Art Unit 1-4
“Art is an integral part of people’s lives. It is a potent and dynamic means through which to communicate personal experiences, ideas, cultural values, beliefs, ideas and viewpoints on experiences and issues in contemporary society...”
(Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 2016, p.5)
Art
Unit 1/2
To access the 2017-2023 Art Study Design
Scope of study
Art is an integral part of people’s lives. It is a potent and dynamic means through which to communicate personal experiences, ideas, cultural values, beliefs, ideas and viewpoints on experiences and issues in contemporary society. In the study of VCE Art, theoretical research and investigation informs art making. Through the study of artworks and the role of artists in society, students develop their own artistic practice, expression and communication of ideas using a range of processes, materials and techniques. In the process of making and examining art, students use and develop their imagination, creativity, flexibility, adaptability, innovation and risk-taking. By combining a focused study of artworks with practical art making, they are encouraged to recognise the interplay between research and art making. This study provides students with an informed context that supports an awareness of art as a tool for cultural and personal communication, in addition to providing stimulus and inspiration for their own art making.
Rationale
VCE Art introduces the role of art, in all forms of media, in contemporary and historical cultures and societies. Students build an understanding of how artists, through their practice and the artworks they produce, communicate their experiences, ideas, values, beliefs and viewpoints. In this study, students view artworks and investigate the working practices of artists from different cultures and periods of time. VCE Art challenges students to articulate their understanding of the meanings and messages contained within artworks and to examine the effects of artworks upon the viewer. Students develop skills in research, analysis, art history and criticism to interpret and debate the ideas and issues that are raised in artworks and, in response, they form and support personal points of view. Through exploration and experimentation, students develop skills in creative, critical, reflective and analytical thinking to explore, develop and refine visual artworks in a range of art forms, and to develop an awareness of appropriate health and safety practices. VCE Art equips students with practical and theoretical skills that enable them to follow pathways into tertiary art education or further training in a broad spectrum of art related careers. VCE Art also offers students opportunities for personal development and encourages them to make an ongoing contribution to the culture of their community through participation in lifelong art making.
Structure
The study is made up of four units.
Unit 1: Artworks, experience and meaning
Unit 2: Artworks and contemporary culture
Unit 3: Artworks, ideas and values
Unit 4: Artworks, ideas and viewpoints
Each unit deals with specific content contained in areas of study and is designed to enable students to achieve a set of outcomes for that unit.
Each outcome is described in terms of key knowledge and key skills.
A glossary defining terms used across Units 1 to 4 in the VCE Art Study Design is included in the companion document Advice for teachers.
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Unit 1
Artworks, experience and meaning
Unit 2
Artworks and contemporary culture
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