The art critic Ruskin proposed that art reveals truths about a culture even when it attempts to fabricate. In this course we will firstly consider the features which constitute a societies conditions for making art, and the role it comes to play in the culture’s understanding of itself. Next we will consider particular aesthetic theories. I will give an overview of the predominant aesthetic and philosophical theories from the ancients to now. Some of the aspects of art to be considered will be: Theories of beauty; Grandeur and obedience; Utopias and Arcadias; The Hero in art and the artist as hero. Lastly we will look at contemporary civilisation and the kinds of art which it has produced.

DELIVERY MODE

• Online

COURSE OUTLINE

• Civilisation and Art: We will begin by looking at the kinds of art which are developed by civilisations and whether they have shared features. Another important question to ask is what kind of art is produced when a civilisation starts to crumble, and who it is that produces that art.
• Changing Theories of Art: There have been many different theories of art through history; we will do an overview of the predominant aesthetic and philosophical theories from the ancients to now.
• Beauty and Civilisation: Is ‘beauty’ a concept which belongs to all art theories throughout history. Intrinsic to this question is what is meant when an artwork is described as beautiful, and who has the authority to give the power of truth to that description.
• Grandeur and Obedience: Art of course has always had a political function; some believe it is the primary function of past art. We will critique this idea and see how it is played out in different civilisations.
• Utopias and Arcadias: The visionary role of Art has a long history; it has produced many imaginary future societies and played a significant part in utopian political thinking. We will look at the difference between utopianism and arcadianism and how it has been manifested in art.
• The Hero in Art and the Artist as Hero: Any society celebrates its triumphs in art and the hero is well represented. It is telling what a society chooses to celebrate. One kind of hero is of particular interest to us in this course: It is the periods of history in which the artist has been chosen as the hero; what does this say about that society.
• The contemporary world: Some contemporary philosophers have proposed that the idea of ‘civilisation’ is at its end and that globalisation has killed many of the

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

1. Identify the main features which constitute a civilisation
2. Discuss ideas about: The nature of beauty; the hero in art; Utopias and Arcadias; and much more
3. Identify the different aesthetic theories and how they developed in history
4. Discuss the implications of the connection between art and society for our own time