The Art Trail: London Galleries And Museums

Look at and discuss art in a variety of public art galleries, exhibition spaces, commercial galleries and museums around London. The focus of this course is on Contemporary art; however, sessions sometimes explore art from earlier periods and movements within the 20th century. Each term begins at the Mary Ward Centre.

No prior knowledge of art/ contemporary art is required. This course is for those with an interest in twentieth century and contemporary art, especially in learning about works of art within museums and galleries.

This course takes place in various public art galleries, exhibition spaces, commercial galleries and museums. Visits are made predominantly to temporary exhibitions in galleries and sometimes to permanent collections. Each week you will visit a different exhibition exploring a variety of themes, ideas, artists and fine art practices - such as painting, sculpture, drawing, installation, photography and film.

The focus of the course is to discuss the works on display in an informed way. Most sessions include short talks on the artist/ works and themes as well as facilitated group discussion. Although the focus of the course is on contemporary art, sessions occasionally explore art produced during various periods of the 20th century. The first session is held at Mary Ward Centre and includes an induction and lecture on a current/ relevant theme or trend in Contemporary art.

By the end of the course you will:
Be better equipped and skilled at analysing and 'interpreting' contemporary art
Have built knowledge of the contemporary art scene in London
Keep in touch with contemporary trends and emerging artists
Be able to dentify various contemporary and 20th century art styles and movements
Have built confidence in talking about art
Enjoy art in public places within a supportive and friendly group environment
Develop own personal taste and appreciation of art

Museum visits will combine short lectures, facilitated group discussion, group tasks, question and answer sessions and 1:1 discussion with the Tutor.
The first meeting will be at Mary Ward Centre. Subsequent meetings will be at the designated gallery or museum.
At the first meeting the tutor will distribute an itinerary of venues and meeting points for the following weeks.
Hand-outs will sometimes be distributed to provide important information about the exhibition.

Students are informally assessed through their participation in group discussions of individual works, artists, contexts, ideas, periods and techniques. Evaluation will be integrated into this ongoing process of discussion.

You may wish to bring a notepad and pen to take notes. Most exhibitions are free to enter, occasionally there may be an entry charge (usually no more than one of the visits per term, at the most). As the course takes place in a variety of locations in London, you may need an A-Z or map to help locate galleries you are unfamiliar with. You may also wish to bring a camera - please check with the gallery/ tutor before a visit, however, to see whether photography is permitted.

Review of notes and handouts. Students may wish to carry out further research on an artist/ gallery/ theme of interest to them. Students may also wish to make return visits to the museums/ galleries on their own. Practicing artists have found this course very useful in being able to keep in touch with what's happening in the London art scene and to help generate ideas and inform their own studio practice.

Students often continue with further terms in this course as each term is different - the same exhibition is never visited more than once. Students may wish to progress onto other art appreciation/ art theory/ art history courses