AHT1102 Modernism and the avant-garde
Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture
AHT1102 Modernism and the avant-garde is a level 1, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture, offered in 2025 in Semester 2 at Caulfield. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2025
- Semester 2
- Caulfield
- Assessment
- No exam
- 3 tasks
This is the 2025 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before AHT1102
Prohibitions
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
Corequisites
Pass these before, or take them in the same semester.
After AHT1102
No unit lists AHT1102 as a prerequisite in the 2025 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Prohibition: TAD1102
Overview
In this unit, you will explore the major movements in Modern Art from 1850 to 1960, including Impressionism, Cubism, Abstract Expressionism, Minimalism, and Pop Art. You will investigate key artworks from each movement and consider how these works have been interpreted by art critics and historians from the twentieth century to the present.
Each week, you will focus on a different movement, examining its defining artworks alongside influential art-historical texts that have shaped our understanding of Modern Art.
Offerings in 2025
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Caulfield | On campus |
Assessment
- Critical AnalysisWritten30%
- EssayWritten40%
- TestQuiz / Test30%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Identify and contextualise the principal movements, artists, and key works of Modern Art from 1850 to 1960;
- 2
Apply an art-historically informed vocabulary to the discussion and analysis of Modern artworks;
- 3
Interpret and critically respond to selected works of Modern Art through written and/or verbal engagement;
- 4
Explain the concept of modernism as a broader cultural phenomenon influencing art and society;
- 5
Reflect on and evaluate the disciplinary approaches and assumptions that shape the field of art history;
- 6
Analyse the roles of women artists and global artistic contributions in shaping a more inclusive history of Modern Art;
Workload and teaching
- Tutorials12 hours
- Seminars24 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
- Teaching approachEnquiry-based learning
- Teaching approachResearch activities
- Teaching approachOnline learning
12 hours per week including 3 contact hours plus 9 hours of independent study, or equivalent.
Where it fits
AHT1102 is part of 1 area of study in the 2025 handbook.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Professor Rex Butler
- Chief Examiners
- Professor Rex Butler
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for AHT1102?
None, but you must take OHS1000 before or alongside it.
When is AHT1102 offered?
In 2025, AHT1102 runs in Semester 2 at Caulfield.
Does AHT1102 have an exam?
No. AHT1102 has 3 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include AHT1102?
AHT1102 is part of Art history and theory.