History of Contemporary Art 2 / Course offering / 麻豆社-Bolzano

History of Contemporary Art 2

Semester 2 路 97071 路 Bachelor in Design and Art - Major in Art 路 5CP 路 IT

The course addresses theoretical, aesthetic and socio-political positions with reference to the main trends, artists, topics, exhibitions and actions in visual art of the 20th century and contemporary times.

Lecturers: Marcello Barison

Teaching Hours: 30
Lab Hours: 0
Mandatory Attendance: Attendance not compulsory but recommended.

Course Topics
The course Contemporary Art History II focuses on some of the most significant moments in the development of art from the post-World War II period onward. After an Introduction devoted to clarifying the fundamental characteristics of the work of art鈥攕o as to clearly define the object of our inquiry鈥攖he course will proceed by concentrating on three thematic cores, each associated with specific authors and references. 1. Modern Prehistory. Afro, Marini, and Kiefer. Starting from Warburg鈥檚 and Gombrich鈥檚 diagnosis of the persistence of the archaic in modern art鈥攁nd later in the avant-gardes鈥攚e will seek to understand what this means when applied to three major moments in contemporary art. In what way does the gesture of Mediterranean lyrical Informal art, as well as Marino Marini鈥檚鈥楨truscan鈥� sculpture and Kiefer鈥檚 mystical and tormented relationship with the history of the twentieth century and its tragedies, reactivate鈥攆ully contemporaneously鈥攖he primordial tension that characterizes the relationship between the archaic sphere of the sacred and the formal measure of its most current ritual reenactments? 2. The Music of Space. From the synesthetic intuitions of Scriabin and Ciurlionis, and later through the troubled partnership between Sch枚nberg and Kandinsky, twentieth-century art has essentially foregrounded the necessity of the original poietic relationship between music and painting. This development found a further point of condensation in attempts to conceive music no longer in temporal but in spatial terms. Pierre Boulez鈥檚 reflections on smooth and striated space, and even more so Feldman鈥檚 comparisons of musical compositions to true temporal canvases, are indispensable in this regard. By focusing on Feldman鈥檚 relationship with Mark Rothko鈥攐nce again, between music and painting in the conception of the so-called Rothko Chapel in Houston鈥攁nd on the case of the Philips Pavilion built for the 1958 Brussels World鈥檚 Fair, which brought together the composer-architect Iannis Xenakis and Le Corbusier, this cluster of issues will be explored in depth. 3. The Exploded Object. Dispositif, Archive, and Paranoia. What characterizes so-called contemporary art, beginning with the genetic moment defined by the extreme epistemic gesture of the objet trouv茅, is the shift from the classical pictorial and sculptural dimensions to the novum of installation. Increasingly monumental, immersive, site-specific, and interactive works of art occupy exhibition spaces. An eminent example is the project Monte di Piet脿 presented by Christoph B眉chel at the Venetian venue of the Fondazione Prada鈥攁n artwork-world in which the accumulation of objects from every era and type鈥攚orks of art as well as technological instruments and simple everyday things鈥攔eaches such a degree of differentiation and quantity, blending storage and archive, museum and cadaster, that it becomes urgent to ask what kind of entity the visitor is confronting. Retracing, from Duchamp鈥檚 embryonic and dazzling intuitions onward, the crisis of the traditional concept of the work of art, and passing through the pop turn initiated by Warhol, we will attempt to determine what the exploded object is and how it should be understood鈥攁n object that seems to bring to completion鈥攁nd in some respects even exhaust鈥攖he destiny of contemporary installation.

Propaedeutic courses
To have passed the exam 鈥淗istory of contemporary art 1鈥� .

Teaching format
Frontal lectures, teaching in presence, collective class discussions.

Educational objectives
Knowledge and understanding - have acquired the basic knowledge to be able to turn a critical eye to their own work and to deal with contemporary complexity - have acquired the basic knowledge necessary for further Master's studies in all components of project culture as well as in scientific and theoretical subjects. Applying knowledge and understanding - recognise the main phenomena of contemporary society, to observe them critically, also from an ethical and social point of view, and to elaborate appropriate solutions at the level of a design proposal/response. - make use of the skills acquired during the course of study in the event of continuing studies in a Master's degree programme in the field of design and to develop them further. Transversal competence and soft skills Making judgements - Be able to make independent judgements, both in the critical evaluation of their own work and in their ability to use the right interpretative tools in those contexts in which they will work professionally in design and/or continue their studies, also considering ethical and social aspects. Communication skills - to professionally communicate and substantiate their own decisions and justify them from a theoretical point of view. Learning skills - have acquired basic knowledge in theoretical subjects as well as a study methodology suitable for continuing studies with a Master's degree programme.

Assessment
Oral exam.

Evaluation criteria
The final evaluation is based on the following criteria: - Critical knowledge of the works of art and theoretical work analyzed and discussed in class and listed in the Bibliography (see below): Analysis of the works, knowledge of the theoretical conception, historical details related to the individual work and its context of production. - Knowledge of the material introduced and presented in class by the lecturer (thus the slides presented during class, which will be made available to students on the course鈥檚 Teams channel); - Thorough knowledge of the texts indicated as mandatory in the Bibliography (see below). The student, in the exam, will have to demonstrate analytical knowledge of the content of the texts and the ability to discuss them in a conceptually autonomous and appropriate manner (reconstruction of the arguments presented in the book and their critical reworking). - It is essential, in order to pass the exam successfully, to express oneself correctly and appropriately, thus demonstrating an expository ability that is conceptually and rhetorically up to the standards of a university course. N.B. ALL THE STUDENTS ATTENDING THE EXAM AS 鈥淥PT鈥� OR AS NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS MUST AGREE UPON THE CONTENTS WITH THE TEACHER.

Required readings

Bibliography

Below are the references that constitute the core Bibliography of the course. In order to take the exam, students are required to have read in full four books of their choice selected from this list; part of the final oral examination will focus on discussing these texts.

It is necessary to choose one text from each of the four thematic groups indicated below. It is therefore not possible to select two texts from the same theme; if, out of personal interest, one wishes to do so, that is perfectly fine (!), but three additional texts from three other sections must still be read.

A portion of the final interview will be expressly devoted to discussion of the four selected texts, whose reading is mandatory in order to successfully pass the exam. Although reading in the original language is preferable where possible, any unabridged edition, including translations, is acceptable.

1. Introduction: What Is a Work of Art?

路 Adorno, T. W., Teoria estetica, a cura di F. Desideri e G. Matteucci, Einaudi, Torino 2009.

路 Agamben, G., L鈥檜omo senza contenuto, Quodlibet, Macerata 2013.

路 Agamben, G., Creazione e anarchia. L鈥檕pera nell鈥檈t脿 della religione capitalistica, Neri Pozza, Vicenza 2017.

路 Agamben, G., Gusto, Quodlibet, Macerata 2015.

路 Deleuze, G., Che cos鈥櫭� l鈥檃tto di creazione?, a cura di A. Moscati, Cronopio, Napoli 2009.

路 Hegel, G. W. F., Introduzione a Estetica (2 voll.), a cura di N. Merker, Einaudi, Torino 1997.

路 Heidegger, M., L鈥檕rigine dell鈥檕pera d鈥檃rte, in Sentieri interrotti, a cura di P. Chiodi, La Nuova Italia, Firenze 1984.

2. Modern Prehistory. Afro, Marini, and Kiefer

路 Brandi, C., Afro, Editalia, Roma 1977.

路 Calasso, R., L鈥檌nnominabile attuale, Adelphi, Milano 2017.

路 Celan, P., La verit脿 della poesia. 芦Il meridiano禄 e altre prose, a cura di G. Bevilacqua, Einaudi, Torino 2008.

路 Elkins, J., La pittura cos鈥櫭�. Un linguaggio alchemico, a cura di T. Migliore, Mimesis, Milano-Udine 2012.

路 Gombrich, E., La preferenza per il primitivo. Episodi dalla storia del gusto e dell鈥檃rte occidentale, a cura di L. Biasiori, Einaudi, Torino 2023.

路 Marini, M., Sono etrusco. Confessioni e pensieri sull鈥檃rte, a cura di S. Nihl茅n, I quaderni di via del Vento, Pistoia 2002.

路 Lawrence, D. H., Luoghi etruschi, tr. it. di L. Gigli, Neri Pozza, Vicenza 2023.

路 Kiefer, A., Passaggi celesti. Interviste, tr. it. di R. Zuppet, il Saggiatore, Milano 2022.

路 Kiefer, A., L鈥檃rte sopravvivr脿 alle sue rovine, tr. it. di D. Borca, Feltrinelli, Milano 2018.

路 Recalcati, M., Il seme santo. La poetica di Anselm Kiefer, Marsilio, Venezia 2026.

路 Warburg, A., Fra antropologia e storia dell鈥檃rte. Saggi, conferenze, frammenti, a cura di M. Ghelardi, Einaudi, Torino 2021.

路 Warburg, A., Il rituale del serpente, a cura di S. De Laude, Adelphi, Milano 1998.

3. The Music of Space

路 Boulez, P., Pensare la musica oggi, tr. it. di L. Bonino Savarino, Einaudi, Torino 1979.

路 Deleuze, G, Guattari, F., il capitolo 14. 1440. Il liscio e lo striato, in Mille piani, tr. it. di G. Passerone, Castelvecchi, Roma 2003, pp. 663-698.

路 Feldman, M., Pensieri verticali, tr. it. di A. Bottini, Adelphi, Milano 2013.

路 Heidegger, M., L鈥檃rte e lo spazio, a cura di G. Vattimo, il Nuovo Melangolo, Genova 2007.

路 Rothko, M., L鈥檃rtista e la sua realt脿. Filosofie dell鈥檃rte, a cura di Ch. Rothko, Skira, Milano 2007.

路 Rothko, M., Vivere l鈥檃rte. Scritti (1934-1969), a cura d R. Venturi, Donzelli, Roma 2021.

路 Schneider, M., Pietre che cantano, tr. it. di A Menduni, SE, Milano 2019.

路 Sch枚nberg, A., Kandinskij, V., Musica e pittura, a cura di J. Hahl Koch, Abscondita, Milano 2007.

路 Var猫se, E., Il suono organizzato, a cura di L. Hirbour, LIM, Lucca 2006.

路 Xenakis, I., Musica. Architettura, tr. it. di L. Lionello, G. Secco, A. Varese, Spirali, Milano 2003.

路 Xenakis, I., Universi del suono. Scritti e interventi 1955-1994, a cura di A. Di Scipio, LIM, Lucca 2003.

4. The Exploded Object. Dispositif, Archive, and Paranoia.

路 Agamben, G., Che cos鈥櫭� un dispositivo?, Nottetempo, Roma 2006.

路 Debord, G., La societ脿 dello spettacolo, tr. it. di P. Salvadori e F. Vasarri, Baldini & Castoldi, Milano 2006.

路 Deleuze, G., Poscritto sulle societ脿 di controllo, in Pourparler, tr. it. di Stefano Verdicchio, Quodlibet, Macerata, pp. 234-241.

路 Deleuze, G., Che cos鈥櫭� un dispositivo?, tr. it. di A. Moscati, Cronopio, Napoli 2007.

路 Derrida, J., Mal d鈥檃rchivio. Un impressione freudiana, tr. it. di S. G. Napoli Filema, Napoli 1996.

路 Duchamp, M., Scritti, tr. it. di M. R. D鈥橝ngelo, Abscondita, Milano 2005.

路 Latour, B., Non siamo mai stati moderni, tr. it. di G. Lagomarsino, El猫uthera, Milano 2009.

路 Gell, A., Arte e agency. Una teoria antropologica, a cura di C. Cappelletto, Raffaello Cortina, Milano 2021.

路 Graeber, D., Debito. I primi 5000 anni, tr. it. di L. Larcher e A. Prunetti, il Saggiatore, Milano 2012.

路 Warhol, A., La filosofia di Andy Warhol, tr. it. di C. Medici, Feltrinelli, Milano 2016.

Supplementary readings

Further readings and material will be provided in class.

Sustainable Development Goals
This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the following Sustainable Development Goals.