Not just a pretty place: rural Central Europe between nationalism & exoticism
Julia Secklehner
Institute of Studies in Art and Art Education, Art History
2025W, scientific seminar (SEW), 4.0 ECTS, 2.0 semester hours, course number S05725
Description
The seminar explores the roles and functions of rural locations in the art history of Central Europe in the early twentieth century. We will revisit assumptions that modern art and visual culture were at home in the urban space and explore the role of the countryside as an agent of renewal and emancipation
By analysing paintings, photographs, prints, and illustrated magazines related to topics such as tourism, social activism, rural exoticism, gender, and ethnic diversity, we will examine Central European art and visual culture from a critical, nuanced, and intersectional perspective. The seminar challenges the nationally and regionally fragmented (art) histories of Austria, former Czechoslovakia, and Hungary and their borderlands, and examines how current debates about art history and its margins are relevant to the Central European context.
Examination Modalities
- regular attendance (absence of 1 session max.)
- active participation and engagement in discussions, preparation of all readings and visual analyses (en/de) (grading: 60%)
- a written academic paper or documentation of your own artistic work on a topic chosen from the seminar (en/de) (grading: 40 %)
Comments
The seminar includes an excursion to Brno/Brünn with a focus on blind spots of art history.
Course languages are English and German.
Literature list is provided on the Cloud.
Key Words
modernism, art history, Central and Eastern Europe, cultural politics
Dates
15 October 2025, 10:00–11:30 Seminar Room 25
26 November 2025, 10:00–15:30 Seminar Room 25
27 November 2025, 10:00–15:30 Seminar Room 25
03 December 2025, 10:00–15:30 Seminar Room 25
04 December 2025, 10:00–15:30 Seminar Room 25
Course Enrolment
The online registration was already closed
Curriculum Allocation
Art Education: subject kkp (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis 067/003.80
Art Education: subject kkp (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: IT: Bachelorseminar Wissenschaftliche Praxis 067/003.85
Art Education: subject kkp (Master): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: Lehrveranstaltung nach Wahl aus wissenschaftlicher Praxis, SE 067/003.80
Art Education: subject kkp (Enhancements study): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Seminar aus dem Bereich Kunst- und Kulturwissenschaften 067/003.25
Art Education: subject kkp (Enhancements study): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis 067/003.80
Art Education: subject tex (Master): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: Lehrveranstaltung nach Wahl aus wissenschaftlicher Praxis, SE 071/003.80
Art Education: subject dae (Master): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: Lehrveranstaltung nach Wahl aus wissenschaftlicher Praxis, SE 072/003.80
Art Education: subject dex (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis 074/003.80
Art Education: subject dex (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: IT: Bachelorseminar Wissenschaftliche Praxis 074/003.85
Art Education: subject dex (Master): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: Lehrveranstaltung nach Wahl aus wissenschaftlicher Praxis, SE 074/003.80
Art Education: subject dex (Enhancements study): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Seminar aus dem Bereich Kunst- und Kulturwissenschaften 074/003.25
Art Education: subject dex (Enhancements study): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis 074/003.80
TransArts - Transdisciplinary Arts (Bachelor): Theoretical foundations: Theoretical foundations 180/003.01
Expanded Museum Studies (Master): Electives: Art History 537/080.10
Stage Design (2. Section): Kunsttheorie und Kulturwissenschaften: Kunstgeschichte 542/207.01
Media Arts: Specialisation in Transmedia Arts (2. Section): Wissenschaft, Theorie und Geschichte : Kunstgeschichte 566/208.12
Media Arts: Specialisation in Digital Arts (2. Section): Wissenschaft, Theorie, Geschichte: Kunstgeschichte 567/208.12
Kunst- und Kulturwissenschaften (Master): Electives Area 1: Art History 568/005.03
Kunst- und Kulturwissenschaften (Master): Electives Area 2: Art History 568/006.03
Design: Specialisation in Design and Narrative Media (2. Section): Methodological and Theoretical Fundamentals: Humanities 576/203.02
Design: Specialisation in Communication Design (2. Section): Methodological and Theoretical Basics: Humanities 577/203.02
Fine Arts (2. Section): Scientific and Research Practice: Art Theory, Cultural Studies, Art History, Philosophy 605/202.01
Fine Arts (2. Section): Scientific and Research Practice: Free Electives out of Scientific and Research Practice 605/202.80
Design: Specialisation in Applied Photography and Time-based Media (2. Section): Methodological and Theoretical Basics: Humanities 626/203.02
Co-registration: possible
Attending individual courses: possible