University of the West of England

MODULE SPECIFICATION

Code:UAAA85-40-2	Title: FINE ART PRACTICE: STUDIO					Version: 7
Level: 2	UWE credit rating: 40 Credits				ECTS credit rating: 20
Module type: Project
Owning Faculty: FCA				Field: Art
Faculty Committee Approval: Faculty Quality & Standards Committee					Date: 24 June 2010
Approved for delivery by:
Valid from: Sept 2010			Discontinued from:
Contributes towards:		BA (Hons) Fine Art
Pre-requisites: Introduction to Fine Art – UAAA7S-40-1, Meaning & Media UAAA7V-40-1
Co-requisites:
Excluded combinations:

This module is a pre-requisite for Level 3 Fine Art Programme Modules

Learning outcomes:

To enable students to:

Knowledge and understanding

i) relate their practice to the broader context of contemporary art practices and historical precedents;

ii) recognise personal strengths and weaknesses and employ relevant and appropriate working strategies;

iii) gain knowledge and understanding through direct experience of the relevance of different forms of presentation;

Intellectual skills

iv) identify and synthesise the connections between processes and ideas;

v) identify and analyse relevant sources to inform their practice and develop conceptual skills;

vi) evaluate, discuss and critically reflect upon their own art and the art of others;

Subject skills

vii) plan and develop a self-initiated art practice;

viii) generate a body of artwork that reflects their ideas and concerns;

ix) develop an informed and critical view of ways in which different approaches to presentation can influence the meaning of artworks;

x) develop, test and employ materials, processes and media that are appropriate to their ideas and concerns;

Transferable skills

xi) take initiative and personal responsibility to study independently, to set goals, to make decisions and to manage their own time effectively;

xii) be articulate within and about their art practice and to communicate effectively visually, verbally and in writing;

xiii) access an appropriate range of resources in support of their art practice

xiv) interact with others through collaboration, negotiation and group discussion

Syllabus outline:

This module is designed to enable students to identify and develop a self directed art practice arising from their own interests and concerns. The aims of the module are to build upon students experiences of the Level 1 Fine Arts modules (or equivalent) and to develop their individual working strategies so that they can plan, undertake and manage a self initiated art practice.

Students will be encouraged to develop an inventive and critical response to the issues that will arise in their work on the module: that is the issues relevant to students own chosen themes, media and approach and some of the key issues and debates of contemporary art practice.

Students will be required to develop appropriate methods of research and evaluation to support their working process.

Teaching and learning methods:

This module emphasises the development and establishment of independent learning methods and encourages students to take a pro-active role in their education. Students will work with support from staff to devise a plan of work for the module so that they can effectively divide their time between research in to their area of practice and the themes and issues they intend to explore and their studio practice.

Tutorials

Students will be allocated module tutors who will meet with them on a regular basis for tutorials and group critiques to discuss work in progress. They will encourage students to consider and research in to art practices, contexts and traditions relevant to their artwork and to test out approaches to media and materials that are appropriate to their intentions. During the module tutors will arrange to meet with their tutorial group off site to visit galleries, museums and/or art projects to discuss issues of interpretation, presentation and context.

Students will also be encouraged to read reviews and make regular visits to exhibitions and art projects independently in order to develop a greater knowledge and understanding of current art practices and historical precedents and to consider ways that different artists address issues that may relate to their own work. In the second half of the module students should be in a position to explore different approaches to the presentation/installation of their artwork towards the assessment presentation.

Slide talks/ Seminars

During the module there will be a number of talks/seminars based on different approaches to art practice looking specifically at how artists have devised ways of working in response to some of the key issues relevant to contemporary art and the wider cultural context. Students on the module are supported in their studies by talks dedicated to the Fine Art programme. These cover relevant contemporary topics such as

• Current trends in artistic practice.

• The materiality of art objects.

• Performative practices and dematerialised art.

• The work of art and mass production

These talks will also contribute to discourses raised during the Fine Arts Lecture Series and the Professional Practice module. There will also be a number of optional workshops in different media areas, these will include intermediate workshops as well as beginners workshops for students who missed them at Level 1, to include: colour photography, video editing, printmaking, casting etc. Students can choose workshops as appropriate.

The Fine Arts Lecture Series will run throughout the year and will enable students to gain an insight in to the ideas, methods and approaches of a variety of arts practitioners. All 2nd year students are expected to attend and be able to discuss the talks in tutorials and group critiques.

Assessment

Students will be assessed on a presentation of the work they have made during the module, including both completed work and work in progress, with supporting materials such as sketchbooks and a research file.

Before their assessment students will be asked to write a Reflective Statement. This should be a word-processed document of between 200 to 300 words. The main function of the Reflective statement is to enable students to consider and reflect upon their progress so that they will be prepared for their assessment. Students will each be given a Pro Forma with a number of questions that they should address, such as;

• How effectively have you managed your time and resources?

• What are your strengths and weaknesses and how have you worked with them to develop an appropriate working strategy?

• what artists, writings and exhibitions have been important to you during this module and why?

• how successful was your choice and use of material/media/process in relation to your ideas and concerns?

• How successful/unsuccessful do you think the completed work is in relation to your intentions- was the presentation effective?

The tutors assessing the work will each be given a copy of the Reflective Statement and will be able to refer to it when considering the student's performance on the module.

The assessment will be in the form of a Peer Group Presentation with tutors and a small group of students. In this way the assessment is an important part of the learning process where students are given the opportunity to discuss their completed work, review their own progress and consider it in relation to other students work at this stage.

Peer Review

After the assessment students will be asked to stay in their group. Through discussion with the group they will each complete a Peer Review form, this form is designed to enable students to discuss and evaluate their own performance in relation to the assessment criteria of the module. Students are asked to hand their Peer Review forms back to the tutors who have assessed them so that they may refer to them when writing their reports.

Reports

Reports are written following the assessment and will be discussed by students and tutors in an individual feedback tutorial where the report is considered alongside the student's own Peer Review form. This feedback tutorial enables students to gain an insight in to the assessment process and to understand how they can develop their work and improve their performance.

Assessment criteria:

Students will be assessed on the level of their ability to:

Criteria	Relates to Learning Outcomes	Source of evidence
i) critically evaluate their work in relation to a developing knowledge and understanding of contemporary art practices and historical precedents;	i), v), vi), ix), xiii), xiv)	Assessment presentations, completed work, support material, research file, self assessment
ii) initiate and generate a self directed art practice;	ii), iv), vii), viii), xi)	As above
iii) manage and plan time and studio resources effectively;	ii), vii), x), xi)	As above
iv) use support and research sources to develop a self initiated art practice in relation to ideas and concerns;	i), v), x), xi), xiii)	As above

v) produce a body of artwork that demonstrates a creative and appropriate use of media;	iv), vii), viii), x)	As above
vi) present artwork in a considered and appropriate way.	iii), ix), xii), xiv)	As above

Reading Strategy

Examples of wording to include in this section are available on the Library Services website at http://www.uwe.ac.uk/library/info/academic/toolkit/toolkit.htm. Please note that these are purely suggestions. The module leader’s interpretation will reflect the unique circumstances of the module.

Indicative Reading List: (see guidance notes)

The following list is offered to provide validation panels/accrediting bodies with an indication of the type and level of information students may be expected to consult. As such, its currency may wane during the life span of the module specification. However, as indicated above, CURRENT advice on readings will be available via other more frequently updated mechanisms.

‘Essential Reading’ is indicated to supplement student understanding of the subjects covered throughout the module. ‘Further Reading’ guides students through more specific aspects of research and students will be directed to these under the guidance of staff. While many of the reference sources are available through the library, additional sources of reference (including web sites and a suggested list of galleries and arts organisations) are identified along with how to access them.

A separate module resource pack for this module may be supplemented by handouts at lectures with additional references identified for individual students in consultation with staff.

Essential Reading:

‘Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird’ (pages: 70- 87)

Author: Thomas McEvilley       

Title of Book: Art & Discontent (Theory at the Millennium) 

Chapter: On the Manner of Addressing Clouds

Publishers: Documentex – McPherson and Company

ISBN: 0-929701-31-3

Further Reading:

Background reading and reference:

	The Art of Doubting	Allworth Press 1999
	The Status of Sculpture	ICA catalogue essay by Bernard Brunon Elac 1990
	The American Century 1950-2000	(New York: Whitney Museum of American Art 1999)
Batchelor, D	Minimalism	(London: Tate Gallery 1997)
Bryson, N	Looking at the Overlooked
Buchloh, B	The Museum Fictions of Marcel Broodthaers	Art Metropole Toronto 1983
Cabanne, P	Dialogues with Marcel Duchamp	Thames and Hudson 1971
Foster, H	The Return of the Real	(Cambridge Mass: MIT Press 1996)
Foucault, M	This Is Not A Pipe	(University of California Press1982)
Godfrey, T	Conceptual Art	(London: Phaidon 1998)
Hall, D and S Jo Fifer	Illuminating video: an essential guide to video art	(Chicago: Bay Area Video Coalition)
Harrison, C and Wood, P	Art in Theory 1900-1990	(Oxford: Blackwells 1992)
Lippard, L	Six Years: The dematerialisation of the art object from 1966-1972	(Berkeley: University of California Press 1997)
McEvilley, T	Sculpture In The Age Of Doubt	essay
Rees, A L	History of experimental film and video from the canonical avant-garde to contemporary British practice	(London: British Film Institute 1999)
Sontag, S	On photography	(New York: Lane Allen 1978)
Tallman, S	The Contemporary Print from pre-pop to Postmodern	Thames and Hudson 1996
Tate Gallery	Hybrids: International Contemporary Painting	Tate Gallery Liverpool 2001
Tisdall, D	Joseph Beuys	Thames and Hudson 1979
Warr, T & A Jones	The Artist’s Body	(London: Phaidon 2000)

Galleries: During the semester students will be encouraged to visit galleries and museums, via the What’s On/Lecture Series noticeboard and tutorials including projects by the following local organisations:

Arnolfini; Station; Spike Island; Watershed; Room; The Cube; Centrespace - Bristol

Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff; Prema Arts Centre, Uley; Spacex, Exeter; Picture This Moving Image – across the South West

Magazines and periodicals: students will be encouraged to read reviews and articles in the Art Journals kept by the library including the following:

AN magazine; Art Monthly; Art Forum; Contemporary; Decode; Flash Art; Frieze; October; Parkett

Websites

Students are encouraged to visit current, related websites: Some useful reference sites include:

www.artscouncil.org.uk – arts council of england

www.newexhibitions.com – national listings

www.britcoun.org.uk – british council with details on funding

www.vaga.co.uk – visual arts and galleries association

www.anweb.co.uk – artists professional development and archive of articles

www.linst.ac.uk/library/webguides/art.htm – particularly useful web links from London Institute site

Assessment

Please state which element of assessment should be recorded as the final assessment for the purposes of submitting data on non-submissions to HEFCE. (For further information please contact Academic Registry.)

Weighting between components A and B (standard modules only) A: B:

ATTEMPT 1

First Assessment Opportunity (Sit)

Component A

Description of each element Element weighting

Presentation of visual work and associated material 100%

Second Assessment Opportunity (Resit) (further attendance at taught classes is/is not required)

Component A

Description of each element Element weighting

Presentation of visual work and associated material 100%

EXCEPTIONAL SECOND ATTEMPT (Retake): Attendance at taught classes is/is not required.

Specification confirmed by …………………………………………………Date ……………………………

(Associate Dean/Programme Director)

Assessment: Profile of student achievement in relation to stated learning outcomes:

FINE ART PRACTICE: STUDIO UAFA85-40-2 In order to pass the module your performance as a student and the work that you have produced will be assessed against the following ‘assessment criteria’. The statements next to the criteria describe the performance of a student who is going to pass the module. The extent to which you achieve or over achieve these descriptions will determine your percentage mark.
Assessment Criteria: Students will be assessed according to your fulfilment of the learning outcomes in respect of the following criteria:	Threshold standard (UG Level)
i) critically evaluate work in relation to a developing knowledge and understanding of contemporary art practices and historical precedents;	You have examined and recorded material and ideas from different sources. There is evidence that you have used your research skills to help you develop ideas in relation to the different artwork/s and a reflective statement. You have explored different ways of recording ideas: e.g. drawing, photography, note-taking, appropriate documentation of work etc. Your research and the different ways in which you develop ideas can be seen in your sketchbooks, notebooks, documentation of work and in the final presentation of work;
ii) initiate and generate a self directed art practice;	You have used the appropriate workshops and exercises introduced through seminars and group critiques as a means of gaining new material and conceptual skills. You have used the taught sessions and workshops to explore and experiment with the new ideas and skills that are being introduced. Your research has given you new ideas that you have been able to develop through a process of experimentation.
iii) manage and plan time and studio resources effectively;	Critical reflection and peer group interaction have enabled you to think about how to develop and progress your work. You have engaged with the course and have been able to progress your work independently. You are able listen to, evaluate and act on the advice of tutors and fellow students. You are able to seek out the relevant resources and workshops needed to develop your work.
iv) use support and research sources to develop a self initiated art practice in relation to ideas and concerns;	During this module you have consulted the reading list, attended lectures, read magazines and newspapers, spent time in the library, visited relevant exhibitions, retail outlets etc and have take the trouble to learn more about your subject discipline. Your efforts to gain further subject knowledge and understanding are evident in your sketchbooks, notebooks and in the final presentation of work and reflective statement. You know more about your chosen subject than you did at the beginning of the module.
v) produce a body of artwork that demonstrates creative and appropriate use of media;	you have attended all workshops, seminars, studio sessions etc. You have used your time to develop your work and have been able to work independently as well as during taught session. You have completed all your work within the time allocated. You have been able to evaluate and reflect upon new knowledge gained in relation to your own artwork and reflective statement.
vi) present artwork in a considered and appropriate way.	You have attended all relevant workshops, seminars, lectures and visited exhibitions. You have used your time to develop your work, have tested and experimented with modes of installation and have completed all your work within the time allocated. You have presented your work in a manner which displays a considered approach to context.

Levels of Achievement
80% and above -	you have produced a substantial body of work covering all aspects of the module. The standard you have reached exceptionally exceeds that described in the threshold student profile in relation to all the criteria.
70% - 79% -	you have produced a substantial body of work covering all aspects of the module. The standard you have reached exceeds that described in the threshold student profile in relation to all the criteria.
60% - 69% -	you have produced a substantial body of work covering all aspects of the module. The standard you have reached exceeds that described in the threshold student profile in relation to the majority of the criteria.
50% - 59% -	you have produced a body of work that shows you have engaged with nearly all aspects of the module. The standard you have reached matches that described in the threshold student profile in relation to at least four out of six of the criteria.
40% - 49% -	you have produced an adequate body of work that shows you have engaged with most aspects of the module. The standard you have reached matches that described in the threshold student profile in relation to at least three out of six of the criteria.
30% - 39%	the body of work is incomplete and demonstrates a lack of engagement with aspects of the programme of study. As a result you lack confidence in the manipulation of some core processes, skills and techniques. The work fails to meet the threshold profile.
20% - 29% -	the body of work is substantially incomplete and demonstrates very poor engagement with the programme of study. You have not acquired the core skills introduced in the module. The work fails to meet the threshold profile in respect of all six criteria.
0% - 19% -	very little evidence of engagement with the module. No evidence of progression. The work fails to meet the threshold profile in respect of all six criteria.
* for the purpose of assessment the level of achievement is measured against the overarching profile given through the six threshold statements.