VART2305 Art in the 20^th Century I and VART2306 Art in the 20^th Century II are required theory courses to be offered in consecutive semesters of Year 2 of the BA (Hons) in Visual Arts-programme of AVA. Together these courses are intended to extend students’ insights into the processes and events within the visual arts within the context of socio-political, cultural, scientific and philosophical developments in the 20^th and early 21^st centuries.  

Starting off from thematic platforms like for example revolution, gender, industrial advance etc. the courses examine the shaping of the visual arts of and within the 20^th century. Considering the relationships and affinities between varieties of media, and investigating the theories and language of visual arts, students will understand contextually and visually the often-ambiguous terms of ‘Modern’, ‘Modernity’ and ‘Modernism’.  

As visual artists, how we think, and how we understand the world around us, both affects and influences our creativity and the works we create. The Art in the 20^th Century I and II exemplify this interplay between visual arts, artist and society, marking a point of distinct artistic difference with the past and highlighting Modernity throughout culture and society. Responses to Modernity have incorporated new forms and expressions of visual arts and developed a range of radical theories, attempting to define and contextualise the visual arts in a century of unprecedented global change.  

This is a year course intended to offer the student a greater depth of understanding of issues, approaches and methodologies of art history, theory and the interplay between visual arts, the creative process and the influence of the political, cultural, economic and anthropological arenas of life.  

VART2305 Art in the 20^th Century I will be delivered in blocks of learning with assessments after the end of each block.