FAMCAP: Critical Art Practice

Module code: FAMCAP

Module provider: Art; School of Arts and Communication Design

Credits: 120

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Full year

Module convenor: Dr Annabel Frearson, email: a.frearson@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 29 August 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This studio module provides a critically stimulating environment to support the development of your creative practice. The module guides you in developing an independent project that builds on your existing expertise and interests. The module requires you to engage with the theoretical concerns of production, exhibition and reflection of artwork. You will develop an informed, individual approach and refine your critical position as an artist by learning about current developments in the field of contemporary art.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Articulate a critical position as an artist through a sustainable practice that extends their knowledge and theoretical understanding of Contemporary Art discourse
2. Apply investigative and speculative skills that foster innovative practice
3. Employ professional skills of exhibition-making, documentation and presentation
4. Foster an independent approach to learning through individually directed research
5. Transform creative practice in relation to personal ambitions as well as wider significance within the cultural field

Module content

In this research-led practical module, students are supported in the refinement and critical development of their individual art practice. The module is designed around 3 exhibitions –Autumn, Spring, Summer – where students stage and share their work. The exhibitions are vital opportunities for reflection and documentation which contributes to the development of portfolios. An initial series of taught seminars provides a contextual framework for the core learning components; exhibition, portfolio and written statement. Here we examine and analyse historical precedents and current trends in exhibition-making, documentation and dissemination of Art. In student-led seminars, students share and become exposed to diverse, multi-cultural perspectives, subjects and modes of making. A programme of lectures presented by invited guest artists who share their ideas, methodologies and distinctive approaches to making art, enriches and further diversifies the curriculum.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching takes place through weekly seminars, tutorials, and a series of Artist lectures. Students undertake guided independent study in the studio and workshop facilities where individual practice will develop through enquiry, experimentation and reflection, towards the production of art work. Students will be supported through 1-1 tutorials with artists from across the department with specialisms in sculpture, painting, print, film, writing and performance as well as conceptual and interdisciplinary practice, allowing inclusive study through self-selecting study paths. Students will have the opportunity to discuss their work with the visiting artists who deliver our weekly lecture programme. Group seminars with peers provide a supportive and inclusive learning environment for theoretical debate and contextual study, in which they learn to present, articulate and discuss the wider issues at stake in their practice. Students are supported in preparing for presentations to hone documentation skills, which are further developed throughout the programme, towards a portfolio of work. Students are guided and supported in the staging of a group exhibition, fostering collaborative skills and strategies of presentation, display and dissemination. Accessibility is supported through the provision of online resources such as recorded lectures, lectures slides, and a range of ‘how to…’ documents via our VLE (Blackboard). Assessment modes and criteria are introduced at the beginning of the module.

Study hours

At least 255 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Feedback is provided throughout the year and is intended to enable each student to make critical judgements and assess the different stages of development in their individual work. Students receive feedback verbally through 1-1 tutorials, feedback meetings, group seminars and exhibition crits. Written feedback is provided towards the end of each semester based on the submission of a portfolio of documentation and a written statement.

Reassessment

Additional costs