VART2305 Art in the 20th Century I and VART2306 Art in the 20th 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, they are intended to provide insights into the processes and events that shaped the visual arts within the context of sociopolitical, cultural, scientific, and philosophical developments in the 20th and early 21st centuries.

Starting from the analysis of artistic developments and critical debates in painting, sculpture, photography, installation, design and performance, the courses examine key moments in the evolution of 20th century art through a global and cross-cultural perspective. Each section explores historical, philosophical, and socio-cultural theories, allowing students to recognise the significance of specific artists and artistic movements, and to explain them in relation to their historical and political context. Considering the relationships between different media, and investigating the theories and language of visual arts, students will also explore 20th century art through the lens of race, gender, and identity.

As visual artists, how one thinks about and comprehends the world, both affects and influences creative output. The Art in the 20th Century I and II exemplify this interplay between society, the artist and the visual arts, marking a rupture with the past and the embrace of modernism, which was shaped by utopian ideals of humanism and progress. Responses to modernist ideas have incorporated challenging new forms and experimentation in the visual arts, leading to developments in radical theories, attempting to define and contextualise the making of art in a century characterised by unprecedented global change. This course is intended to provide students with an in-depth understanding of issues, approaches, and methodologies of art history and theory, emphasizing their connections with social, political, cultural, economic philosophical and anthropological aspects of life.