to be able to recognize the main trends and styles of the art of the xxth century, and to be able to situate an artifact along a timeline;

- The student will have to show the understanding of the concepts and topics discussed in the class, and to be able to use them to make judgements and to understand the specific characteristics of a given artifact: a crucial ability when he/she will have to find out and choose the best preservation strategy for that given artifact.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teacher's presentation

Teaching

Active lecture

Discussion

Guided tours

Attendance

Attendance

Course books

A comprehensive, recent manual on the history of contemporary art

A book choosen by the student, on a more specific topic. The book has to be accepted by the theacher.

Assessment

Oral Exam

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Discussion with the theacher about the book of choice to be selected for the examination

Course books

Read the books suggested in the bibliography

Assessment

Oral Exam

Written report (of at least 3 pages) of the book of choice selected by the student, to be sent to the teacher at least 1 week before the exam date.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.