Course Descriptions

Fundamentals of Photography (3,1,0)(L) 3 credits

This is an introductory photography course for students who are not enrolled in the Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree program. The course curriculum will focus on the technical aspects of black and white photography and the use of photography as an artistic medium. An understanding of these technical and aesthetic aspects of photography will be carried out in the context of an ongoing study of the history and contemporary theory of fine art photography. Students will be expected to find further studio time in order to complete assignments related to camera and darkroom techniques introduced in class. Credits for this course cannot be used towards a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Visual Art nor for the Diploma in Visual Art.

Prerequisite: None

Gallery Studies: Exhibition Installation (1,2,1)(L) 3 credits

In this course students will learn basic principles and techniques for the installation of exhibitions in a variety of formats. These are skills common to the preparatory staff at a gallery or museum. This will include a consideration of works of both a conventional nature, such as frames works, as well as more spatial and/or experimental works such as sculpture and installation. Where possible, the TRU Fine Arts Gallery, as well as the Kamloops Art Gallery, will be used as a basis for these studies. In addition, students will learn such skills as mat-cutting, frame construction, basic workshop skills common to exhibition installation, basic principles of lighting, the documenting of exhibitions, as well as basic principles of conservation.

Prerequisite: Third-year standing, VISA 1110/1120, VISA 1500

Introduction to Visual Culture (3,0,0) 3 credits

An interdisciplinary investigation of culture through the study of our visual environment. Beginning with the development of a critical framework for understanding visual art forms, the course will progress to encompass other viewpoints and forms of visual communications such as television, film, video, computers, billboards, graffiti, new technology and other image making sources. A variety of topics related to our visual environment will be presented by guest lectures, artists and field professionals. This is a lecture class: no drawing skills are required.

Prerequisite: None

History of Art 2 (3,1,0) 3 credits

A survey course in Art History from the Renaissance to the 20th Century.

Prerequisite: VISA 1110

History of Art 1 (3,1,0) 3 credits

Survey of the Arts of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture from primitive man up to the Renaissance and including the Baroque period.

Prerequisite: None

Gallery Studies: Exhibition Curating (2,1,0) 3 credits

In this course the student will be provided with an overview of Curatorial Practice. This will include a consideration of such topics as: types of exhibitions common to public and artist-run galleries in Canada; regional, national and international survey exhibitions; working with artists towards the planning of an exhibition; writing about artist’s works in the context of contemporary art theory and criticism. Where possible, exhibitions at the Kamloops Art Gallery will be used as a basis for these studies.

Prerequisite: Third-year standing, VISA 1110/1120, VISA 1500

Graduating Seminar (1,2,0) 6 credits

This course will serve as a forum for all of the students enrolled in VISA 4910, Directed Studies: Studio, and VISA 4920, Gallery Studies: Directed Studies, to meet together with an advisor on a weekly basis. The content of the course will be shaped around two primary activities. Firstly, it will constitute such things as an ongoing consideration of work currently on exhibition at such galleries as those in Kamloops, Calgary, Kelowna and Vancouver and, also, the work of Visiting Artists. Secondly, it will serve as a chance to discuss and critique work and exhibition projects being created by students in the two fourth year directed studies courses. Students will also be presented with the artistic and other research projects of a selection of TRU faculty members.

Prerequisite: Either VISA 4910 or VISA 4920

Directed Studies: Gallery Studies (L) 12 credits

This is a senior level directed studies course in the area of Gallery Studies. Students in this course will work under the supervision of an instructor towards an independently researched and documented exhibition project. The project will be modeled upon a curatorial proposal to a public gallery and will include a complete physical, thematic, and theoretical overview of the proposed exhibition. The proposal will be suitable for realization at one of the Public galleries in the Kamloops and surrounding region. Students in this course will also take VISA 4990, the Graduating Seminar, which will serve as a wider forum in which their exhibition projects will be considered.

Prerequisite: 18 third year Visual Arts credits, including VISA 3010 and VISA 3020

Corequisite: VISA 4990

Gallery Studies: Exhibition Installation (1,2,1)(L) 3 credits

In this course students will learn basic principles and techniques for the installation of exhibitions in a variety of formats. These are skills common to the preparatory staff at a gallery or museum. This will include a consideration of works of both a conventional nature, such as frames works, as well as more spatial and/or experimental works such as sculpture and installation. Where possible, the TRU Fine Arts Gallery, as well as the Kamloops Art Gallery, will be used as a basis for these studies. In addition, students will learn such skills as mat-cutting, frame construction, basic workshop skills common to exhibition installation, basic principles of lighting, the documenting of exhibitions, as well as basic principles of conservation.

Prerequisite: Third-year standing, VISA 1110/1120, VISA 1500

Introduction to Visual Culture (3,0,0) 3 credits

An interdisciplinary investigation of culture through the study of our visual environment. Beginning with the development of a critical framework for understanding visual art forms, the course will progress to encompass other viewpoints and forms of visual communications such as television, film, video, computers, billboards, graffiti, new technology and other image making sources. A variety of topics related to our visual environment will be presented by guest lectures, artists and field professionals. This is a lecture class: no drawing skills are required.

Prerequisite: None

History of Art 2 (3,1,0) 3 credits

A survey course in Art History from the Renaissance to the 20th Century.

Prerequisite: VISA 1110

History of Art 1 (3,1,0) 3 credits

Survey of the Arts of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture from primitive man up to the Renaissance and including the Baroque period.

Prerequisite: None

Gallery Studies: Exhibition Curating (2,1,0) 3 credits

In this course the student will be provided with an overview of Curatorial Practice. This will include a consideration of such topics as: types of exhibitions common to public and artist-run galleries in Canada; regional, national and international survey exhibitions; working with artists towards the planning of an exhibition; writing about artist’s works in the context of contemporary art theory and criticism. Where possible, exhibitions at the Kamloops Art Gallery will be used as a basis for these studies.

Prerequisite: Third-year standing, VISA 1110/1120, VISA 1500

Directed Studies: Gallery Studies (L) 12 credits

This is a senior level directed studies course in the area of Gallery Studies. Students in this course will work under the supervision of an instructor towards an independently researched and documented exhibition project. The project will be modeled upon a curatorial proposal to a public gallery and will include a complete physical, thematic, and theoretical overview of the proposed exhibition. The proposal will be suitable for realization at one of the Public galleries in the Kamloops and surrounding region. Students in this course will also take VISA 4990, the Graduating Seminar, which will serve as a wider forum in which their exhibition projects will be considered.

Prerequisite: 18 third year Visual Arts credits, including VISA 3010 and VISA 3020

Gallery Studies: Exhibition Installation (1,2,1)(L) 3 credits

In this course students will learn basic principles and techniques for the installation of exhibitions in a variety of formats. These are skills common to the preparatory staff at a gallery or museum. This will include a consideration of works of both a conventional nature, such as frames works, as well as more spatial and/or experimental works such as sculpture and installation. Where possible, the TRU Fine Arts Gallery, as well as the Kamloops Art Gallery, will be used as a basis for these studies. In addition, students will learn such skills as mat-cutting, frame construction, basic workshop skills common to exhibition installation, basic principles of lighting, the documenting of exhibitions, as well as basic principles of conservation.

Prerequisite: Third-year standing, VISA 1110/1120, VISA 1500

Introduction to Visual Culture (3,0,0) 3 credits

An interdisciplinary investigation of culture through the study of our visual environment. Beginning with the development of a critical framework for understanding visual art forms, the course will progress to encompass other viewpoints and forms of visual communications such as television, film, video, computers, billboards, graffiti, new technology and other image making sources. A variety of topics related to our visual environment will be presented by guest lectures, artists and field professionals. This is a lecture class: no drawing skills are required.

Prerequisite: None

History of Art 2 (3,1,0) 3 credits

A survey course in Art History from the Renaissance to the 20th Century.

Prerequisite: VISA 1110

History of Art 1 (3,1,0) 3 credits

Survey of the Arts of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture from primitive man up to the Renaissance and including the Baroque period.

Prerequisite: None

Gallery Studies: Exhibition Curating (2,1,0) 3 credits

In this course the student will be provided with an overview of Curatorial Practice. This will include a consideration of such topics as: types of exhibitions common to public and artist-run galleries in Canada; regional, national and international survey exhibitions; working with artists towards the planning of an exhibition; writing about artist’s works in the context of contemporary art theory and criticism. Where possible, exhibitions at the Kamloops Art Gallery will be used as a basis for these studies.

Prerequisite: Third-year standing, VISA 1110/1120, VISA 1500

Corequisite: VISA 4990

Directed Studies: Studio (L) 12 credits

This is a senior level directed studies course in Studio. Students in this course will work under the supervision of an advisor towards the creation of an independent body of work. That body of work may be created within one medium of may be approached in a more interdisciplinary manner as agreed upon by the student and their advisor. Students in this course will also take VISA 4990, the Graduating Seminar, which will serve as a wider forum in which their works will be considered.

Prerequisite: 18 Third Year Visual Arts credits, including VISA 3010 and VISA 3020

Corequisite: VISA 4990