Course info

Course Description:

In addressing art geographies through gender perspective, the course Decolonial Aesthetics focuses on the meta-geographical ideologies of art production, and its counter-cartographies, offering a critical lens through which artists, curators, theorists, and cross-disciplinary scholars deal with decolonial art-based research, while they create experimental and pluriversal methodologies.

 Following the link between art geographies and the politics of belonging, the course explores gender, decolonial and materialist theories and methodologies back-to-back with artistic and other related audio, visual and textual practices. With a focus on common meta-geographical meanings, the geography of belonging is here defined as a negotiated geography beyond imposed geopolitical borders and its (re)constructed dividing walls. Addressing to the pluriversal mode of social subjectivation (politics of belonging) rather than to multicultural mode of (geo)political identification (politics of identity), the course looks for critical geographies shaped through and by the art system that reflects both: geopolitical power relations and its geopolitical zones of discomfort.

Used in this context, this cross-disciplinary field of decolonial aesthetics will be linked to the notion of counter-spaces to refer to those art-based effort of politically engaged mapping against patriarchal, neocolonial and any oppressive geopolitical power structures.

Accordingly, the focus will be on politically engaged art practices, theories, and critiques dealing with these geopolitical zones of discomfort which refuse to be mobilized for territorial, national, ethnic, religious, racial, economic, or other geopolitical domination/exploitation. Through these practices, today’s art based on cross-disciplinary research will be used not only as an aesthetic but also as an epistemic source within the new field of art geographies, in particular dealing with the subject of decolonial aesthetics.

Course Objectives:

·      Analyse the concept of art geographies and its relationship to dominant geopolitical discourses through politically engaged art practices.
·      Explore decolonial aesthetics within art-based research, emphasizing gender/feminist and queer perspectives.
·      Assess the role of art in challenging hegemonic cartographies and creating emancipatory narratives through its critical counter-cartographies.
·      Examine the potential of politically engaged art practices to serve as both aesthetic and epistemic sources for the field of decolonial aesthetics.
·      Investigate the art-based utilisation of notions such as decolonial, anti-colonial, post-colonial, non-alignment, (non-)belonging, counter-spaces, etc. and its relevance in mapping against dominant power structures within the field of art geographies.
·      Engage in cross-disciplinary art-based approach to understanding gender/feminist and queer dynamics within decolonial aesthetics.

Learning Outcomes:

·      Demonstrate an understanding of key concepts and theories related to decolonial aesthetics, its art geographies and cross-disciplinary research practices.

·      Critically analyse art-based examples through gender, decolonial and (new)materialist perspectives.

·      Apply theoretical frameworks to interrogate power dynamics within art production and its political engaged practices.

·      Synthesize art-based knowledge gained to articulate art geographies through decolonial concepts and narratives of planetary coexistence.

·      Engage in participatory research and dissucsions to explore diverse sources and perspectives.

·      Communicate insights effectively through written and oral presentations.

Course Requirements:

·      Regular attendance and active participation in class discussions and activities.

·      Completion of assigned readings and engagement with course materials.

·      Submission of written assignments and/or presentation of projects demonstrating critical analysis and synthesis of course concepts.

·      Willingness to engage in collaborative and cross-disciplinary learning experiences.

·      Openness to diverse perspectives and respectful engagement with peers.

Course material:

Each week, the course will include one compulsory text and one or two recommended texts, consisting of book chapters or excerpts, articles or essays, totalling up to 20 pages (except during the two weeks designated for student work on their case studies/presentations).

 The lectures will integrate art-based examples/practices, projects and works thematically, analysing them within the framework of selected texts. Students are encouraged to contribute to this list, especially through discussions and their final essays, projects, contributions and/or presentations (in various audio/visual/textual/media formats).

Assignments:

Creative Research Project (60%):

Description: Students will identify a specific geopolitical issue related to decolonial aesthetics. They will then create a case study project (e.g., video, digital art, audio narrative, text, presentation, or other media format) that critically engages with this issue. Individual work.

Objective: To encourage creative expression and decolonial and critical thinking by exploring the intersections of art and geopolitics.

Submission: A 15-minute presentation of the project followed by a Q&A session.

 OR / An Alternative to Creative Research Project

 Written Case Study Analysis (60%):

Description: Students will select a case study of politically engaged art practice dealing with decolonial aesthetics and write up to 3000-word analysis connecting it to the theories and concepts discussed in the course. Individual work.

Objective: To develop skills in critical analysis and application of theoretical frameworks.

Submission: Written text and a brief oral presentation.

 

Collaborative Work (30%):

Description: In groups, students will co-create an exhibition-research space based on their creative research projects or/and case study analysis that embodies common themes and concepts. Collaborative work.

Objective: To foster teamwork and collaborative problem-solving while engaging with course themes.

Presentation: A final research exhibition of the common themes with individual group presentations explaining their work.

 Final Discussion (10%):

Description: At the end of the course, students will reflect on their learning experiences, class discussions, and personal insights including key takeaways and how they plan to apply this knowledge in future endeavours. Participative practice.

Objective: To consolidate learning and practice plenary speaking and presentation skills.

Submission: A reflective participation and a brief oral discussion.