ARTH 356 Studies in the Materials and Processes of Art: Art and Industry

• Instructor: Dr. Jennifer Burgess

This course offers a critical investigation into the relationship between the physical "stuff" of art and its conceptual meaning. Moving beyond a purely visual analysis, ARTH 356 examines how the selection of specific media, ranging from traditional oils and stone to industrial plastics and organic fibres, shapes the viewer's experience and the work’s historical longevity. This course explores the materials and processes before and after industrialisation in art history, moving beyond iconography to examine the physical substances that make up our designed world. We will investigate how materials are sourced, traded, and transformed, and how their physical properties carry social, political, and ecological meanings. From the chemistry of Renaissance pigments to the global textile trade and the ethics of contemporary digital waste, we ask: What does the material tell us that the image alone cannot? The curriculum also focuses on the "Material Turn," a theoretical shift that views the artist’s process and the inherent properties of their chosen medium as primary drivers of art historical change. By the end of the term, students will develop a rigorous methodology for object-based research, gaining the ability to identify technical processes, such as casting, weaving, and chemical patination, and interpret their cultural significance. This technical literacy, combined with an understanding of archival material history, is directly applicable to roles in curatorial research, collections management, and cultural heritage conservation.