The art of looking slowly

Aims of the course

This course aims to:
1. Provide tools for sustained looking at an artwork.
2. Introduce you to terminology relating to the visual analysis of paintings.
3. Equip you with techniques to actively engage with art which can be used beyond the confines of the course.

Content

Art museums and galleries are popular visitor attractions. Almost six million people visited Tate Modern in 2018 and blockbuster exhibitions ordinarily attract enormous numbers of visitors. But how does the experience of connecting with the art in a museum or gallery measure up?

On arrival at a museum, we might consult a floorplan to orientate ourselves around the physical space, while additional texts may exist to provide interpretation of the works on display. Time is required in order to absorb this information. But what about the duration of time spent engaging with the art objects themselves? On average this amounts to well under a minute per work, but to connect with an artwork and comprehend its potential meanings, under a minute is insufficient.

This introductory course is concerned with developing approaches which encourage a longer look. During the week, we will develop a ‘toolkit’ which facilitates more sustained looking and engagement with art. We will discuss observations and opinions as we look closely at art and think about how to develop dialogues with an artwork which enable us to have more satisfying encounters with art. The course concentrates on painting, but three-dimensional work will be included and we will consider works ranging from the 18th century to the present.

While this is not a traditional history of art course, we will consider socio-historical context, but the main objectives of the course are to gain confidence in developing approaches to enjoy art at a deeper level than a mere glance and to develop core skills in visual analysis. With this in mind, active looking and a willingness to participate in conversation is encouraged. As this course is concerned with looking slowly, just a small selection of works will be covered during the week. The Fitzwilliam Museum in central Cambridge houses outstanding works of art. Our session in the museum provides an opportunity to examine the impact of seeing art ‘in the flesh.’ During the visit, we will consider display and interpretation as well as applying ideas discussed during the week.

Presentation of the course

The course will take place in a classroom setting using PowerPoint presentations to show a small selection of paintings which we will discuss. Students will be encouraged to contribute to classroom discussions by offering opinions and observations. The last day of the course involves a visit to the Fitzwilliam Museum which will involve travelling from the campus into the city centre.

Class sessions

1. Setting the scene: looking and seeing in the museum
This session sets out the aims of the course – of how to engage with figurative art in a meaningful way by becoming active, not passive, viewers. We will consider some of the factors involved in looking at art in a public space.

2. Re-presentations: body language
We will think specifically about the representation of body language and how we might construct questions and dialogues which enable sustained engagement with an artwork.

3. The art of experience
In this presentation, we will involve ideas beyond the visual to consider how imagination can increase connections with an artwork and provide potential for deeper exploration.

4. Exploring the space of an artwork
This session focuses on the some of the ways in which space is depicted within a painting. In preparation for our visit to the Fitzwilliam, we will also think about the actual space in which we find an artwork as well as the space we occupy when looking at art.

5. Fitzwilliam visit
The Fitzwilliam Museum houses outstanding works of art. Looking at a small selection of the collection, we will try out some of the techniques discussed on the course.

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes for this course are:

1. Apply tools for sustained looking at an artwork.
2. Employ terminology relating to the visual analysis of paintings.
3. Identify ways to create active engagement with art which can be used beyond the confines of the course

Required reading

*Harrison, Charles ‘The Imagined Spectator’ in An Introduction to Art pp.92-99, Yale University Press, 2010

Berger, John Ways of Seeing, BBC and Penguin Books,1977. ISBN 0-14-013515-4

Typical week: Monday to Friday

Courses run from Monday to Friday. For each week of study, you select a morning (Am) course and an afternoon (Pm) course. The maximum class size is 25 students. 

Courses are complemented by a series of daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to the learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events.

Evaluation and Academic Credit 

If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses. 

Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £75 per essay.

For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit.

Certificate of attendance

A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically after the programme.