Art Appreciation: Art through the lens of the Anthropocene

This 6-unit course uses the perspective of the Anthropocene to examine well-known art and design from the nineteenth and twentieth century, focusing on three subthemes: landscape, the spiritual and the animalistic, and human alongside nature. These subthemes function as examples of the Anthropocene that can inspire learners to engage with this topic further after completing the course. We will examine a range of artworks and design objects, from painting and photography to architecture and fashion items, by famous artists such as J.M.W. Turner, Wassily Kandinsky, and William Morris. By focusing on the relationship between human and the non-human in these works, the course encourages learners to view art from a new perspective and appreciate its relevance to our daily lives. The course is suitable for learners of all levels, regardless of their previous experience of art history. By engaging in interactive visual analysis, close reading, and group discussion activities, learners will develop visual analysis and critical thinking skills, the confidence to discuss works of art and design using appropriate terminology, as well as a good understanding of the relationship between art (history) and the Anthropocene.