Aesthetics: Art, Beauty, and Contemporary Life CCAH-4005

Essay question:

Is photography by gadgets such as smartphones a form of art? What are your personal criteria for admitting something as an art form? In proposing these personal criteria, do you have in mind the concept of beauty? If yes, please briefly describe that concept; if no, what is the reason for dissociating art from the concept of beauty?    

Please write an essay (no more than 1000 words; preferably between 800 and 1000 words) in response to the above question. You need not quote or make reference but if you do so, please follow the guidelines in standard references such as MLA, APA, Chicago, or Harvard. You should submit the essay on the link in SOUL. You will be able to see the figure from Turnitin regarding the degree of similarity to published or public materials, which allows you to decide whether to revise before confirming submission. The deadline for submission is noon 8/11/2024.  

Assessment

1. Individual Essay: Each student will write an essay (800-1000 words) on a theoretical issue (Submitted by Turnitin on SOUL): 20%

Essay sample: Click 

  Sample Short Essay and Comment: Click  

2. Art Review: Each student will write a  review/commentary (around 300 words) on an artwork (1.5 hour during the lecture period): 15% 

Art review form: Click 

Sample art review: click 

3. Group Presentation: A group of students (3-5 members; solo presentation may be accepted if the schedule allows but the duration and scope of presentation will not be thereby proportionally diminished) perform a 20-25 minutes oral presentation (usually in the last lecture period), based on research, on a topic approved by the lecturer: 25%

Sample presentation: click  

4. Two-hour Exam: it may consist of MCQ, short questions and essay question: 40%.

Exam sample: click 

Tentative key events:

1. Week 5: Confirm presentation group members and topics

2. Week 9: Submit essay (8/11/2024)

3. Week 11: Art review

4. Week 13/14: Group presentation

CCAH 4005-CL02

A: Chau Ching Tung, Ip Yan Hei, Lo Mei Kwan, Ngan Jeslyn (recording)

B: Lam Theo, Lee Wing Fei, Lee Siu Lun

C: Au Tsz Kiu, Cheung Tim Yi, Kwok Chun Kit, La Yat Hei, Tong Tsz Ching (recording)

D: Chan Ching Man, Chan Yan Kei, Hang Hiu Lam, Ng Hoi Yan

E: Wong Hei (recording)

F: Sun Jia Ying

G: Chen Ying, Hui Sum Lok, Wong Cheuk Yin (recording)

H: Lam Cho Yiu (recording)

I: Leung Ka Ho

J: Chan Pak Lam, Shen Maria Yiu

K: Leung Yat Long

CCAH 4005-CL01

A: Hu Keming, Kong Yi Lam, Lui Tsz Yui, Qiu Mingyi, Lu Hedan

B: He Yee Hung, Lam Wai Ki, Law Man Wai

C: Kwok Chor Wing, Lau Yu Ching, Wong Sze Ki (recording)

D: Kwan Hoi Ping, Kwok Ching Yiu, Lin Junyu, Luk Tin Yan, Yim Hok Kan (recording)

E: Hui Ka Lok, Lam Lik Hang, Tong Yu Ming, Yim Tsz Ho, Lam Man Wai (Recording)

F: Chan Nok Yin, Chan Ping Yiu, Chau Wing Ting, Ko Ching Yin

G: Chung Tsz Kit, Hui Chak Yu, Ng Chun Lun

H: Chan Chun Man, Chen Yan Yi, Lam Ting Him, Mok Ching Man, Wan Sze Yuet (recording)

I: Chen Wang Chit, Ko Man Ho, Shek Lai Ching

J: Yue Wai Yip

K: , Yu So Yin

Tips on revising:

1. You have around a month to write the essay. Always try to give an honest and coherent view instead of quoting here and there from lecture notes or books. Also check the link on the bottom of this webpage about writing college essay and grading information. Late submission and plagiarism are things you should always avoid. When you submit by Turnitin, you can see the "scores" about the similarity to public/published materials. The grading may be subject to such considerations and so please refrain from the "copy-and-paste" method.  

2. The presentation topic is something you choose and so should not pose a problem for you. Note that oral presentation is different from writing: fluency and engaging the audience are the two most important aspects. Arguably, it is quite impossible to say that the presenter plagiarizes unless she just reads out other's work.

3. Examination covers only topics 1, 2, 5, 6. Topics 3 and 4 are relevant to learning art review and picking the group presentation topic.

Course Outline: Click  

Consultation: If you want to meet the lecturer in person to discuss, please email to him/her to arrange a time. Thomas Ming email: tkyming@hkuspace.hku.hk

Please note that I will not print out the PowerPoint or notes for you. 

All announcements concerning the course will be posted on this website instead of SOUL.

 Course website: https://sites.google.com/site/arthkuspace/

Useful Links:

APA style guide: Click

Grading information: Click Click

Philosophy Journals in HKU

Guide to writing essay: Click

1. Introduction 

Lecture:  Art and Aesthetics 

Reading:  Tarkovsky 

Video:  Intro

Topic 1: Tarkovsky reading summary: click  

  2. Form, Taste and Emotion 

Lecture:  Art and Form   

Lecture:  Hume and Kant 

Reading:  Nietzsche   Hume   Kant 

Video:  Hume and Kant 

Topic 2: Nietzsche-Hume-Kant readings summary: click  

3. History of Art 

Lecture:  History of Art 

Reading:  Zisser   Gombrich

Video:  On Gombrich  

4. Case Studies 

Lecture and Practicum :  Art Review

Reading:  Foucault

Video:  Sample One   Sample Two   Sample Three   Sample Four   Sample Five   Local  

5. Contemporary Art: Diversity and Frivolousness

Lecture:  Contemporary Art and Society

Reading:   Heidegger

Video:  Someone on Kitsch   Roger Scruton on Fake  

Topic 5: Heidegger summary: click 

6. Socializing and Politicizing Art 

Lecture:  Historicizing Art 

Reading:  Mao   Benjamin 

Video:  On Benjamin   Communist Art   Cultural Revolution Art

Readings:

You are not required to buy any book. Readings will be provided for you in the course website. You can, however, consult the following texts to enrich your knowledge in the area.