Post-war to contemporary art

What it covers

This unit explores post-war and contemporary art from 1945 to the present. You will be introduced to key artists, movements, practices, exhibitions and institutions that have shaped art in local and global contexts. Key topics will include the legacies of war, decolonisation, feminism, conceptual art, performance, installation, new media, globalisation, Indigenous and non-Western art histories, the climate crisis, and the changing role of museums, galleries and public institutions. Throughout the unit, you will develop a critical understanding of the historical, cultural, social, political, environmental and institutional contexts that have shaped post-war and contemporary art. You will also consider how artists, curators, audiences and communities have challenged dominant narratives, expanded the forms and sites of artistic practice, and generated new ways of understanding the value and significance of art in contemporary life.

Assessment

When and where