Introduction to Conceptual Art Course

«Introduction to Conceptual Art» is Es Baluard’s proposal for starting off the 2018-19 academic year of its educational programme, «Aula d’Adults» (‘Adults’ Class’), a regular programme of educational courses designed to bring contemporary art closer to people in order to generate audiences, habits and training for a public who are not connoisseurs or are oblivious to the world of art. This year, the programme aims to introduce participants to what is known as Conceptual Art, which was developed in the mid-1960s.

Conceptual Art is one of the artistic genres that generates most rejection on the part of non-specialised audiences. The objective of the course is to make Conceptual art understandable for everybody, as one of the most revolutionary and important genres in Contemporary art, since its origins in the second half of the 20th Century until today.

In the words of art critic Peter Osborne, in the early 1970s a revolution in the perception and practice of art took place: art became a vehicle for ideas. Conceptual art calls traditional art into question, specifically the most formal aesthetic. The concept or idea behind a work of art becomes more important than the art object itself. Philosophy, language or mathematics become part of art, that has in many cases a strong relationship with the context from which it emerges.

«The idea becomes the machine that makes the art» tells us Conceptual artist Sol LeWitt and art critic Lucy Lippard introduces the concept of «dematerialization of art». This new interest in the process or idea modifies also the sense of contemplation of the work of art and visual reception and perception. Audiences relationship with the work of art becomes much more active and there is a growing artistic interest in merging art and life.

Methodology and structure

The course will take place over five sessions each lasting two hours. These contents will be contextualised within the historical and social moment. We will introduce Conceptual Art at an International level, we will discuss artists from the United States, Europe, Latin America and Japan.

The methodology will be active and participative. The dissertation will be complemented with readings, viewings of videos or images and the active participation of those attending.

The contents of the course will be:

• Precedents of Conceptual Art: Marcel Duchamp, John Cage, Situationist International, Minimalism, Pop Art, etc.
• First contact with the specific terminology of Conceptual Art and the challenge it presents for prevailing aesthetics and artistic institutions.
• Conceptual Art from the United States, United Kingdom and Japan.
• Conceptual Art in Europe and Latin America
• The legacy of Conceptual Art.

Practical Information:

• Lecturer: Aina Bauzà, graduate in Art history, cultural educator and mediator.
• Dates: 27 and 29 November and 4, 11, 13 Desember 2018
• Times: 6 pm – 8 pm. Total 10 hours
• Price: €25 (10% discount for Amics d’Es Baluard (Friends of Es Baluard) and members of the Colegio Oficial de Guías Turísticos de las Illes Balears (Official Tourism Guides’ Association of the Balearic Islands)
• Activity in Catalan
• Limited number of places (by order of enrolment). Information and enrolment at difusio01@esbaluard.org
• An attendance certificate will be given (minimum 80% attendance of sessions)