Contemporary Art

Koç University, Istanbul

Department of Archaeology and History of Art
Department of Media and Visual Art

Contemporary art in its strictest definition refers to art work produced by artists living today. The term “contemporary”, however, also has come to be associated with a range of conceptual, aesthetic and critical styles, movements and conventions. This course will introduce students to core terminologies, technologies and ideologies employed in the arts as well as basic interpretive methodologies for encountering, viewing, interpreting and evaluating art work in general. It will also provide a basic introduction to the intellectual history of modern artistic, social, political and philosophical movements that have influenced the production of work by living artists. Building on this knowledge, students will produce their own critical writings on contemporary artists and make presentations in front of the class, speaking to work and learning how to inform others about contemporary art work that they enjoy and appreciate.

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Lorna Simpson, Five Day Forecast, 1991. Photographed by loungerie at Tate Modern.

Tate reference number T13335.