VISA1001 Visual Arts: Traditions and Theories

This topic investigates the traditions and theories underlying visual art, and the distinctive artistic styles, visual iconography and practices that arise from these specific traditions. Whilst Western European art traditions and theory will be at the core of the topic, the visual art traditions of Indigenous Australia, China, Japan, India, and the Islamic world will also be introduced and canvassed, as will the socio-cultural foundations of these differing traditions.

The topic will develop the students' skills and knowledge in these areas, as well as developing the critical capacity that is required to research, analyse, debate and write about various visual art traditions, theories and practices, including in some instances, the specific religious or spiritual underpinnings of these traditions. This topic will also enable students to apply such knowledge to their own art making and to critique their own creative artworks, and those of others.

This topic aims to:

• Introduce students to the major themes, theories and visual practices of several of the world's visual art traditions, of which one will be Western art theory, practice and methodology
• Accurately identify individual artworks that are typical of at least two of the world's visual art traditions, by placing them within a specific artistic tradition
• Provide students with the opportunity to analyse visual artworks within their differing visual, social and cultural frameworks and their appropriate historical contexts
• Provide students with the visual literacy, knowledge, skills and critical capacity to investigate, speak and write about themes and issues around the art traditions and contemporary interpretation of visual artworks

1. Demonstrate their understanding of the major themes, theories and visual practices of at least two of the world's visual art traditions
2. Demonstrate the ability to identify artworks from at least two of the world's visual art traditions, by accurately placing them within a specific artistic tradition
3. Demonstrate the ability to analyse visual artworks within their differing visual, social and cultural frameworks and within their specific historical contexts
4. Demonstrate their ability to identify and to articulate stylistic differences between visual artworks on the basis of their location within a particular artistic tradition:
5. Demonstrate the requisite knowledge, skills and critical capacity needed to investigate, speak and write about themes and issues around the art traditions and contemporary interpretation, promotion and consumption of visual artworks
6. Demonstrate their ability to articulate and write clearly about all of the above