Aims

Contemporary Practice 1 enables focused experimentation, inventiveness, and expansion of advanced practical and critical methods through intensive studio production and constructive contextual research. It encourages and supports advanced practical and critical investigation and thinking so students can develop a coherent body of explorative studio work. Students are encouraged to evaluate and explore advanced critical and theoretical approaches to practice, and to test, refine and direct their own critical interests and enquiries. The module aims to draw on a diverse student cohort to allow engagement in interdisciplinary dialogue, peer to peer critique, and collaborative explorations of practice, theory, and exhibiting. In short, the primary aim of this module is to allow students to advance a distinctive fine art practice and subject for sustained investigation, through exploration of advanced practical, theoretical and research methods.

Outline Of Syllabus

The syllabus provides a responsive learning environment where students are exposed to a wide range of critical and practical knowledge and are enabled to independently test and advance their own studio work and theoretical and critical enquiries. Individual tutorials with a designated supervisor will take place approximately every 3 weeks. Students also have opportunity for tutorials with fine art staff and visiting speakers. A programme of lectures, workshops, seminars, and group critique will run through the semester. Students can also attend visiting lectures, PGR seminars and discipline specific forums.

Topics may include:

Discipline specific practical skills.
Writing Skills
Research Skills
Art History
Contemporary Practices.
Cultural Theory
Visual analysis
Curatorial practice

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The module places emphasis on advanced studio exploration and production, independent research and practical experiment, and the development and evaluation of a body of studio work. The programme of scheduled teaching, and the interdisciplinary studio environment supports the development of practical productions collaborative projects, and the advanced skills and knowledge to evaluate and direct these, as well as enabling students to identify and refine an appropriate subject for their own sustained investigation (K1-4; S1-4).

Module Talk introduces the aims and structure of the module and allows students to begin getting to know each other’s practice (K1; S3).

Individual Tutorials offer responsive supervision focused on the development of advanced skills and a body of practical work. They encourage students to refine critical reflections and evaluations of all aspects of their practical productions and research. They facilitate the recognition and development of relevant advanced skills, and of critical positions in relation to historical and current debates. They also develop the student’s ability to refine and articulate a creative identity and contextual understanding (K1 – 4; S1-4).

Group Critiques encourage peer to peer interaction and interdisciplinary debate and are opportunities to test practical innovations with a diverse audience. In a peer supported environment students are encouraged to advance their communication and critical analysis skills around the work of others and to offer and receive constructive feedback (K1-4; S1-4).

Practice based and professional development seminars are based on the cohort’s interests and encourage student led discussion and debate. In an interdisciplinary and peer supported environment students are encouraged to advance and communicate their own critical position in relation to the subject and encouraged to critically reflect on links between practice and theory and Fine Art professional contexts (K1-K4; S3; S4).

Skills workshops allow students to develop advanced and constructive research skills, close reading skills, and writing skills in preparation for writing the dissertation. (K1-4; S3, S4) In addition students can attend practical skills workshops related to studio practice. The programme of lectures, given by staff, visiting artists, critics and curators provide examples of advanced professional and fine art practices (K1-4).

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Assessment Component 1: Creative Project (70%)

Students present a wide range of advanced practical exploration and development, as well as any contextual research or relevant critical or reflective material. The tutorial form allows the student’s full range of engagement with the module to be assessed. It will focus on the physical or documentary evidence of the student’s self-directed selection, evaluations, and development of practical and theoretical skills and understanding. It will also address the practical and critical methods proposed to further advance these within fine art practice. The task specific assessment criteria are as follows:

1. Development of practical skills as evidenced by selection and imaginative manipulation of relevant materials and methods in practice (K1; K4; S1; S2; S3);

2. Research and contextualisation as evidenced by the physical or documentary evidence of self-directed investigation with selection and evaluations informed by theoretical context. And through informed discussion of relevant subjects and questions arising from the practical exploration (K1-4; S1, S2);

3.Critical Reflection and communication as evidenced by the selection and imaginative manipulation of appropriate materials and processes, their development towards a coherent practical realisation and presentation, and a discussion of the developing direction and ambitions of the practice (K2; K3; K4; S2; S3; S4).


Assessment Component 2: Proposal with Contextual Literature Review (30%)

Students produce a 1500-2000 word contextual literature review and proposal that identifies the questions, concepts and methodologies that have been opened up through research and practice for further development and more sustained investigation. Students select and articulate a key aspect within their practice, to contextualise their practice within a wider field, and to develop and refine a key subject/question for dissertation. This should be accompanied by an applicable and detailed bibliography. The task specific assessment criteria are as follows:

1.Research and contextualisation as evidenced by use of primary and secondary resources to provide a detailed contextual review of a field relating to their practice (K2; K4; S1; S3; S4);

2. Critical reflection and communication as evidenced by the creation of clear answerable research questions, informed by understanding of key concepts and methodologies (K1; K2; S3; S4);

3. Critical reflection and contextualisation as evidenced by the methodological positioning of the proposed dissertation and how it helps to direct and develop practice within the wider field (K3; K4; S3; S4);

4. Organisation, communication and practical skills as evidenced by coherence, structure and planning of the proposal including appropriate academic tone for postgraduate research and clear, correct referencing (K1; S1)

The rationale for pass/fail is to encourage risk taking and experimentation in the first semester, allowing students to reflect and build on these in semesters 2, enriching future studio work to be resolved in their studio residency and exhibition in semester 3.