Handbook

This course develops observational, critical, and analytical tools for application to research in the creative arts. It begins with a focus on art and artists; understanding the materials and processes of creative practice in historical, disciplinary and aesthetic contexts. An understanding of the role of research, theory, and criticism within the arts is developed, alongside ethical processes for undertaking such work. You will be introduced to media-specific and trans-disciplinary forms of compositional analysis, with specific attention to the practices and processes of the artist. Beyond the terms of the work of art and the role of the artist, analytical and theoretical methods drawing on disciplines within and beyond the arts will be covered and may include empirical, formal, post-structural, phenomenological, material and cultural approaches. There is a focus on Australian content, including indigenous artists, and their place within important international networks