Course detail

Theory of contemporary art

FaVU-3TESUAcad. year: 2024/2025

After the disintegration of modernism as the determining direction of the development of art, the history and the theory of contemporary art have been in the last quarter of the last century as a chaotic splendor of various tendencies, sometimes not precisely referred to as postmodernism. The subject of Theory of Contemporary Fine Arts follows the events on the world art scene at present.

Language of instruction

Czech

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Entry knowledge

None.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Doctoral exam.
Mandatory lectures and tutorials.

Aims

Learning outcomes of the course unit The aim of the course is to give an overview of art theories of the last forty years, to acquaint students with basic texts of art theory of the period and to teach students to apply this knowledge both in their own writing about contemporary art and in their own creative work.
Written reflection of the given texts, seminar discussion.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Denis CIPORANOV – Tomáš KULKA (eds.), Co je umění? Texty angloamerické estetiky 20. století. Praha: Pavel Mervart, 2010. (CS)
Hal FOSTER a kol., Umění po roce 1900. Praha: Slovart, 2007. (4 úvodní kapitoly) (CS)
Jean-Francois LYOTARD, O postmodernismu: Postmoderno vysvětlované dětem: Postmoderní situace. Praha: Filosofia, 1993. (CS)
Jiří ŠEVČÍK – Pavlína MORGANOVÁ – Terezie NEKVINDOVÁ – Dagmar SVATOŠOVÁ (eds.), České umění 1980–2010. Texty a dokumenty. Praha: VVP AVU, 2011. (CS)
Karel CÍSAŘ (ed.), Co je to fotografie? Praha: Hermann a synové, 2004. (CS)
Konrad Paul LIESSMANN, Filozofie moderního umění. Olomouc: Votobia, 2000. (CS)
Ladislav KESNER, Vizuální teorie. Jinočany: H&H, 2005. (CS)
Mario PERNIOLA, Estetika 20. století. Praha, Karolinum, 2000. (CS)
Marta FILIPOVÁ – Thomas RAMPLEY (ed.), Možnosti vizuálních studií. Brno: MU a Barrister & Principal, 2007. (CS)
Martina PACHMANOVÁ (ed.), Neviditelná žena. Praha: One Woman Press, 2002. (CS)
Miroslav PETŘÍČEK, Myšlení obrazem. Praha: Hermann a synové, 2009. (CS)
Peter BÜRGER, Teorie avantgardy. Stárnutí moderny. Praha: VVP AVU, 2015. (CS)
Sešit pro umění, teorii a příbuzné zóny. (CS)
Tomáš POSPISZYL, Před obrazem. Praha: OSVU, 1998. (CS)
Tomáš POSPISZYL, Srovnávací studie. Praha: Fra, 2005. (CS)

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme VUD Doctoral

    branch VUUP_DK4 , 2 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

  • Programme VUD Doctoral

    branch VUUP_DP4 , 2 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

6 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

1) Modernism and its theory in the second half of the 20th century. Reference and texts: Clement Greenberg and his pupils
2) Art and social subversion, Fluxus, SI. Reference and texts: Guy Debord
3) Minimalism and Pop Art, the art of 20th century art audiences. Leo Steinberg. Report and lyrics: Andy Warhol and Donald Judd
4) Dematerialization of art and new approaches to traditional artistic genres. Reference and texts: Allan Kaprow
5) Theory of Postmodernism. Reference and texts: Michel Foucault: Who is the author?
6) Intermedia, new media and contemporary theory of photographic and digital images. Reference and texts: Lev Manovich
7) Locally specific art and installation. Report and lyrics: Miwon Kwon, One Place After Another: Notes on Site Specificity
8) Postmodernism and periphery. References and texts: Edward Said and Boris Groys
9) Attempts to revise modernist attitudes, art and politics. Reference and texts: October magazine and its author's circle - a new synthesis of 20th-century art history
10) Postproduction and renewal of interest in artistic strategies of the 60s and 70s. Reference and texts: Nicolas Bourriaud

Guided consultation

6 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer