Fine Art: Studio Site and Context (Swansea College of Art)

UCAS code: 2T12

Here's what University of Wales Trinity Saint David says about its Fine Art: Studio Site and Context (Swansea College of Art) course.

Our Fine Art: Studio, Site and Context course at Swansea College of Art UWTSD offers a broad approach to fine art teaching, where individual artistic practice draws on a variety of materials, media, concepts, and philosophies. Our course places a strong emphasis on studio practice, site specificity and contextualisation of practice.

You will work with a variety of mediums including painting, drawing, sculptural practice, video, sound, installation, and fine art performance, helping to develop your own individual practice. We encourage all students to consider their position within society, giving you the opportunity to learn from internationally acclaimed artists and lecturers, giving you the opportunity to understand the changing field of contemporary fine art practice.

Our programme offers you your own studio space, the use of our extensive range of facilities including metal, wood, resin, and sculpture/ceramic workshops, digital studios/darkrooms, life drawing and printmaking facilities.

You’ll be encouraged to explore contemporary art within a broader context, considering both historical and contemporaneous practices, enabling you to see your work in relation to wider cultural and social issues. You will find a supportive environment that fosters creativity and innovation, providing you with a professional perspective in the visual arts and helps you develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Our course is ideal for those who are passionate about the visual arts and who wish to develop their skills and knowledge in a comprehensive and supportive setting. All the staff are internationally practicing and recognised artists, which draws the professional world closer to your educational experience.

Year One

In the first year, you’ll build a foundation in studio practice. You’ll work in specialised workshops developing skills in various materials and media. Emphasis is placed on understanding concepts and philosophies that inform contemporary art.

Visual Studies 1 (10 credits) Ways of Thinking (10 credits) Site & Audience (20 credits) Visual Studies 2 (10 credits) Ways of Perceiving (10 credits) Exhibition 1.0 (20 credits) Materials, Construction & Deconstruction (20 credits) The Artist Zine (20 credits)

Year Two

During the second year, you will refine your individual artistic practice by experimenting further with media and techniques. With the focus on expanding your creative practice through collaborative projects and interdisciplinary work, you’ll engage with critical theory and explore your position within society, enhancing both your practical skills and theoretical knowledge.

Concept & Process (20 credits) Stimulus & Response (20 credits) Visual Enquiry 1 (10 credits) Visual Enquiry 2 (10 credits) Research in Context (10 credits) Research in Practice (10 credits) World Building (20 Credits) Exhibition 2.0 (20 credits)

Year Three

In the final year, you’ll focus on advanced projects, culminating in a major exhibition. This year emphasizes independent creative practice, allowing you to specialise in your chosen area, working closely with lecturers, to prepare for a professional career in fine art practice.

Independent Project (40 credits) Major Project (60 credits) Advanced Creative Enquiry (20 credits)

Assessment is carried out through coursework, both written and practical. There are no exams on this course.

Students are formatively assessed throughout a module; summative assessment takes place at the end of a module. A variety of teaching and learning methods are used throughout the course, including:

Tutorials These tutorials are given across all levels. A more intense period of one-to-one tutorials occurs for the third year students who are by now working more independently. Students can request a tutorial when the need arises. However, as a team, we ensure that students are given valuable and regular support from all members of staff.

We strongly believe in students receiving individual tutorials in order to support their creative journeys. The work, including practical and conceptual development, is discussed, along with the future intentions of the student. It is an opportunity for any issues/concerns by either party, to be raised. A written account of the tutorial is duplicated, one copy kept by the student the other stored in record files.

Group critiques These are held across all levels. They provide an excellent opportunity for students to share and exchange ideas with their peers in a structured manner in addition to valuable input from staff.

Informal & Formal presentations All students are given opportunities to talk to their fellow students about their work, allowing them to understand the importance of presentation within a fine art practice. Formal Presentation in the third year is part of their Major project leading up to the final assessment at the Degree Show.

Exhibiting work The nature of this varies within the context of the years. All assessments for first and second years are presented at the individual student’s studio space, followed by an end-of-year joint show within the prepared spaces, as vacated by the degree show. The preparation of these spaces, from takedown of studio spaces to conversion to exhibition, is taught, and understood, very much within the context of professional practice, for the third year.