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FINEARTS 245 : Embodiment, Identity and Agency: Art and the Self
Creative Arts and Industries
2025 Semester Two (1255) (30 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
Is Identity given to us, or chosen by us? This course enables students to explore how identity is understood from a variety of cultural and theoretical perspectives, and how it matters to the production and reception of art. Key ideas within this broader question include: the body, ethnicity, gender, health, power, agency, standpoint, fluidity, and intersectionality. We will look at how issues of identity arise in a range of media, genres and themes in contemporary art – including, for example, dance, the self portrait, and queer. Students will engage in reading and discussion in order to grow their knowledge and understanding in these areas, and to reflect on their own experience. Students will develop and present a body of work that responds to this thinking, and write an essay on the ideas and examples that matter to their personal artistic inquiry.
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | People and Place |
| Capability 2: | Sustainability |
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 7: | Collaboration |
| Capability 8: | Ethics and Professionalism |
Learning Outcomes
- to explore and refine aspects of the concept of identity through the production of artworks (Capability 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8)
- to develop and demonstrate material languages, and, their formal resolution that effectively communicates the content of their artworks (Capability 3, 4, 5 and 6)
- to develop and demonstrate research skills that include a range of material, contextual and conceptual methodologies. (Capability 3, 4 and 6)
- to demonstrate a healthy studio practice (Capability 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Studio Assessment | 70% | Individual Coursework |
| Writing Assessment | 30% | Individual Coursework |
| 2 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||||||
| Studio Assessment | ||||||||||
| Writing Assessment | ||||||||||
Teaching & Learning Methods
This course uses project-centred learning in order to support the development of students’ creative working practices. Based in kanohi ki te kanohi environments, dialogue sits at the centre, creating opportunities to share diverse perspectives, knowledge and concepts. A broad range of methods are used in this studio learning environment, including group discussions and critiques, 1-1's with colleagues and tutors, lectures and readings, and where appropriate, gallery visits.
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 30 point course and students are expected to spend 20 hours per week involved in each 30 point course that they are enrolled in. Each teaching week includes 6 hours of teaching contact and 14 hours of independent study time. For this course overall, you can expect 72 hours of contact/class time, 196 hours of self-directed study working on assignments and 32 hours of preparatory reading/research.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is expected during scheduled class hours.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable delivery.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Health & Safety
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Other Information
Students are expected to follow University and Elam guidelines on respectful and inclusive behaviour with each other: in person, and, by email, zoom or other communication methods. This includes during class time, and, whilst communicating outside of class time with your colleagues and your lecturer/s.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.
Students should not present work produced by generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, DALL.E 2) for assessments without the approval of the Course Director. Where AI tools have been approved for use students must follow the instructions given.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
We undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions, the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. In the event of a disruption, the University and your course coordinators will make every effort to provide you with up to date information via Canvas and the University website.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.