Course details

Czech Art Between 1945–1990 in Contexts

1CU20st-L FaVU 1CU20st-L Acad. year 2019/2020 Summer semester 3 credits

Current academic year

The course presents various topics from art, design and visual culture between 1945 to 1990. The art scenes is presented according to a late 1980s structure: political establishment, grey zone and counter-culture/underground. The course aims to address art as propaganda in Central-East European context, representation of the state, cultural politics, conditions for artistic work as well as artists outside the canon, at the margins of culture and society and illegal artists.

Guarantor

Language of instruction

Czech

Completion

Examination

Time span

  • 26 hrs lectures

Department

Lecturer

Subject specific learning outcomes and competences

Students will have a basic overview of artistic institutions, key figures and their work; they will be able to attribute key artistic works and they will be able to characterize artistic programs and groups of Czech art between 1945 to 1990.

Learning objectives

The aim is to present major figures, artistic works, artistic groups, programs and institutions of Czech modern and post-modern art between 1945 to 1990, to present contemporary way of thinking and characterize contemporary texts and manifestos.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Basic knowledge of Czech art between 1900-1945.

Syllabus of lectures

1. Czech art of the 1940s, art groups and tendencies during the WWII, postwar illusions, socialist art versus underground.
2. Post-stalinist "warming up" , art groups 1957 - 1969, "tame modernity" Brusel 1958 exhibition, hard edge art underground - informel since 1965.
3. Concretism as an opposition, Czech New Figurative Paintig of the 60s.
4. 1968. Post - occupation shock, communist "normalisation" of the 70s, end of the art scene. Action art, happening, performances (including rock) as an antidotum.
5. Re-constitution of the art scene in 70s and 80s. Postsurrealism, hyperrealism, abstraction, direct realism.
6. Semi-official scene, rock and jazz music, art exhibitions, publications under the aegis of the (lately banned) music society.
7. New wave of art exhibitions of new generations between 1980 - 1985.
8. Postmodern discontinuity of the postmodern "Stubborn generation" after 1985.
9. Reconstitution of art scene in the end of 80´s, Velvet revolution 1989 as the end of 40 years of political and cultural totalities.
10. Lost world of cultural semi - undergrounds of the 70´s and 80´s,

Progress assessment

Test.

Teaching methods and criteria

Lectures accompanied with slides of reproductions of the key works are supported with class discussions.

Controlled instruction

Attendance compulsory.

Course inclusion in study plans

  • Programme BIT, 1st year of study, Elective
  • Programme IT-BC-3, field BIT, 1st year of study, Elective
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