ARTV 8100 "Points of View" is concerned with the discourses that frame (and define) works of art. For the purposes of this course these "framing discourses" include texts (art history, art criticism, marketing and promotional material), exhibitions (curatorial practices and strategies, floor talks, guided tours, education programs), institutional contexts (the museum, the art gallery, the commercial art gallery, auction houses, public art, historic houses etc), and non-institutional contexts (the internet, art in the public domain), and (of course) the frames themselves.

Course Objectives:

The objective of the course is to rehearse and refine a capacity for research, analysis and interpretation of works of art, craft, and design in ways that enhance both practical and theoretical work at a postgraduate level. From case studies of the texts and contexts which "frame" works of art, this course will seek to develop methods and modes of analysis appropriate to the objectives of practice-based research - the basis for postgraduate research at the ANU School of Art. It focuses on the practical realities of the dissemination of art, how the work of art engages with its audience, and investigates the nexus between the intentions and actions of the various agents (artist, writer, curator etc.) and the context(s) of the work's reception in the world at large.

Course methodology:

The methodology of the course is discursive, based on seminar presentations by the course lecturer, academic and professional visitors, and students. The course is oriented towards the analysis and interpretation of case studies in the Canberra context, and will foreground modes of analysis with an orientation towards an understanding of the "framing discourses" involved in the dissemination of the art object to its various audiences. The course will apply examples of research methodologies, historical and contextual analysis, and institutional research, and will test analytical and interpretative tools in the study of art in context.

On successful completion of the course, with full participation, the student will have gained skills and experience in:

1. analysing the effects of context on the interpretation of works of art, design and other modes of visual communication;
2. understanding the relevance of the historical, cultural and theoretical discourses in which works of art are embedded.
3. accounting for the various institutional frameworks and devices which determine how works of art are presented to their audiences
4. developing appropriate modes of analysis, evaluation and presentation to articulate discoveries and observations in relation to the ways works of art are "framed" by their sociocultural circumstances
5. through consultation, choosing an appropriate case study
6. developing the capacity to demonstrate effective communication skills
7. presenting reasoned, referenced, and structured arguments in both written and other audio-visual forms
8. the formulation of draft plans and outlines, and assimilation of advice
9. the development methods of library and archival research, including online sources of information
10. the knowledge of required academic referencing guidelines and protocols

• Provide a clear and detailed description and analysis of your case study
• Demonstrate wide and critical reading
• Interpret the various institutional frameworks and devices which apply to your case study
• Present a reasoned, structured and coherent argument to support your evaluation
• Written work is to be competently presented with appropriate style and referencing.

For the purposes of this study, "art objects" may comprise works of art or design in any medium. Your study should address the origins of your subject, its historical circumstances, the curatorial strategies of its presentation, the institutional, other social and/or spatial context of the work(s), plus the relevant contemporaneous debates and/or contemporary critical and evaluative frameworks. Your analysis will address the assumptions that underlie the subject, in terms of values, ideologies, historical perspectives or political intent.

The project will be undertaken in four stages:

• evaluate and compare two published reviews 10%
• then,
• a short (1000 word) written exhibition review  20%
• leading a discussion of your review plus a relevant reading  10%
• and
• a 3500 - 4000 word essay, due Monday 10 November 60%