Course Syllabus

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Semester & Location:

Fall 2024 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:

Art & Visual Culture Core Course - 3 credits
Study Tour:

Rome
Major Disciplines:

Art History, Film Studies, Media Studies 
Prerequisite(s):

None
Faculty Member:

Morten Egholm mge@dis.dk 
Time & Place:

Mondays & Thursdays time TBA

Course Instructor

Morten Egholm

Ph. D., Film Studies, University of Copenhagen, 2009. Cand. mag., Scandinavian Studies, Film and Media Theory, University of Copenhagen, 1997. Associate professor in Danish Language, Literature and Culture, University of Groningen, The Netherlands, 2002-2006. Has written several articles in Danish, English and Dutch on film history, Scandinavian film, Danish literature, Danish theatre, and Danish and American TV series. Editor (2010-2015) of and peer reviewer (2015-) for the film journal Kosmorama. With DIS since 2008, since January 2012 as full time faculty.

Course Description

From the great auteurs in European filmmaking to some of the most significant names on the European art scene, this course examines artistic practices in European cinema and visual arts. What role do art house film and art movements play in 20th and 21st century Europe? How are aesthetics influenced by changing ideological currents and political and ethical agendas? How are intellectuals and artists working in a Scandinavian welfare state compared to a country like Italy, marked by centuries of high cultural importance and political chaos? When do visual arts go beyond consumerism, when is it difficult to distinguish artistic and mainstream ambitions? We will do a case study of art and cinema in Rome and meet with Danish and Italian film and art people to discuss film and art in the times of a Europe searching for a new and sustainable identity.

Course Objectives

  • Gain knowledge of the varied manifestations and historical development of modern and contemporary art and film
  • Critically evaluate visual culture in the context of current Nordic and larger European issues
  • Acquire the ability to formally analyze and discuss specific works and different media
  • Enable students in written and oral assignments to discuss and elaborate on the visual qualities and contexts of artistic practice

Core Course Week including Short Study Tour

The theme of the core course week is Nordic Visual Arts. We start out with a two-day seminar in Copenhagen, focusing on the role of art and cinema in the Nordic countries. The week continues with a three-day study tour to Western Denmark, where we visit AROS, Museum of Modern Art and Øst for Paradis, Art House Movie Theatre in Aarhus.

Long Study Tour Destination

Rome

Rome, a captivating fusion of classical art, modern art, and Italian film, invites exploration of its cinematic and artistic vibe. Modern art flourishes at places like the museums MAXXI and MACRO, showcasing contemporary works, while the city streets serve as a lively canvas for street art. Cinecittà Studios, the heart of Italian filmmaking, unravels the country's cinematic legacy, threading together the city's vibrant history with the storytelling of the big screen. The trip also delves into Rome's role as an important film city, featured in both classics from directors like Fellini and De Sica, as well as in modern films by filmmakers like Paolo Sorrentino and Alice Rohrwacher. Besides that, students will, of course, also have the chance to explore the eternal city's most famous cultural attractions like the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Vatican Museums, and the Galleria Borghese, housing classical and Renaissance art masterpieces.

 

Grade Components

Assignment

Percent

Short paper

20%

Research paper

25%

Oral presentation

15%
Participation grade 

40%

The Short Paper

The short paper is an academic paper reflecting your encounter(s) with film and art works during the core course week.

It should be 3 pages (1000 words) long and include at least one academic source. 

Please upload the paper (WORD or PDF format only) directly in canvas.

Topic: 

During core class week you will experience a number of significant films and art work, covering a variety of media and concepts.

Please select one work from the week (or two, if you would like to write a comparative paper) and develop an in-depth analysis.

Your analysis should have a clear thesis and should include at least two sources written by scholars (you can include class readings).

Please consider the formal qualities of the film and/or art work and aspects of the larger context of your chosen piece(s).

The Research Paper

The research paper is an academic paper that focuses on European visual culture, studied in this class.

It should be 6 pages long (1800-2000 words).

Please upload the paper (WORD or PDF format only) directly in canvas.

Please include a bibliography at the end of the paper, in addition to foot-or endnotes.

Topic:

Your final assignment should have a clear analytical focus and may relate to lectures, readings, discussions and presentations during class and study tours.

Remember that your approach must be analytical and critical and grounded in research, including at least three academic sources

Merely descriptive papers or reflective surveys are not sufficient.

 

Oral Presentation 

You will be given an art or film topic that you are to research and talk about to the class. Some of you will present in class, some of you on study tour.

  • Do research on the topic.
  • If you are presenting in class: Make a power point presentation. Remember to include images on the topic you are talking about (e.g. examples of pieces of artworks, screendumps from film or videoclips from relevant scenes).
  • If you are presenting on study tour: Make a handout with key points, minimum 1 page (not densely written). Remember to include images on the topic you are talking about (e.g. artworks, screendumps from film or links to videoclips from relevant scenes).
  • Formulate a relevant analytical question (or concept) and discuss it during the presentation.
  • The length of your presentation should be 7-10 minutes.
  • Send your power point or hand out presentation to me on mge@dis.dk at least 15 minutes before you are presenting.

 

Classroom Etiquette

The use of distracting devices (smartphones, iPads, laptops, etc.) is strictly prohibited during class. Failure to comply will adversely affect participation grades. Use of laptops for the purpose of note-taking requires prior consultation with the professor. Students should refrain from all other computer activities, as they prove distracting to themselves and fellow students. Mobile phones and other electronic devices should of course be turned off and stored away.

Film Viewings

Please note that it is mandatory to watch each film before the relevant class. We will be watching 9 films in total length, 4 of them will be homework, while 5 of them will be shown during core course week or field studies. Almost all films can be found under Modules or Files here in Canvas - or directly in the Course Calendar. The films we are watching for class are: 

Film:  Access:
  Another Round Watching together
The Worst Person in the World link in Canvas calendar
The Square
 Watching together in Husets Biograf 
The Other Side of Hope link in Canvas Calendar
Further titles TBA

Reading list:

Azeem, Hina: The Art of Edvard Munch: A Window onto a A Mind in BJ Psych Advances, Vol. 21, 2015, p. 51-53

Bazin, André: The Evolution of the Language of Cinema, From What is Cinema, Film Theory and Criticism, Introductory Readings, 4th ed., Oxford University Press, 1992, p.155-167.

Bordwell, David: The Art Cinema as a Mode of Film Practice, Film Criticism, Vol.4 issue 1, Allegheny College, 1979, p. 716-724.

Deleuze, Gilles: Cinema I, Bloomsbury Academic, 2013, p. 1-12

Eliasson, Olafur: Your Engagement has Consequences, 2008 http://olafureliasson.net/archive/read/MDA109985/your-engagement-has-consequences

Mast, Gerald and Bruce F. Kawin, A Short History of the Movies, Pearson, 2010 (excerpts)

Academic Regulations  

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on: 

 

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due