ARTE – Fine Art
ARTE 101
Art History I
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course provides an introduction to the history of Western art and architecture from prehistory to the Early Renaissance. Relevant art historical methodologies are introduced, and selected works are examined within the framework of a contextual and formal analysis.
ARTE 102
Art History II
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course provides an introduction to the history of Western art and architecture from the Renaissance to the mid-nineteenth century. Relevant art historical methodologies are introduced, and selected works are examined within the framework of a contextual and formal analysis.
ARTE 104
Five Centuries of Art and Visual Culture: From Renaissance to the 19th-Century
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course is an introduction to the history of art and visual culture of Western Europe from the fifteenth century to the mid-nineteenth century. The course will cover this topic primarily in a linear historical fashion, but with room for thematic discussions. Therefore, a selection of works that are relevant to major historical themes will be explored.
ARTE 106
Digital Foundation
3 Credits Weekly (1-3-0)
This course introduces the concepts, vocabulary, histories and processes that are key to digital art practice. Students will gain knowledge and experience in digital processes through projects that explore the creative possibilities of working in the digital environment. This course is studio-based with lectures.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ARTE 111.
ARTE 107
3D Foundation
3 Credits Weekly (1-3-0)
This studio-based course introduces the principles and concepts of three-dimensional material and spatial art. Students work with traditional and contemporary materials and technical processes that are relevant to sculpture, installation, and other creative forms, including constructed and reductive forms, and repetitive or distributive processes. An orientation to safe work procedures in a woodshop and a test of safety knowledge is required prior to working with hand tools, power tools, and other equipment. This course also develops critical vocabulary to discuss and critique spatial forms.
ARTE 110
Drawing Foundation
3 Credits Weekly (2-4-0)
This course introduces the visual elements, methodologies, and principles of drawing. Students learn to work with traditional mediums and various papers. Students concentrate on the principles of perspective, tonality, and line dynamics.
ARTE 111
2D Foundation
3 Credits Weekly (2-4-0)
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the theories, elements and vocabulary of the visual language. Students work with two-dimensional form to study the structures and principles of composition, illusionistic space, visual dynamics and colour theory. The critique practice is introduced. Development of problem solving and crafting skills, communication skills and productive work habits are emphasized.
ARTE 119
Introduction to Creative Research
3 Credits Weekly (2-2-0)
This course introduces modes of research that are fundamental to contemporary studio-based art, including but not limited to: material research, historical practices and research for innovation. Students develop art projects that generate from research models. Visits to specific exhibitions and artist studios may be required. This course is studio-based with lectures. Note: Students can only receive credit for one of either ARTE 119 or INTA 240, and ARTE students may not take INTA 240.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ARTE 111.
ARTE 120
Drawing I
3 Credits Weekly (2-4-0)
Students commence the in-depth study of observational drawing by expanding on knowledge and skills developed in Drawing Foundation. Subjects include still life, portrait, and figure, and may include architecture, plant, animal, and other forms.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ARTE 110.
ARTE 121
Design II
4 Credits Weekly (2-4-0)
This course provides an in-depth study of the visual language. Working primarily with paint on board, assignments are designed to stimulate analytical and creative thinking. Problem solving skills and productive work habits are emphasized. Attendance at visiting artist lectures and art exhibitions outside of scheduled class hours may be required.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ARTE 111.
ARTE 202
Art History III
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Beginning with the foundations of Modernism in the mid-nineteenth century, this course examines the major movements in art, architecture, photography, and design developed in Europe and North America up to the major movements in art, architecture, photography, and design developed in Europe and North America up to the later part of the twentieth century. Relevant art historical methodologies are introduced, and selected works are examined within the framework of a contextual and formal analysis.
ARTE 203
Issues in Contemporary Art
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Issues in Contemporary Art is the study and discussion of art produced after WWII in the cultural, political, economic and theoretical contexts of visual culture. Students explore key issues through analysis of selected artists, art works and movements which make up the contemporary art scene.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ARTE 202.
ARTE 205
Painting I
3 Credits Weekly (2-4-0)
Students are introduced to contemporary painting methods, concepts, and materials. Studio work may include painting practice in acrylic media, preparing and building substrates, creative research, lab work, peer discussion, and group critiques. Students may be required to attend off-site lectures and art exhibitions outside of scheduled class hours.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ARTE 120.
ARTE 206
Intermedia I
3 Credits Weekly (2-4-0)
Students are introduced to contemporary digital media and intermedia art practices within a fine art context. Concepts, tools, and artworks created with digital media and in combination with non-digital preparation or presentation are introduced, with an introduction to video, sound, image, and/or electronic arts. Students may also be required to attend some lectures and art exhibitions outside of scheduled class hours.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ARTE 106.
ARTE 207
3D Spatial Practice I
3 Credits Weekly (2-4-0)
This studio course introduces concepts and practices relevant to material practices in contemporary three-dimensional art such as sculpture, installation and assemblage. Students work on projects that consider what material and craft mean in contemporary three-dimensional art, including questions and approaches around the object, installation, labour, skill, production, and consumption, among others. Work will take place in and beyond the studio, requiring students to consider the studio as a place of individual and collective making.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ARTE 107.
ARTE 208
Introduction to Professional Practice
3 Credits Weekly (0-0-3)
Students examine professional issues and responsibilities that artists encounter in a contemporary art practice. In a seminar forum, with gallery and studio visits and presentations from practicing professionals and students, students explore the various methods employed to develop and sustain a professional studio practice. Exhibition practices, art-writing, team and community collaboration and dissemination strategies are the focus of this course.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ARTE 230.
ARTE 214
History of Photography
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course surveys the technological, social and cultural histories of photography from its origins in the early 19th-century to the 21st-century. Students consider the impact of photography on a variety of fields, including portraiture, science, colonial exploration, anthropology, sociology, criminology, journalism and the fine arts. While familiarizing students with influential photographers and significant photographs of the 19th-, 20th- and 21st-centuries, this course also introduces students to the scholarly discourse around historical and current characteristics and conditions of photographic images.
ARTE 215
Painting II
3 Credits Weekly (2-4-0)
Students further develop aesthetic and technical painting processes as they undertake studio projects using materials, concepts and methodologies of contemporary painting. Studio work includes exploration in painting practice and critical research, and extended discussion and group critiques. Students are also required to attend some off-site lectures and art exhibitions outside of scheduled class hours.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ARTE 205.
ARTE 216
Intermedia II
3 Credits Weekly (2-4-0)
This studio course expands on the critical and contemporary approaches to intermedia with a focus on movement and space. Projects take place in or beyond the studio, and collaboration in or across discipline is strongly encouraged. Students engage in reading discussions and presentations on related themes, and are expected to attend some lectures, art exhibitions, and events in real or online spaces outside of scheduled class locations and hours.
Prerequisites: ARTE 206.
ARTE 217
3D Spatial Practice II
3 Credits (2-4-0)
This studio course builds on concepts and practices relevant to spatial practice in contemporary sculpture, installation, and related art forms. Students work on projects that identify and develop intersections between spatial concerns and contemporary three-dimensional art that includes questions and approaches around the object, installation, action, intervention, and audience. Work will take place in and beyond the studio, requiring students to attend outside exhibitions and install or present works outside the campus studio.
Prerequisites: ARTE 207 or consent of department.
ARTE 219
Concepts and Practice
3 Credits Weekly (2-2-0)
In this studio course, students generate artwork through independent research, from a choice of subjects and concepts. These self-directed projects progress from conceptual and material development to final presentation and critical discussion. Projects may include writing assignments, supplementary readings, visits to galleries and attendance at visiting artist lectures.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ARTE 119.
ARTE 224
The Visual Culture of Modernity: Fin-de-siècle to Mid-Twentieth Century
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
This course is an exploration of art and visual culture in the Modernist Era up to the mid-twentieth century. Beginning with representations of nineteenth-century urban life and newly modern ways of viewing the world, students will learn about the major modernist philosophies, art movements, and architectural influences. The chaos and destruction of both World Wars as related to various forms of cultural production will also be studied.
ARTE 230
Introduction to Contemporary Drawing
3 Credits Weekly (2-4-0)
In this studio course, students investigate materials, methodologies and forms prevalent in contemporary drawing practices. Written assignments, visits to galleries and attendance at artist lectures may be required.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ARTE 120.
ARTE 234
Art and Visual Culture II: Modernism and Postmodernism
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Lecture survey course on history of global art and visual culture from 1950 to contemporary practice of the 2000s, focusing primarily on western culture but including major world regions. Emphasis is placed on historical, social, and interpretive issues relevant to the critical analysis of artistic production and meaning.
ARTE 259
Special Topics in Art
3 Credits Weekly (2-4-0)
This course provides an in-depth study of a specific subject area or theme within Fine Art. The topic for the course varies term to term and topics are posted in the department and on the department website prior to registration. Specific prerequisites for each topic are also posted, and students are advised to check the descriptions prior to requesting permission from the Chair.
ARTE 301
2D Concepts and Practice
3 Credits (0-6-0)
Students explore two-dimensional creative forms and processes through independent research from a choice of provided subjects and concepts. Emphasis is on experimentation with diverse materials and substrates and may include (but are not limited to) traditional drawing and painting materials, photography, and digital media. These projects progress from conceptual and material development to final presentation and critical discussion. Writing assignments, supplementary readings, visits to sites or galleries, and attendance at visiting artist lectures may be required.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ARTE 205 and 206, or consent of department.
ARTE 304
Theory in Contemporary Art
3 Credits Weekly (0-0-3)
Highlighting critical readings and discussions, this seminar course introduces issues and ideas moulding contemporary visual art practices from various theoretical perspectives. Focused on visual art history, aesthetics, and critical theory, topics include the assignment of value; the formation of taste; the relationships between individuals and institutions, the role of authorship; the gate-keeping functions of curating and criticism; the maintenance of categories (such as high/low, naïve, primitive, outsider); and the uses of art as décor, critique, commodity, and research.
Prerequisites: ARTE 104 or consent of department.
ARTE 306
Intermedia Extended I
3 Credits Weekly (2-4-0)
This studio course expands on the critical and contemporary approaches to intermedia and digital art. Projects take place in or beyond the studio, and collaboration in or across discipline is strongly encouraged. Students discuss and develop projects within the shifting field of intermedia, focusing on contemporary digital practices within Fine Art. Students engage in reading discussions and presentations on related themes, and are expected to attend some lectures, art exhibitions, and events in real or online spaces outside of scheduled class locations and hours.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ARTE 206 or consent of department.
ARTE 307
3D Concepts and Practice
3 Credits ((2-4-0)
Students explore three-dimensional creative forms and processes through independent research from a choice of provided subjects and concepts. Emphasis is on experimentation with space-based forms including sculpture and installation, diverse materials, and use of space. These projects progress from conceptual and material development to final presentation and critical discussion. Projects may include writing assignments, supplementary readings, visits to galleries, and attendance at visiting artist lectures.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ARTE 207 or consent of department.
ARTE 308
Professional Practice
3 Credits (0-0-3)
Students examine professional issues and responsibilities that artists encounter in a contemporary art practice. In a seminar forum, with gallery and studio visits and presentations from practicing professionals and students, students explore the various methods employed to develop and sustain a professional studio practice. Exhibition practices, art-writing, team and community collaboration and dissemination strategies are the focus of this course. Note: Credit can be obtained in only one of ARTE 308 OR INTA 414.
Prerequisites: ARTE 205 and ARTE 206 or consent of department.
ARTE 311
2D Concepts and Practice Extended
3 Credits (0-6-0)
Students are guided through a more extensive, deeper learning experience working with their choice of two-dimensional concepts. Students accessing the course as adjunct to their primary focus work with instruction to enhance their knowledge and skills working with 2D concepts and media that were introduced in the 200-level courses. Self-directed and assigned projects progress from conceptual and material development to final presentation and critical discussion. Writing assignments, supplementary readings, visits to sites or galleries, and attendance at visiting artist lectures may be required.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ARTE 301 or consent of department.
ARTE 314
Thinking Photography
3 Credits Weekly (3-0-0)
Students examine how photographs convey meaning and influence social and cultural practices. In this course, students discuss photographic theory and the nature and function of photographic images. Also, students examine a range of photographic practices, both current and historical, and discuss documentary photography, photojournalism, advertising, scientific photography, sociological and anthropological uses of photography, art photography and personal photography.
ARTE 316
Intermedia Extended II
3 Credits (0-6-0)
In this course, students have the opportunity to delve deeper into critical and contemporary approaches to intermedia and digital art practice. Projects take place in or beyond the studio, and collaboration in or across discipline is strongly encouraged. Students discuss and develop projects within the shifting field of intermedia, focusing on contemporary digital practices within Fine Art. Students engage in reading discussions and presentations on related themes, and are expected to attend some lectures, art exhibitions, and events in real or online spaces outside of scheduled class locations and hours.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in ARTE 216 or consent of department.
ARTE 317
3D Concepts and Practice Extended
3 Credits (2-4-0)
In this course, students have the opportunity to delve deeper into critical and contemporary approaches to working with three-dimensional creative forms and processes through independent research from a choice of provided subjects and concepts. Emphasis is on experimentation with space-based forms including sculpture and installation, diverse materials, and use of space. These projects progress from conceptual and material development to final presentation and critical discussion. Projects may include writing assignments, supplementary readings, visitings to galleries, and attendance at visiting artist lectures.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in one of ARTE 217 or ARTE 307 or consent of department.
ARTE 324
History of Interdisciplinary Arts
3 Credits (3-0-0)
Surveying aspects of interdisciplinarity engaged with visual art and culture, this lecture course examines crossovers and hybrid forms from the modern period to the present. Concentrating on various art forms, deep but diverse interconnections testify to the persistence and richness of interdisciplinarity and its focus on research, novelty, experiment, transformation, and inclusivity.
Prerequisites: INTA 210, ARTE 202, ARTE 224, or consent of department.
ARTE 399
Special Topics in Art
3 Credits (2-4-0)
Students develop specialized knowledge in a selected concept, idea or issue within contemporary art practice. The topic is determined in consultation with the instructor and varies with the expertise of the instructor. Students demonstrate the capacity for independent intellectual work. Outcomes of the course are intended to inform current practice and students will be encouraged to present concepts, ideas and even controversies to a critical audience.
Prerequisites: Consent of department.
ARTE 400
Art in the Public Sphere
3 Credits (0-0-3)
Examining historical and contemporary modes and exemplars of visual art and culture directly engaging the public sphere, this seminar course uses critical readings and discussions to further develop awareness of diverse art forms and their relations with varied audiences. Aspects such as site-specific art, activist art, institutional critique, relational aesthetics, social practice, and social engagement will be prominent, as well as ideas of the monument and the memorial, public art, and critical interventions are explored through critical and theoretical lenses questioning equally the privacy of individual subjectivity and the fluid zones of public and group identity.
ARTE 409
Concepts and Practice
3 Credits (2-4-0)
Students begin the development of a self-directed body of work with faculty guidance through mentorship roles. The self-directed studio work may incorporate any form, involve any materials or media, and employ any processes essential to the exploration and resolution of the body of work. Writing assignments, supplementary readings, visits to sites or galleries, and attendance at visiting artist lectures may be required.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in one of ARTE 301, ARTE 306 or ARTE 307.
ARTE 429
BFA Project
6 Credits (4-8-0)
Students focus on the development, completion and presentation of a final body of self-directed art work to present for the Bachelor of Fine Arts. An expanded research statement accompanies the work submitted. A faculty mentor is assigned to the student to guide and support the student throughout the term, however students are encouraged to invite additional faculty for ad hoc critiques throughout the term. Students will participate in weekly group meetings led by a faculty member.
Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C in ARTE 409 or consent of department.