Aboriginal Art in the Northern Territory

This subject is not offered in 2016.

Total expected time commitment is 170 hours across the semester, including class time.

Admission to fourth year honours or postgraduate diploma in art history, or MA program in art history, art curatorship, arts & cultural management, or Indigenous studies. Students must obtain the approval of the subject coordinator to enrol in this subject.

None

AHIS30005 Contemporary Aboriginal Art, or Australian Indigenous Studies subjects.

None

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject is taught in Alice Springs and Darwin with visits to artistically significant Aboriginal communities. Emphasising Indigenous ownership of cultural knowledge, students will consider the history and development of Aboriginal art in the Northern Territory and the specific social, economic, geographical and cultural effects it has generated. In a series of structured classes, students will be versed in protocols and introduced to traditional owners and community members. During visits to communities, students will witness the creation of artworks and be able to initiate projects based on primary research. They will learn about the key issues and elements governing the contemporary Aboriginal art scene, the relationship between art and culture, including the importance of art in the wider community. Funding, management models and resource availability will be explained in relation to the art centres visited. Students will also study the display and consumption of Indigenous art at institutional and tourist levels.

A quota of 10-12 students applies to this subject.

Students who complete this subject will:

• have met and interacted with Australian Aboriginal people from a diverse range of communities and learnt about their art, its history and culture;
• have read the literature on, and experienced at first hand, a range of issues that Australian Aboriginal people face, and how these have influenced and affected art production;
• understand the need to establish networks and foster relationships that recognise and respect Indigenous knowledge, leading to equitable research partnerships in the field of art history; and
• be familiar with the relevant literature in art history that addresses the place of the Aboriginal art genre, the range of interpretive methodologies applied in the study of Aboriginal art and the politics of consumption and display.

A written site project equivalent to 1500 words 25% (due in late July), and an essay of 3500 words 75% (due in August). Students are required to attend a minimum of 80% (or 10 out of 12) classes in order to qualify to have their written work assessed. Any student who fails to meet this hurdle without valid reason will not be eligible to pass the subject. All required written work must be submitted in order to pass the subject. Essays submitted after the due date without an extension will be penalised 2% per day. Essays submitted after two weeks of the assessment due date without a formally approved application for special consideration or an extension will only be marked on a pass/fail basis if accepted.

A subject reader will be available.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students who successfully complete this subject will:

• be able to research through the competent use of the library and other information sources, and be able to define areas of inquiry and methods of research in the preparation of essays;
• be able to conceptualise theoretical problems, form judgements and arguments and communicate critically, creatively and theoretically through essay writing, tutorial discussion and presentations;
• be able to communicate knowledge intelligibly and economically through essay writing and tutorial discussion;
• be able to manage and organise workloads for recommended reading, the completion of essays and assignments and examination revision; and
• be able to participate in team work through involvement in syndicate groups and group discussions.

A quota of 10-12 students applies to this subject. Students should consult the subject coordinator for application procedures and forms. Prospective students must register with the lecturer in charge, submit an application, and receive written approval of enrolment. To enrol in this subject students must submit a Subject Variation form along with written authorisation from the School of Culture and Communication to the Faculty of Arts Student Centre. It is not possible to enrol in this subject on-line. Strict enrolment deadlines apply to subjects taught during the winter recess. The subject dates and HECS/course fee census dates for this subject change each year. Check your enrolment record for the correct census date for this subject.