This module will deal with a broad range of themes in contemporary art covering a variety of media. Media focused on will include painting, sculpture, installation, video, and digital media. Themes in Contemporary Art is an introductory module and the related level 2 module Issues in Contemporary art will introduce new themes placing more emphasis on intellectual frameworks.

Students will be introduced to the notion that the themes addressed in this module are not strictly akin to art historical 'movements' or 'isms' but are, instead more fluid and flexible classifications. The purpose of such classifications is to make sense of the heterogeneity of contemporary art practice.

Themes addressed will include socio-political art; transgression; environment; the body; simulation, the role of the museum; and the movement-image.

The Research Report consists of a portfolio of visual and textual information collected and collated by the student [Learning Outcomes 1,2,3]
A 1000 word illustrated and properly referenced essay based on material gathered in the Research Report [Learning Outcomes 1,2,3,4]

Lectures
Online resources
Small group seminar workshops
Research seminar workshops focused on the Research Report
Writing workshops focused on the Coursework Essay
Independent study to support work within seminar workshops

Barthes, R. 1976. 'The Death of the Author'. In Image-Music-Text, pp. 142-148. London: Fontana. Original edition, 'La mort de l'auteur', Paris, 1968.
Benjamin, W. 1973. 'The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction'. In Illuminations. London: Fontana.
Bishop, Claire. 2005. Installation art: a Critical History. London: Tate.
Chadwick, Whitney. 2002. Women, Art, and Society. World of art. London: Thames & Hudson.
Cotton, Charlotte. 2004. The Photograph as Contemporary Art. London: Thames and Hudson.
Dean, Tacita, and Jeremy Millar. 2005. Place. New York, N.Y.: Thames & Hudson.
Greene, Rachel. 2004. Internet art, World of Art. New York, N.Y.: Thames & Hudson.
Grosenick, Uta, Burkhard Riemschneider, Lars Bang Larsen eds. 1999. Art at the Turn of the Millennium. Cologne: Taschen.
Grosenick, Uta, Burkhard Riemschneider eds. 2002. Art Now: 137 artists at the rise of the new millennium. Cologne: Taschen.
Malloy, Judy, ed. 2003. Women, Art, and Technology. Cambridge, Mass. London: MIT 2003
Paul, Christiane. 2003. Digital art, World of art. London; New York, N.Y.: Thames & Hudson.
Parker, R; Pollock G. 1987. Framing Feminism: Art and the Women's Movement. London: Pandora.
Rush, Michael. 2003. Video art. New York: Thames & Hudson.
Steiner, Barbara; Yang, Jun. 2004. Autobiography. London: Thames & Hudson.
Wallis, Brian, ed. 1984. Art After Modernism: Rethinking Representation. New York: The New Museum of Contemporary Art.

Data projector
Slide projector
Audio, VHS, DVD playback,
Room with blackout
Library
Slide library
Student word-processing facilities
Internet access