• Offered for Year: 2024/25

• Module Leader(s): Mr Giles Bailey
• Other Staff: Dr Christian Mieves, Ms Catherine Bertola, Ms Bridget Kennedy, Professor Wolfgang Weileder, Mrs Erika Servin Gonzalez, Dr Olivia Turner, Mr Neil Bromwich, Professor Uta Kogelsberger, Ms Eva Masterman, Ms Sneha Solanki, Ms Tracey Tofield, Ms Jo Coupe, Ms Jane Millican

• Owning School: Arts & Cultures
• Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus

Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Aims

The module aims:
- To consolidate the skills, knowledge and understanding students have acquired in Stages 1-3 and to support further development and application in bringing a body of studio work towards resolution.
- To further develop students' ability to be rigorous in critical assessment of studio work.
- To further develop students' knowledge and understanding of professional practice.
- To progressively enhance students' capacity to work independently.
- To enhance students' skills in presentation, planning and organisation.

Students develop further the skills and understanding established in Stages 1-3 and apply them to develop, sustain and resolve a body of studio work for assessment presentation. They do this within a framework of tutorial support, visiting speaker lectures, a varied programme of group discussions and access to specialist technical support.
This is complemented by Life Work Art workshops and a one-day conference which increase students' awareness of the professional context of their practice and prepare them for opportunities in the cultural sector.

Outline Of Syllabus

The production of a body of art work ready for exhibition. The framework for this is provided by a sequence of teaching and learning components: Visiting Speaker Programme; Final Year Forum; Interim Project; Professional Practice (LifeWorkArt) Workshops; Skills workshop; Mid-Year Review; Exhibition Strategies and Exhibition Proposal and preparation workshops.

Bespoke supervision of the student’s practice via regular one-to-one tutorials with designated tutors provides the other key component to facilitate the module learning outcomes. The framework for learning is further extended via peer-group discussion, surgery tutorials and, technical workshop support and instruction and opportunities to ‘test’ work in bookable project spaces. Also included is the regular upkeep of a digital studio notebook that records and reflects upon research, progress and outputs.

Teaching methods may be liable to adjustment in response to changes to Government and University advice in relation to Covid-19 restrictions.

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Jointly Taught With

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Tutorials: 1-1 tutorials with a supervisor, and 'surgery' tutorials with staff and visiting speakers provide the principal means of critically discussing, and receiving advice on the development and progress of a student’s individual practice in relation to the key learning outcomes. They support the student in developing their working methods, critical judgement and skills in managing a project of art work from start to finish. Tutorial discussion fosters awareness of the professional, historical and contemporary context in which the student is working. It facilitates thorough consideration of the relationship between intention, form and technical realisation. A strategic mid-year tutorial review with two members of staff identifies and offers feedback on principal strengths and weaknesses.

Group Teaching: Group crits help the students to articulate their ideas and plans, and to form critical judgements of their own work and that of their peers. These skills are further developed through participation in the weekly Final Year Forum in which students gain experience of visual presentation to an audience, and receive oral feedback from their peers, and written feedback from studio staff. Final Year Forum also prompts students to reflect more broadly on the development of their practice. Seminars attached to the Visiting Speaker’s Programme provide a further opportunity for group debate around contextual themes pertinent to students’ own practices. The Interim Project, a strategic student-led exhibition-practice activity helps students to: explore issues related to the planning, organisation and presentation of work for exhibition; to review work in progress; and to critically reflect on, and articulate, opportunities for its development. The professional practice ‘Life Work Art’ conference and group workshops develop awareness of opportunities in the cultural sector and equip students to prepare for, and respond to them. Specialist technical skills workshops and masterclasses assist the development of a student’s technical understanding and skill-set.

Lectures:The weekly Visiting Speaker's Programme exposes students to a range of contemporary Fine Art practices increasing their knowledge and awareness of the context in which they are working.

Guided Independent Study: Most Guided Independent Study, including project work and skills practice is focused on the individual development and production of experimental and fully realised artworks, including research and preparation such as sketch books, test pieces and technical trials. Also included is the regular upkeep of a digital studio notebook that records and reflects upon research, progress and outputs.

Other guided independent study further supports students in achieving the module learning outcomes: directed exhibition visits, reading and research arising from tutorial discussion assist students in all aspect of their creative practice; elective fora provide opportunities for discussion around contextual, professional, theoretical and/or technical topics related to contemporary fine art practice; reflective commentaries such as digital studio notebooks and debriefs on the Interim Project and Mid-Year Review MYR assist critical self-reflection. The preparation and completion of course work for final submission, including aspects of preparation for public exhibition, provides experience of professional presentation, planning and organisation.

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.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The presentation of a body of artwork ready for exhibition and a portfolio of related material allows students to provide evidence of:
1. The application of rigorous, inventive and appropriate methods and strategies for the development, critical evaluation and resolution of studio work.
2. An understanding of the relationship between intention and technical realisation.
3. An understanding of the formal elements of visual art means.
4. Effective management of a project of studio work from initiation through to presentation.
5. An understanding and awareness of contemporary Fine Art Practice.

Material in the portfolio, such as documentation, reflective assignment, digital studio notebook, exhibition proposals, blogs etc. indicate engagement with teaching and ability to reflect, plan, to make decisions and respond. The portfolio focuses on the physical and/or documentary evidence of the student’s creative practice supported by other related contextual, research and reflective material.

Submitted work may be examined by presentation of physical artworks & portfolio, or by online portfolio only if required by pandemic-related restrictions or similar

Reading Lists

• FIN4014's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• FIN4014's Timetable