filmeu

Class Theories of Contemporary Art

  • Presentation

    Presentation

    This course proposes to construct a critical genealogy of what we call 'contemporary art'. Starting with a critical analysis of the term itself, it extends to the relationships between critical theory, philosophical operativity, art systems, ideology, cultural spaces, and symbolic production. It will address the legacies of Aesthetics and artistic thought in the 20th century, key concepts such as modernism and related prefixes, concerns and trends (categories, disciplinarity, performativity, site-specificity, digital sphere), as well as relevant and current issues and fields of study in the 21st century (remediation and liveness, ecology, decolonization, autonomy, mimetic studies, Artificial Intelligence, accessibility, professionalization and labor organization of artists and artistic structures).
  • Code

    Code

    ULHT7008-10171
  • Syllabus

    Syllabus

    Point 0. You are here I. What does contemporary mean? Genealogy of the contemporary Modernism and many prefixes. Marc Jimenez Terry Smith Peter Osborne Jacques Rancière Mark Fisher II. Inheriting Aesthetics What does it mean? Ontology: Who makes art and why? Ideology: For which contexts is art made? With what narratives? Which power systems does it reinforce or destroy? Materiality: With which bodies and for which bodies is art made? Point 0. You are (still) here  
  • Objectives

    Objectives

    To recognize and problematize conceptually and genealogically what is understood by 'contemporary art'. To understand the contingency of the contemporary as a phenomenon of mediation. To know and critically reflect on the authors and concepts proposed in class and in the course bibliography. To relate the issues discussed to their direct experience of artistic production and as spectators. To map the respective research themes in this Master's program within a broader panorama. To investigate, with critical judgment, the impact of art systems on the respective artistic project. To strengthen proposals articulated with the artistic project that contribute to the creation of micro-communities in the artistic and civilizational environment, promoting equity. To develop interdisciplinary projects with an impact on the academic, artistic, and critical context of art theory, and to promote research that reaches different sectors of society, other geographies, and has international relevance.
  • Teaching methodologies

    Teaching methodologies

    The course is based on lectures, which unfold into moments of debate, tutoring, practical exercises, visits to exhibitions, viewing of multimedia content, and conversations with guests. Students receive constant support to contextualize the work developed. Collective debate and peer tutoring are promoted, along with the writing of exploratory and essayistic texts. Critical thinking, questioning, problem-solving and reflection on issues in art theory, critical theory, and artistic production are developed. This methodology will be complemented by practical exercises: a collective visual and textual essay among students with curatorial support from the professor, constructed from and alongside the reading of the texts studied, and bringing together passages from these texts visually; a shared playlist closely related to the themes worked on in class. The course content is reviewed and updated annually.
  • References

    References

    BISHOP, C. (2025) Disordered Attention. How We Look at Art and Performance Today. London, Verso. BOURRIAUD, N. (2002) Relational Aesthetics. Paris, Presses du Réel. FISHER, Mark (2020) Post-capitalist desire. London, Repeater. JIMENEZ, M. (2021 [2005]) A Querela da Arte Contemporânea. Lisboa, Orfeu Negro. LAWTOO, N. (2022) Homo Mimeticus. Leuven, Leuven University Press. MBEMBE, Achille (2019 [2016]) Necropolitics. Durham, Duke University Press. OSBORNE, P. (2018) The Postconceptual Condition. Critical Essays. London, Verso. RANCIÈRE, J. (2011 [2003]) O Destino das Imagens. Lisboa, Orfeu Negro. SMITH, T. (2009) What Is Contemporary Art? Chicago, Chicago University Press. STALLABRASS, J. (2020) Contemporary Art. A Very Short Introduction. Oxford, Oxford University Press. VERGÈS, F. (2024 [2003]) Decolonizar o Museu. Programa de Desordem Absoluta. Lisboa, Orfeu Negro.
  • Assessment

    Assessment

    A avaliação será realizada combinando elementos de avaliação contínua (15%) e avaliação periódica (85%). A avaliação contínua compreende assiduidade (5%) e participação ativa (10%) nas aulas. A avaliação periódica combina dois elementos: (A) o preenchimento e resposta aos guiões de visualização do filme e da exposição previstos no calendário (20%); (B) a realização de uma apresentação oral do projeto ensaio textual e visual a entregar no final do semestre (5%); (C) a participação e contribuição ativa na realização de um ensaio visual e textual coletivo com apoio curatorial da docente, de acordo com o enunciado definido no início do semestre (30%); (D) a realização autónoma de um ensaio visual e textual individual sobre um tema à escolha do estudante, que demonstre autonomia na aplicação das ferramentas de investigação, análise de diversas fontes e pertinência na integração da investigação do aluno no contexto artístico (30%).

     

    O enunciado do exame de recurso é colocado no Moodle no final do semestre, de acordo com o aproveitamento da UC, e acompanhado pelos respectivos critérios de avaliação.

     

    Serão avaliadas as competências de produção escrita e visual, assim como a utilização autónoma das metodologias e referências transmitidas para a elaboração de todos os exercícios e trabalhos propostos. Serão ainda avaliadas as competências de leitura, pensamento crítico, organização de fontes e apresentação de diálogo com as leituras realizadas, articulação de conteúdos, estruturação do tema escolhido, e pertinência da integração dos temas trabalhados no contexto científico específico da área, capacidade para debate e valorização da equidade. As entregas são feitas através da plataforma Moodle de acordo com o calendário estabelecido para a Unidade Curricular (integrada no calendário letivo), definido entre a docente e os alunos no início do respetivo semestre. De acordo com o Regulamento de Avaliação da IES, é obrigatório que os estudantes cumpram com um requisito de presença mínima nas aulas para aprovação na unidade curricular. A falta de cumprimento desta exigência resultará na necessidade de prestação de exame.

     

     

    Avaliação contínua - 15%

    Assiduidade e pontualidade

    5%

     

    Presença obrigatória em aula

    Estudantes regulares: 75%

    Trabalhadores-estudantes: 30%

    Participação nos debates propostos

    10%

     

    Avaliação periódica - 85%

    Exercícios realizados em aula

    20%

     

    (Guião de visita à exposição - 10%)

    (Guião de visionamento do filme - 10%)

    Apresentação oral em aula

    do tema+projeto para ensaio individual

    5%

    (C) Ensaio visual+textual colectivo

    (contribuições para o livro + playlist + exercícios fotográficos)

    30%

    (D) Ensaio visual+textual individual

    30%

     

     

    ____________________________

     

    The assessment will be carried out by combining elements of continuous (15%) and periodic assessment (85%). Continuous assessment comprises attendance (5%) and active participation (10%) in classes. Periodic assessment combines two elements: (A) completion and response to the film and exhibition worksheets scheduled in the calendar (20%); (B) an oral presentation of the individual textual and visual essay preview (5%); (C) active participation and contribution in the creation of a collective visual and textual essay wth curatorial support from the professor, according to instructions given at the beginning of the semester (30%); (D) the autonomous creation of an individual visual and textual essay on a topic chosen by the student, demonstrating autonomy in the application of research tools, analysis of diverse sources, and relevance in integrating the student's research within the artistic context (30%).

     

    The exam schedule for the resit is posted on Moodle at the end of the semester, according to the course's performance, and accompanied by the respective evaluation criteria.

     

    Evaluation will cover written and visual production skills, as well as the autonomous use of the methodologies and references provided for the elaboration of all proposed exercises and assignments. Also evaluated will be reading comprehension, critical thinking, organization of sources and presentation of dialogue with the readings, articulation of content, structuring of the chosen theme, and relevance of the integration of the themes worked on within the specific scientific context of the area, capacity for debate, and valuing equity. Submissions are made through the Moodle platform according to the schedule established for the course (integrated into the academic calendar), defined between the professor and the students at the beginning of the respective semester. According to the institution's Evaluation Regulations, students are required to meet a minimum attendance requirement for course approval. Failure to meet this requirement will result in the need to take an exam.

     

     

    Continuous assessment - 15%

    Assiduidade e pontualidade

    5%

     

    Mandatory assistance

    Regular students: 75%

    Working students: 30%

    Participation

    10%

     

    Periodical assessment - 85%

    1. Exercises in class

    20%

     

    (Exhibition worksheet - 10%)

    (Film worksheet - 10%)

    1. Presentation in class

    of the theme+project for individual visual+textual essay

    5%

    (C) Collective visual+textual essay

    (contributions for the book + playlist + photographic exercises)

    30%

    (D) Individual visual+textual essay

    30%

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