Modern Sculpture: An Introduction to Art History

Dive into art history through an exploration of public sculpture

Public sculpture is everywhere – in our parks, squares and city centres, as well as galleries and museums.

On this course, you’ll explore material, conceptual and theoretical questions around 20th-century sculpture.

Using University of York campus examples, you’ll interrogate the notion of ‘modern’ sculpture and address issues like art conservation and the role of the institution in purchasing new artworks.

You’ll explore Yorkshire’s rich history as the epicentre of contemporary sculpture, including sculpture galleries like the Henry Moore Institute and the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

This course will be of interest to anyone who visits museums and galleries or who is interested in culture, conservation, and heritage subjects.

The course will also be helpful for those considering further study in art history, particularly A-Level students.

• Sculpture in the Built Environment
• Introducing the course
• The Plate Glass University
• The origins of the art collection
• Indoor and outdoor sculpture
• How do we talk about sculpture?
• Modern Sculpture: Histories, Theories & Ideas
• What do we mean by modern sculpture?
• Theories and modern sculpture
• Ideas and encounters with sculpture
• Twentieth-Century Art in Yorkshire
• Yorkshire and Sculpture
• Barbara Hepworth's Single Form (Antiphon) (1970)
• Austin Wright's Dryad (1983)
• Sally Arnup's Friesian Calf (c. 1996)
• Final Thoughts
• The Challenge of the New
• Controversial sculpture
• Sculpture and well-being
• New campus, new sculpture
• Sculpture and the environment
• Final thoughts