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Psychoanalysis and Art - SAHT2644
 Scientia

   
   
   
 
Campus: College of Fine Arts Campus
 
 
Career: Undergraduate
 
 
Units of Credit: 6
 
 
EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)
 
 
Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 3
 
 
Excluded: GEND3218
 
 
Fee Band: 1 (more info)
 
 
Further Information: See Class Timetable
 
  

Description

Psychoanalysis is a key approach to the study of art and visual culture. This course will consider the work of the founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud and three of the main streams of contemporary psychoanalysis his work has spawned: object relations, Kleinian and French Freudianism (Lacan, Kristeva). It will also examine an emerging area of research: affect theory. The course will examine the key concepts from psychoanalysis that have been applied to the analysis of art, such as: dreams and primary processes, sublimation, the uncanny, the fetish and abjection. Each week we will read a key psychoanalytic text and then consider what it illuminates about the nature of art in general, or specific works of art. The aims of this course are to examine how psychoanalysis is used to interpret: the function of art, the origins of vision and creativity, and the unconscious processes that works of art deploy or activate.

Course Outline

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© The University of New South Wales (CRICOS Provider No.: 00098G), 2004-2011. The information contained in this Handbook is indicative only. While every effort is made to keep this information up-to-date, the University reserves the right to discontinue or vary arrangements, programs and courses at any time without notice and at its discretion. While the University will try to avoid or minimise any inconvenience, changes may also be made to programs, courses and staff after enrolment. The University may also set limits on the number of students in a course.