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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2015/2016

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Edinburgh College of Art : Art

Undergraduate Course: Artwriting (ARTX10042)

Course Outline
SchoolEdinburgh College of Art CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryDiscussing the visual arts successfully in words is often held to be an impossible task. In reality it is merely difficult. Since the ancient Greeks, many writers of all kinds have taken up the challenge - not only art critics, but novelists, poets, gossips, artists and essayists' (Gayford, M. & Wright, K. (1998), The Penguin Book of Art Writing, Penguin: London). This course will focus on the practice of 'Artwriting' in its broadest sense, from the relationship between art and literature and writing as art to current debates in art criticism and theory. We will consider writing about visual art across a range of forms including critical reviews, poetry, artists' statements, catalogue essays and manifestos. In particular, we will look at examples of writing by artists in order to examine why so many visual artists have taken up the pen and why writing continues to enjoy such a rich and challenging relationship with visual art.
Course description As per the summary description.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2015/16, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  27
Course Start Semester 2
Course Start Date 11/01/2016
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 20, External Visit Hours 2, Online Activities 8, Feedback/Feedforward Hours 4, Summative Assessment Hours 2, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 160 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) 1 x 4000 word essay due in Week 12 (100%)
Feedback Formative assessment (feed forward) will be given in relation to the written assessment at the mid-point of semester. Students will be asked to prepare an outline or draft proposal of their written assessment task and will receive verbal or written feed forward / feedback on this in advance of the final submission date. Students will receive full written feedback on completion of the summative assessment.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Research: Research and show a critical understanding and autonomy in identifying several principal methods of enquiry and the practices that characterise contemporary art writing practices, and employ a diverse range of resources from the field, including texts, performances, images and archives.
  2. Analysis: Demonstrate a critical understanding of the complex issues involved in practising, analysing and understanding writing as a practice within the field of contemporary art.
  3. Communication: Successfully communicate your original research, analysis and professional initiative in a well structured, coherent and creative form.
Reading List
Allen, G. 2011. Artists' Magazines: An Alternative Space for Art. Cambridge, Massachussets & London: MIT Press.

Bracewell, M. 2011. The Space Between. London: Ridinghouse.

Burgin, V. 1986. The End of Art Theory. London.

Carrier, D. 1987. Artwriting. Amherst: University of Massachussets Press.

Carrier, D. 2003. Writing About Visual Art. New York: Allworth Press.

Carroll, N. 2009. On Criticism. New York and London: Routledge.

Collings. M & Arnatt, M. 2004. Criticism. London: Rachmaninoff's.

Crow, T. 1996. Modern Art in the Common Culture. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Danchev, A. (ed.) 2011. 100 Artists' Manifestos. London. Penguin.

Dworkin, C. & Goldsmith, K. (eds.) 2011. Against Expression: An Anthology of Conceptual Writing.

Evanston, Illinois: Northwestern University Press.

Elkins, J. 2003. What Happened to Art Criticism? Chicago: Prickly Paradigm Press.

Elkins, J. & Newman, M. (eds.) 2008. The State of Art Criticism. New York and London: Routledge.

Foster, H. 1985. Postmodern Culture. London: Pluto Press.

Foster, H. 2011. Design and Crime (And Other Diatribes). New York and London: Verso.

Gayford, M. & Wright, K. (eds.) 1998. The Penguin Book of Art Writing. London: Viking.

Hickey, D. 2009. The Invisible Dragon: Essays on Beauty. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press.

Khonsary, J. & O'Brian, M (eds.) 2010. Judgement and Contemporary Art Criticism. Vancouver: Artspeak/Fillip Editions.

Lawson, T. 2004. Mining for Gold - Selected Writings 1979-1996. Zurich: JRP Ringier

McLaren, D. 1998. Personal Delivery. London: Quartet.

Murray, C. (ed.) 2003. Key Writers on Art: The Twentieth Century. London: Routledge.

Newman, A. 2000. Challenging Art: Artforum 1962-1974. New York: Soho Press.

Rose, G. 2012. Visual Methodologies (3rd Edition). London: Sage.

Stallabrass, J. 2001. High Art Lite. New York and London: Verso.

Thornton, S. 2008. Seven Days in the Art World. London: Granta.

Wallis, B. (ed.). 1987. Blasted Allegories: An Anthology of Writings by Contemporary Artists. Cambridge: The MIT Press.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Research methods, self motivated practice, collaboration, negotiation, critical evaluation.
KeywordsVisual culture,critical evaluation,presentation,research
Contacts
Course organiserDr Susannah Thompson
Tel: (0131 6)51 7112
Email: s.thompson@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Catriona Morley
Tel: (0131 6)51 5763
Email: C.Morley@ed.ac.uk
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