Aims

1. to enable the student to carry out sustained individual inquiry
2. to encourage the student to further develop and apply appropriate strategies for researching and progressing, visual ideas and material
3. to develop the student's understanding of professional practice and capacity to work independently
4. to develop the student's ability to rigorously assess art work and to place it into context
5. to encourage the student's participation in debate around issues pertinent to Fine Art practice
6. to develop the student's knowledge and understanding of professional practice

In this studio-based module students concentrate on developing a rigorous, well-managed, informed and independent creative practice. Students develop a body of work directed by choices of media, discipline and subject/theme. Emphasis is placed both on consolidating knowledge, understanding and skills developed in Stage 2 and on further exploring formal, conceptual and technical aspects of practice.

The module also includes a Life Work Art component in which students propose an external project which would provide first-hand experience of working within a semi-professional and public context.

This module is usually available only to incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students studying Fine Art. Incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students primarily studying other disciplines are not able to take this module as an outside subject.

Outline Of Syllabus

The module proceeds by means of a schedule of tutorials with the student's studio tutor, Life Work Art tutorials, group crits, lectures from the Visiting Speakers Programme and a programme of practice-related seminars.

In addition, students may receive tutorials from visiting artists, are encouraged to make use of the surgery tutorial system to request tutorials with specific members of staff, and will carry out and write up a Life Work Art external project.

This module is available to incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students studying Fine Art. Incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students primarily studying other disciplines are not able to take this module as an outside subject.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Tutorials facilitate the development of the student's understanding and skills in all aspects of their practice: organisational, developmental, formal, conceptual, technical, contextual and professional. They also nurture the student's ability to evaluate and reflect, to articulate their ideas and debate issues relevant to their practice.

Group crits foster the student's ability to reflect critically on their own work and that of others and to formulate reasoned responses to the views of others.

The Visiting Speaker's Programme extends the student's awareness of the spectrum of Fine Art practice and the different ways in which theory might relate to and sustain practice. It also provides a wide range of examples of approaches to developing a practice and of presenting and documenting artwork.

Teaching and learning as part of the Life Work Art external project develops the student's understanding of, and skills in, planning, managing, realising and evaluating a project within a public setting and in a professional context.

Nb. Scheduled teaching and learning activities will typically be conducted present in person in the Fine Art studios and workshops. Teaching methods may be liable to adjustment in response to changes to Government and University Covid-19 advice and restrictions. PiP teaching would be substituted by equivalent synchronous and asynchronous online delivery. Where scheduled teaching and learning activities are delivered via non-synchronous online sessions they will be followed by a synchronous on-line drop-in Q&A session.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Presentation of studio work allows students to provide evidence of consolidation and further development in relation to: sound research and developmental methods; technical processes and materials; identification of subject matter; formal and conceptual considerations; independent management and direction of their practice and self-reflection. Within the portfolio, tutorial record forms provide evidence of the student's engagement with teaching and ability to reflect, plan and respond.

The Life Work Art proposal/report allows students to provide evidence of presentational skills, project planning, awareness of professional and public contexts, and critical evaluation.