This course offers an introduction to the emergence of European Modern Art (1800-1950) in the global context.  We will look at the formation of Europe and European Art as cultural entities framed and shaped by political and economic struggle, emerging nationalism, colonialism and global expansion.

In distinct chapters, we will examine the transformation of art in the course of Modernism: exhibitions and art journals proliferate as new art publics emerge; visuality is being transformed by the experience of modern urban space; non-Western art is appropriated in Orientalism, Expressionism and Primitivism; new media such as photography and film are being introduced; performative and spatial art practices emerge. We will specifically look at intermedial approaches, interconnections of art and design, artistic engagements with new media,  the notion of the "Gesamtkunstwerk", and the modernist concept of art as an experiment for social change.

Framed by the histories, theories, and discourses of modernism and modernity, this lecture examines the main practices, concepts, themes and debates that structure their study. While it is organized as an introductory survey and broadly follows Western periodizations of modern artistic practices of the 19th and early 20th centuries, it also challenges concepts such as "European art", as well as stylistic classifications and the primacy of specific artistic genres and media. Using case studies, we will examine artistic practices in relation to their historical, socio-political, and institutional contexts and analyze the relation between social and aesthetic forms.

Written exam, to be completed optionally in English and German. Exam dates are offered at the end of January, in March and April 2021. After that, no more exam dates will be offered, as the lecture changes every year.

EXAM Dates:            27 January, 10:00-11:30 or 4:30-6:00, Auditorium, VZA 7

                                      March 1, 3:30–5:00 pm, Auditorium VZA 7

Exams will take place on site at VZA 7 (written exam, optionally in German or English.).

Due to Covid-19 seating restrictions, registration is mandatory for the exams. Please register at  kunstgeschichte@uni-ak.ac.at.

Update: As soon as you have received a confirmation for your exam, please follow these guidelines:

++You will need a negative Covid-19 test in order to enter VZA 7 and do the exam.

You may either bring an officially accepted written confirmation from a doctor, a pharmacy or the  test facilities from the City of Vienna (not older than 48 hours), or else use the Angewandte "Teststraße" which will be provided at Postsparkasse from March 1, where you will obtain a similar confirmation. If you are not able to provide such a confirmation, you will not be able to do the exam.

++FFP2 mask obligatory: bring your own, personal, FFP2 mask (without filter!)
++Contact tracing forms will be provided at the table.
++ Please bring sufficient paper and your own pens.
++Disinfect your hands and keep at least 2 m distance. The room is 325 sqm. It will be ventilated and disinfected before and after.  A maximum of 30 people will be allowed to take the exam.

If you have questions regarding Covid-19 regulations, please check at https://www.dieangewandte.at/covid19.

This course is taught in English. All Zyklus-lectures are held alternately in German and English, with the German lecture "Moderne Kunst / Zyklus III" following in Fall/Winter 2021/22 (see https://www.angewandtekunstgeschichte.net/news/2019/umstellung-der-zyklus-vorlesungen).

Regular attendance is advised.  From November 9th on, lectures will be held online as a zoom webinar (info has been sent out), while audio recordings of the lectures will be uploaded on Own Cloud, as before.

The lecture will be accompanied by a tutorial course led by Marei Buhmann (marei.buhmann@student.uni-ak.ac.at), offering support for any issues or question you might have regarding the lecture.

Just post your questions/comments etc. here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q9PbiKe43scI5KQJsC9VSXBZ--6WcTfjtOfxGLyQFog/edit?usp=sharing

Marei will also organize sessions to discuss specific topics, artworks and/or texts. Information can be found at www.angewandtekunstgeschichte.net, on Base Angewandte or at the lecture sessions.

A handout with detailed information on the lecture programme, the tutorial programme, recommended literature, and more is published in the OwnCloud folder and on www.angewandtekunstgeschichte.net. All important literature has been made accessible in the library in a special "Handapparat" (reference collection).

The image scripts shown in the lecture will be uploaded weekly in the OwnCloud folder together with useful texts for each chapter. As you register for the lecture in Base Angewandte, access to the OwnCloud folder will be activated automatically.

All images can be viewed with additional information and downloaded on the image database IMAGE (access within Base Angewandte, see tab above).