Semester 1 courses

For any of you that care to know here is a list of the courses I am taking this semester.  I have only been to two out of the four so I'll have to let you know how they go! The first two seem good, I guess so far so good.

Writing for Different Cultures and Audiences 
This course is about the kinds of writing that those working in art institutions most commonly undertake: writing from the perspective of the institution. It recognises that writing may have many different functions and writers must learn to adapt their style, vocabulary and technique, according to who will read the product. Questions to be considered include the current debate on captions, writing for children and non-specialist publics, research techniques including oral history, press kits and media management, and different types of catalogues. The method of study is very much hands on. It involves, among other things, the editing and layout of an edition of Artwrite, a magazine of student writing.


Exhibition and Gallery Design Development  
This course considers two areas of design development. These are the theoretical and practical aspects of exhibition design and display techniques and the specific design demands of a gallery space. The ways in which the objectives of an exhibition may be identified are discussed, and all aspects related to project initiation and completion examined. These include planning and design management, budget formulation and controls, production and installation management, spatial requirements and evaluation, light and lighting.

 
Festivals and Biennales
This course covers the history, conception and implementation of arts festivals and recurrent national and international exhibitions. Particular attention is paid to events in Australia such as the Biennale of Sydney, the Australian Sculpture Triennial and the Adelaide Festival (including Artist's Week). Overseas events include the history of the Biennale commencing in Venice in 1895 to Sao Paulo and Paris, as well as major expositions such as the Indian Triennial, Documenta and the Carnegie International. The history of these complex programs is discussed, in particular, the administrative skills, conceptual insights and artistic resources essential to their successful realisation.


The Art and Culture of Everyday Life
This course looks critically at the different formulations of art in relation to mass culture. It gives an overview of the social and technological development of mass culture including the advent of photography, film, television, advertising and the popular press. Special attention is paid to the ways in which the relationship between art and mass culture has been conceptualised by such seminal thinkers as Michael de Certeau, Fernand Braudel, Paul Virilo and Jean Baudrillard.