[Reader-list] Jnanapravaha: Announcing Art, Criticism, and Theory - ACT

[abshi at vsnl.com]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jnanapravaha <to.jnanapravaha at gmail.com>
Date: 23 Apr 2008 11:57
Subject: Announcing Art, Criticism, and Theory - ACT
To: to.jnanapravaha at gmail.com


 

Art, Criticism and Theory 
 

An initiative of Jnanapravaha(Mumbai).

 

The Course:

 

This one semester course in ideas and concepts, deals with visual theory and visual art production in the various spheres of our cultural life, through the disciplines of art, photography and architecture.

 

The course encourages a discursive engagement with the cultural space we occupy, as practitioners, researchers and professionals, in the areas of art and culture.

 

The main objective of the course is to develop analytical and descriptive skills critical to writing about art.

 

The course will be based on structured readings, organized thematically, leading into discussions, presentations and papers. Engaging with the visual form and structure and writing about it in a sustained manner will be the thrust of this programme.

 

Thematic workshops by art practitioners / theorists / critics / historians will be designed as modules to encourage writing studios driven by research ideas and critical concepts that individuals have pursued or conceptualized in the sphere of art criticism and theory, or practice. 

 

Course Structure:

 

The course is divided over 4 modules: Critical Concepts / Art and Ideology / Ways of Seeing / Writing Art.

Critical Concepts: A set of 10-12 key critical concepts like Representation, Narrative, History, Museum, Market, Modernism, Beauty, etc. will be discussed at an introductory level.

Art and Ideology: Certain structures of thought that have often been observed in various art practices too, including Marxism, Feminism, Orientalism, Gandhian thought, will be briefly discussed, through selected readings or texts.

Ways of Seeing: It will focus on a specific way of understanding 'the visual'; the concept of value, beauty and form, etc. that contributes to the attributes of the visual object. This module will include thematic workshops.

Writing Art: It will focus on specific texts that concern art, its production, and theory. It will include conversation sessions between the artist and the critic.

 

Those participating in the course will be producing 3 essays and a final dissertation, as a key process for learning to write on, and discuss art.

 

Teaching:

 

The course will be conducted at, and coordinated by Jnanapravaha (Mumbai); various individuals working, teaching and practicing or writing in the world of art, culture and theory will be invited to conduct some of the teaching sessions and/or workshops. The proposed faculty includes the likes of Jitish Kallat, Abhay Sardesai, George Jose, Shilpa Phadke, Prabodh Parekh and Kaiwan Mehta.

 

Duration and Timings:

 

The course will run for 14 – 16 weeks every year.

It will commence on August 26, 2008, and run on every Tuesday and Thursday between 6:00 and 8:30 pm.

 

Venue:

 

The course will be conducted in the premises of Jnanapravaha (Mumbai) at Queens Mansion, 3rd Floor, A. K. Nayak Marg, Fort, Mumbai 400 001.

 

Fee and Admissions: 

 

The total fee for the course, including reading material and library reference fee, will be Rs. 10,000/- per participant.

 

The admissions to the course for this year will close on July 7, 2008.

 

The application requesting admission should be accompanied by two writing samples produced as original work by the applicant, along with a resume.

The writing sample could be a previously written assignment paper, or a professionally produced text by the applicant.

 

The course is open to graduates from any discipline.

 

All correspondence, including the application has to be conducted via emails at to.jnanapravaha at gmail.com