Paradigms in Art- en Architectural History

The two courses in the OSK-programme, Paradigms in Art- and Architectural History and Structuring Art History: The Architecture of the PhD-thesis, focus on different problems concerning structure in written art- and architectural history.

Over the past two decades, art and architecture historians have increasingly considered their objects of study in a global framework. Themes of exchange, encounter, movement, adaptation, resistance, and integration predominate. Despite its vintage, questions and confusions still linger about the goals and methods of global art history. Critics wonder: is global art history necessarily globally inclusive? Is it postcolonial, decolonial, or both? Does global history sacrifice historical rigor for breadth? And how exactly can one person possibly tackle such increasingly large stories? This seminar will study recent examples of global art and architecture history to answer these questions.

The first session is dedicated to global histories of art objects, from material-based studies of “early globalisms” to critiques of a “globalized” contemporary artworld. The second session is dedicated to recent global histories of architecture, a different object of study that calls for different types of archives, argumentation, and writing. Participants will be expected to lead discussion and contribute their own research projects to bear on the readings. The goal of the course is reflected in the title, to outgrow the completionist’s atlas. Georges-Didi Huberman described Aby Warburg as an Atlas-like figure, “a titan bent under the burden of the world.” The contrary mission of the seminar is to show the field of global art history as one of possibilities, not burdens.

Course Data

Organising Institute
OSK - University of Amsterdam

Venue
Universiteit Utrecht

Course code

Course type
Seminar

Most appropriate for
First year

Costs
Option 1: Registration at OSK costs 1000 euro one-off. All courses offered by OSK are included in the price. Option 2: you pay per course. 250 euro for each course.

Number of participants

Name of lecturer(s)/coach(es)
Dr. Matthew Mullane (Radboud Universiteit, Nijmegen)

Course load
Two full-day meetings. Preparation: Literature reading, for the 10-minute presentation of own research

Graduate School credits
2

Assessment
Active participation, presentation of own research

Upcoming course dates and times
22 and 29 October 2024

Enrolment
Deadline 27 September 2024. Please visit the OSK website for registration.