This course consists of two compulsory areas of learning:
- Conceptual knowledge
- Practice.
CONCEPTUAL KNOWLEDGE
Research - Active Investigation
Research will be undertaken within the local, national and international art community through exhibitions, events, reviews and interviews with artists, curators, gallery directors, Arts administrators.
Learners will engage in a minimum of 3 investigations resulting in the production of a range of evidence.
Learners will develop their concepts and establish a context for their work.
This evidence may be in the form of a presentation and may be submitted as a hard copy.
Critical Analysis
Learners will undertake investigation and analysis of conceptual theories and issues in local, historical and contemporary contexts as they relate to and inform their own proposal and studio practice.
Learners will produce one major research paper with a minimum of 3,500 words. Learners will use the paper to demonstrate the depth and complexity of their conceptual knowledge.
Reflection
The learner will accumulate information in support of a sustained practice that reflects the aim of the research proposal.
A negotiated project will be articulated through the:
- production of a Visual Schematic Overview; and
- learner’s artist statement consisting of 150 – 300 words.
The scope of the Visual Schematic Overview will represent the learner’s sustained practice reflecting their conceptual development over the period of a year’s study.
Reflection will also involve a formalised critical appraisal and evaluation of work in groups of two or more and will occur at least six (6) times. Groups will comprise of peers, supported by teacher/s and/or other artists.
PRACTICE
Proposal
The learner will develop a research proposal for studio practice in negotiation with their facilitator. The proposal will culminate in an exhibition.
As the proposal provides the context for studio practice and because the initial proposal will undergo a process of refinement, learners will give high priority to the development of their initial proposal.
The proposal is a focus statement of intention. The learner will make and record in the proposal crucial decisions with regard to the exhibition layout and design. The proposal outlines the key elements of the intended exhibition plan including the:
- conceptual idea underpinning the exhibition
- context of the body of work to be exhibited
- selection of materials and media
- selection and application of artistic techniques
- scale of the exhibition
- design elements of the exhibition space (e.g. lighting, hanging arrangement of works).
As such the proposal models the form and scope of a proposal for exhibition that might be presented to a gallery director.
The success of the proposal is reflected in the cohesive strength of the final exhibition. The degree to which learners are able to resolve aesthetic and conceptual issues is clearly evidenced in the stylistic, technical and conceptual resolution of the work on display.
It is not intended that the proposal be in essay form. Rather, it is an exhibition plan or focus statement: a clarification of the key idea underpinning the body of works exhibited; and the intended use of materials, scale of work and exhibition design. It will focus on the ‘what’, ‘how’, and ‘why’ of the exhibition. The final proposal will use concise language and be approximately 500 words in length.
Studio Practice
Process documentation will be sustained through reflective commentary and the experimentation and exploration of media and techniques.
Studio specialisation will occur that demonstrates the learner’s depth and complexity of conceptual understanding.
It will reflect sustained practical rigour and engagement based upon the aims of the research proposal.
The learner will present a body of resolved art work for exhibition. The scope of the body of art work will be dependent on issues such as selected media, but will reflect the size value of this course.
Exhibition
Learners will be required to act autonomously in assuming complete responsibility for the creative design, organisation and installation of their exhibition.
The exhibition of work will include:
- preparation incorporated into the negotiated proposal
- planning for allocation of appropriate time and resources
- the design and hanging of the exhibition
- presentation of process documentation
- display of learner’s artist statement.