Art history into conceptual making

Check timetable and enrol

This course can be taken by leaners with all levels of experience in any form of art or creative practice. It is well suited to those who wish to try a non-traditional or idea-based approach to art making.

The conceptual art movement of the 1960s and 70s raised questions about what art is and how playful and philosophical ideas could become central to visual art.

We will consider the experimental, unique approaches of conceptual artists and learn from the ways of making which they proposed. Learners will be challenged to work with ideas and materials in unconventional ways, moving beyond traditional practices of making such as painting. 

You'll learn:

• some background and history of conceptual art making and how conceptual art can be interpreted
• how artists have worked with concepts across different mediums including sculpture, drawing, photography and writing
• how to experiment with different mediums, consider what different materials mean to each of us and discover how these materials allow us to ‘speak’ in different ways

How the course is taught

• the course is tutor-led with one-to-one support and group discussions
• you will work individually and collaboratively to construct a series of small, experimental works of art which convey your ideas, thoughts and feelings

What to bring

Materials will be provided for this course. You may like to bring in one or more specific items, such as an object or image, which mean something to you and could be used as a starting point in an exercise.

Solvents of any kind are not permitted in the workshop.

After the course

You can take further courses on similar and related visual art practices at The Thomas Calton Centre or elsewhere in the community.