Contemporary Art Theory
The late aesthetician Arthur Danto said “Contemporary art is becoming increasingly ‘small,’ but the theories that support art are proliferating.” Indeed, many modern artworks are not significantly different from everyday objects, as if the support of theory has become the basis for art itself. Whether this situation is good or bad, understanding these theories greatly aids our appreciation of contemporary art. The 20th century saw the emergence of numerous theories that influence or explain art, such as Marxism, feminism, structuralism, hermeneutics and postmodernism. This course consists of five lectures, introducing some of the more important theories and how they apply to the creation and evaluation of art.
Lecture One: Marxism
Lecture Two: Hermeneutics and Semiotics
Lecture Three: Postmodernism
Lecture Four: Feminism
Lecture Five: Pluralism
Tutor
Dr. Leung Kwong Yiu
Dr Leung majored in Aesthetics and is particularly interested in researching methods of thinking, art, religion, ethics, and Chinese philosophy. He has also authored books such as “Illustrated Thinking Methods”, “The End of Art”, “Illustrated Practical Ethics”, “Illustrated Political Philosophy”, “Illustrated Ancient Chinese Philosophy”, and “Japan Sketch Collection”.
| Period | 8 July to 5 August 2025 (every Tuesday) |
| Time | 7:00pm-9:00pm |
| No. of Lesson | 5 (Total of 10 hours) |
| Fee | HK$2,390 |
| Level | Advanced |
| Language | Cantonese supplemented with English |
| Course Code | ASSC-3260D-R |
| Age | 16+ |
| Entry Requirement | Complete The Art of Appreciating Art course |
| Venue | 15/F, Hong Kong Arts Centre |
