Autumn term
Tuesday 4 October – Tuesday 6 December, 19:00
On campus
OR
Monday 10 October – Monday 12 December, 20:00 [London]
Online
The concept of modernism was once considered the domain of the male ‘rebel’. In recent decades this frame has been adjusted in recognition of the pioneering women who played a key role in new cultural networks.
This series of lectures explores the contribution of female artists, patrons and critics to early-twentieth-century Austrian and German modernism, including such figures as Kӓthe Kollwitz, Teresa Ries, Paula Modersohn-Becker, Gabriele Mϋnter, Marianne Werefkin, Berta Zuckerkandl, Hannah Hӧch, and Anni Albers. In different ways, all these women overcame social and private obstacles to train, exhibit and collaborate at the heart of the avant-garde. They forged autonomous careers in which they crossed national boundaries and redefined the depiction of traditional subject-matter: from the nude and the mother and child, to themes of war. From within the avant-garde, they challenged gendered hierarchies that divided ‘art’ and ‘craft’, ‘private’ and ‘public’ imagery, and governed the operations of art institutions.
This series is scheduled to coincide with the exhibition Making Modernism, curated by The Courtauld’s Professor Dorothy Price, which will be held at the Royal Academy in London from 12 November 2022 to 12 February 2023. Lead speaker will be Dr Niccola Shearman, with guest contributions from Professor Dorothy Price, Dr Emily Christensen and Dr Frances Carey.
Course delivery details
This programme is delivered both on campus and online.
On-campus course delivery: lectures are at our Vernon Square campus at 7pm, followed by discussion and drinks, pre-course and further reading, and handout materials on our Virtual Learning Environment.
Online course delivery: This online lecture series consists of pre-recorded lectures, released weekly over 10 weeks, and each viewable for a fortnight; pre-course and further reading, handout materials and a discussion forum on our Virtual Learning Environment; live Q&As for each lecture, delivered via Zoom on Mondays at 20:00 (London time).
