This is a temporary version. The final version will be available on 15/07/2025.

Thwarted Fables: emancipation in contemporary art [ASSOC] (B-LUCA-K34367)

This is a translated version. Original version in Dutch.
6 ECTSEnglish24 First termFirst term
Késenne Sarah (coordinator) |  Késenne Sarah |  N.
LUCA POC VISUAL ARTS & DESIGN (OC grafisch ontwerp, textielontwerp, vrije kunsten Gent)

Aims

This course unit can also be taken by KU Leuven students.
NOTE: there are restrictions on the number of participants.

Specific guidelines for KU Leuven students interested in taking this course:
- register via https://www.luca-arts.be/en/iuni as 'interuniversity student'.
- indicate your student number, the campus and the name of the course unit you wish to take
- LUCA School of Arts will then inform you about the further course of action.
Note: the application is not sufficient as a registration!

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The student is familiar with critical perspectives and practices about emancipatory and political approaches of spectatorship. (knowledge)

The student can critically question and interpret substantive and discursive evolutions within the artistic field (skill).

research objectives

The student is able to interpret, apply and contrast the theories seen. (knowledge, skills)

The student can gather, select and synthesize information about emancipatory and political approaches of contemporary art practices. (skill)

The student can explore the relationships and exchanges between different art practices and perspectives, for a deeper awareness and reflection regarding audience positions in their own art or design practice. (skills, attitude) 

The student can integrate gained experiences and insights in his of her artistic process and arrives at the conceptualization of an artist statement and the realization of a (audiovisual) artistic response. (skill, attitude)

communication

The student can communicate in a discursive way about his/her research.

The student can develop a presentation in the short term in relation to an intensive process.

The student can take final responsibility for the development of collective presentations and artistic responses.

These goals aim to achieve the following OLR's: 

1. Having an artistic and autonomous attitude enabling the continual development of a (personal) art practice.

3. Understanding the essence of a personal artistic development and communicating with a critical audience in a clear and well-advised manner.

4. Setting up and conducting independent research in view of the development of an artistic practice.

6. Being able to take up and defend a critical position as regards relevant societal, cultural, artistic and international developments.

Previous knowledge

The students must have followed all Bachelor’s degree courses before or must take up remaining courses of the Bachelor’s degree simultaneously with the master’s seminar.

-Students have a good knowledge of English, that enables them to follow the lectures.
-Students are able and willing to read English texts.

Identical courses

This course is identical to the following courses:
K34303 : Master's Seminar: Contemporary Art II (No longer offered this academic year)

Is included in these courses of study

Activities

6 ects. Thwarted fables: emancipation in contemporary art (B-LUCA-K51278)

6 ECTSEnglishFormat: Lecture-practical-assignment24 First termFirst term
Késenne Sarah |  N.
LUCA POC VISUAL ARTS & DESIGN (OC grafisch ontwerp, textielontwerp, vrije kunsten Gent)

Content

Thwarted fables: poetry, emancipation and audience appropriation

Can artists raise political awareness in viewers through their work? How to read poetry between the lines of privilege and emancipatory capacity?  In this seminar we’ll read poetry by authors who write from experiences of queerness and diaspora and who often address issues of racisms and discriminations, such as Kopano Maroga, Koleka Putuma, Radna Fabias, Audre Lorde and Yahya Hasan. Besides that we 'll see films by contemporary visual artists such as Dora Garcia, Robin Vanbesien and Stijn Van Dorpe, who explore how to work relationally and equally. 

Besides that, we'll read more thoretical texts fragments by authors such as bell Hooks, Amia Srinivasian and Jacques Rancière. We critically explore the issue of the emancipated spectator by the French philosopher Jacques Rancière, the notion of counter-language by bell Hooks and the relation between porn and feminism by Srinivasian. 

We pay specific attention to fragmented language and interrupted reading experiences, and its political potential. The students will be asked to shift positions and explore their own spectatorship, as a way of enriching their artistic practice.

The master seminar is partly theory and practice-based. The students will read texts and discuss them in reading groups, learn about contemporary art works and make a video poem. Guest lectures and visits can be part of the seminar. 

 

 

Course material

A reader and other materials will be available on Toledo. 

Language of instruction: more information

The lectures and reader are generally in English (unless there are only Dutch-speaking students). Dutch translations of certain text framents will be provided to support the reading.  

Format: more information

Learning content provided by the instructor is interspersed with reading groups and group discussions, short presentations, workshops and film screenings.  

Students are expected to give active input during the lectures:


- students make relations between the theoretical perspectives of the course and the proposed artistic practices

- students critically analyze texts and practices that are discussed during lectures;

- students give short presentations on given topics;  

- students organise a artistic presentation or poetry reading

The seminar will be organized on campus.

No recordings of the classes.  

 

Evaluation

Thwarted Fables, the question of emancipation in contemporary art (B-LUCA-K74367)

Type : Continuous assessment without exam during the examination period
Description of evaluation : Paper/Project, Presentation, Participation during contact hours
Learning material : Course material, Computer

Explanation

AssessmentGrading scale
TOTAL1-20/20 scale

Form of evaluation: permanent evaluation of the participation in the reading groups (50%), presentation (30%), paper (essay with images) (20%)

Number of evaluation opportunities: 2 evaluation opportunities per year

Sufficient active participation in the digital and physical contact classes is mandatory.  (cf. Education and Examination Regulations Art. 46, §2).

- Students are permanently evaluated on the basis of (digital) contact moments/assignments via Toledo. 

- If the security situation allows it, presentations on campus or on location will continue. If this is not possible, the presentations will continue online.

- The assignments and paper are submitted via Toledo. Information about the assignment and deadline can be found on Toledo.

If there are changes in the evaluation modalities due to the corona measures, the students will be informed via Toledo.

 

Information about retaking exams

The second examination opportunity consists of a paper and several assignments.