Experiencing Cultural Theory Through Art

COURSE FEATURES

This is the first of the lecture series on cultural theory and art.
Major cultural theorists (this time on modernity in particular) are introduced through the reading of arts like painting, poetry, photography, film and more. The course focuses on the theoretical implication in art, not on the application of cultural theory to art. No prior knowledge is needed.

Course Content
(1) Tangential Intimacy
Through the discussion of the texts (Leung Ping-Kwan’s poem, Charles Baudelaire’s writtings, Wong Kar-wai’s film, and more) we discuss the tangential intimacy between art and cultural theory. How can theory be “felt” in art?

(2) “Les Meninas”
Through Foucault’s discussion of Diego Velázquez’s Las Meninas in the chapter “Las Meninas” in The Order of Things, we discuss how painting drives theoretical thinking.

(3) Art of Distraction
We discuss the significance of distraction to approach the aesthetics of modernity. The texts Hans Holbein the Younger, “The Ambassadors” and Ackbar Abbas, “Cultural Studies in a Postculture” will be discussed.

(4) Affectionate Criticism
We wrap up the course by Roland Barthes’ Camera Lucida in order to discuss his idea of affectionate criticism.

COURSE CODE
23-PS000017-1AP

TUTOR
Dr. FONG Ho Yin
Dr. FONG Ho Yin teaches literary and cultural studies in various tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. He is writing a book tentatively entitled as Walking Everyday Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Taipei in Literary and Cultural Studies. He received a PhD degree in Comparative Literature at the University of Hong Kong in 2007.

CLASS
4

ENROL LIMIT
25

PERIOD
16/1/2023 – 13/2/2023(MON)
Holiday 23/1/2023

TIME
7:30pm – 9:30pm

LANGUAGE
Cantonese

FEE
HKD 1,680