Department of Art History and Film Studies
The Department was founded in 1967 as part of the Power Institute of Fine Arts and teaching began in 1968. For the decade following, it was still feasible to regard its central discipline as the history of painting, sculpture and architecture of Europe (with some reference to Australia). Since then, the Department has responded not only to radical transformations in the nature of art history itself, but to the explosion of 'visual studies' into the areas of film, television and the computer, into photography, design, costume, style and cultural studies.
The Department has not only been responsive to this new development, but has actively helped to shape current thinking about the nature of art and the visual. The Department has also responded to its geographical and cultural location by introducing the study of Aboriginal and Asian Art.
Latest News
Paul Hills' lecture: Clothing the Word - Filippo Lippi, Donatello and Bellini
A reminder about tomorrows lecture Clothing the Word: Filippo Lippi, Donatello and Bellini by Paul Hills. This is a free event from 6.30-8.00pm in the Law School Lecture Theatre 101, and registration can be made online via the University events calendar here.
Cité Residency - applications now open for 2014
The Power institute is now calling for applications for 2014 Power Studio residencies at the Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris.
Monograph publication by Departmental colleague Bruce Isaacs
The Power is proud to announce the publication of The Orientation of Future Cinema by Departmental colleague Bruce Isaacs.
Master of Film Studies student success
Former Film Studies student Haifaa Al Mansour has had incredible success as Saudi Arabia's first female filmmaker, with her film Wadjda premiering at the Venice Film Festival last September. You can read more about her success and the process of creating her film here.
19th International Symosium on Electronic Art (ISEA) 7 - 16 June 2013
The Power is proud to announce it will be contributing to the 19th International Symosium on Electronic Art (ISEA), to be held in Sydney in June 2013.
Latest Events
Michael Fried lecture: Thomas Demand's Pacific Sun - 24 May 2013
Ruth Leys lecture: The Erasure of Sense: Violence, Affect and the Post-Traumatic Subject - 27 May 2013
Film Industry Talks - Marieka Walsh - 28 May 2013
Short Cuts 1: Quick Talks by Film Addicts - Vertigo: The Greatest Film Ever Made? - 7 June 2013
International Symposium of Electronic Art (ISEA) - 7 June 2013 to 16 June 2013
Haifaa Al Mansour: Apple Store Talk - 8 June 2013
Short Cuts 2: Quick Talks by Film Experts - Sex on Screen - 10 June 2013