Course Details

1. Create an understanding of the main developments in the history of art during the first half of the 20th century.
2. Investigate the study of specific movements in modern art through research.
3. Acquire skills in specialised scientific research and methodology.
4. Use analysis and synthesis and to develop critical thinking.
5. Analyse in depth the work of important 20th century artists and the social, political and cultural landscape of the specific period.
6. Create an understanding of the historical development of postmodernism.
7. Help them see the relevance of postmodernism at the present situation.
8. Help them to discover their stand towards the issue of postmodernism.
9. Analyse in depth the work of important 20th century theorists and the social, political and cultural landscape of the specific period.

HISTORY OF ART

Introduction to 20^th Century Art History Contexts: Modernism and the first movements of the century. Introduction to Cubism, Picasso, Braque and the Puteaux Cycle. Scientific experiments and discoveries. Einstein’s relativity theory and the Space-Time continuum.

Futurism and Early 20^th Century Politics in Europe:Socio-political Analysis and Art developments in Europe.

The Russian Avant Garde- Early 20^th Century utopias. Marxism and art.

Dada and Surrealism: Development of artistic movements in Europe, art and anti-art, dreams and archetypes, Jungian perceptions of reality.

CULTURAL STUDIES

The Aesthetics of Silence:  Modern Art/ Anti-Art as a form of self-annihilation/ spiritual/ ascetic quest.  Irony as a position in today’s reality.

Towards a Concept of Postmodernism:  Efforts of a philosophical and literary definition in distinguishing modernism and postmodernism.

Answering the Question:  What is Postmodernism?: The Post-modern as the moment of rupture giving birth to the modern philosophy, art and sociology.

 Postmodernism and Consumer Society:  Sociological, literary and psychoanalytic interpretation of the post-modern pastiche as the product of global capitalism.

No specific textbook required

• STANGOS, N. Concepts of modern art: from fauvism to postmodernism. World of art, [1974], New York, N.Y., Thames and Hudson, 2006.
• GOMBRICH, E. H., The story of art. London, Phaidon Press. New York, Thames & Hudson, 1995
• GREER, T. A brief history of the Western world. Michigan State University, USA, 1968.

The taught part of course is delivered to the students by means of illustrated lectures, conducted with the help of computer presentations. Students’ museum, exhibition and gallery visits are also performed. Illustrated lectures

Oral and written exercises, personal historical research, art essay writing, critical discussions and group critiques complement the course.