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Module Catalogue

HA3C9-30 Visual Art and Poetry

Department
SCAPVC - History of Art
Level
Undergraduate Level 3
Module leader
Michael Hatt
Credit value
30
Module duration
10 weeks
Assessment
100% coursework
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry

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Introductory description

This module explores the relationships between poetry and visual art in the modern period.

Module aims

More than simply subject matter and stylistic movements, the module will examine fundamental and theoretical connections between poetry and visual art, exploring such matters as ways of making (e.g. collage), particular forms (e.g., the book, the mise-en-page), collaborative endeavours, and, in the post-war world, the use of poetry as a visual form and vice versa. The themes of ekphrasis and description will run through the module, asking students to consider and evaluate the ways in which poetic language describes objects and visual experience, and how these relate to other art-historical rhetorics.

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Ekphrasis, Description and Poetry
Victorian Art and Poetry Pre-Raphaelitism and Aestheticism
Modernism: Collage and Montage
Modernism: Pound, Stein and the Visual Arts
Post-War Poets Painters and Place: O'Hara and the New York School, W. S. Graham and St. Ives
Poetry Plastique: Vito Acconci and the New York Art/Poetry Scene
The Artist's Book and the Poet's Mise-en-page
Ian Hamilton Finlay and Concrete Poetry
Minimalism
Contemporary Poets and the Visual: Susan Howe and Cole Swensen

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • Demonstrate a grasp of the history and theory of relations between visual art and poetry
  • Demonstrate detailed knowledge of the works studied and their contexts
  • Deploy these ideas critically in relation to other forms of art and culture
  • Ability to collaborate effectively with others
  • Initiate and sustain group discussion through intelligent questioning and debate at an appropriate level
  • Ability to undertake research and to write up the results in the form of a well-structured argument at an appropriate level
  • Familiarity with essential ICT skills
  • Show understanding of diverse viewpoints
  • Ability to find, select, organize and synthesize evidence
  • Ability to formulate a sustained argument
  • Think conceptually and independently at an appropriate level
  • Sophisticated visual and textual analysis
  • Bibliographical skills at an appropriate level
  • Critical analysis of cultural artefacts in their context

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Specific reading list for the module

Subject specific skills

  • Demonstrate a grasp of the history and theory of relations between visual art and poetry
  • Demonstrate detailed knowledge of the works studied and their contexts
  • Deploy these ideas critically in relation to other forms of art and culture
  • sophisticated visual and textual analysis
  • critical analysis of cultural artefacts in their context

Transferable skills

  • initiate and sustain group discussion through intelligent questioning and debate at an appropriate level
  • ability to undertake research and to write up the results in the form of a well-structured argument at an appropriate level
  • familiarity with essential ICT skills
  • ability to collaborate effectively with others
  • show understanding of diverse viewpoints
  • ability to find, select, organize and synthesize evidence
  • ability to formulate a sustained argument
  • think conceptually and independently at an appropriate level
  • bibliographical skills at an appropriate level

Study time

Type Required
Seminars 9 sessions of 4 hours (12%)
Project supervision 1 session of 2 hours (1%)
Practical classes 2 sessions of 2 hours (1%)
Private study 256 hours (85%)
Assessment 2 hours (1%)
Total 300 hours

Private study description

Required and recommended for seminar presentation and workshops, research for written assessments and revision for examinations.

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Assessment group A2
Weighting Study time Eligible for self-certification
Assessment component
Assessed Essay 1 30% No
Reassessment component is the same
Assessment component
Assessed Essay 2 30% No

2000 word essay
Reassessment component is the same
Assessment component
Online Examination 30% 2 hours No

To be timetabled by the department
Reassessment component is the same
Assessment component
Engagement 10% No

Participation in and contribution to learning activities
Reassessment component is the same
Feedback on assessment

Written feedback and dedication feedback tutorials

Pre-requisites

n/a

Courses

This module is Option list A for:

  • Year 3 of UHAA-V401 Undergraduate History of Art
  • Year 3 of UHAA-V3R3 Undergraduate History of Art with Italian

This module is Option list B for:

  • Year 1 of THAA-V4P3 History of Art (Diploma)

This module is Option list D for:

  • Year 1 of THAA-V4P3 History of Art (Diploma)

This module is Option list F for:

  • Year 1 of UHAA-V41P Undergraduate History of Art