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

John Clark’s Asian Modernities wins 2011 AAANZ Book Prize

Asian Modernities, written by Professor John Clark, and published by Power Publications in 2010, has been awarded the Art Association of Australia and New Zealand’s 2011 Best Book Prize.
Getty Foundation funds South-East Asian art research

The histories of modern art in South-East Asia will be supported by a new partnership with the Getty Foundation in an exciting new initiative.
New publication series: Power Polemics

The Power Institute is delighted to announce major support for a new series of books to be produced by Power Publications over the next five years.
International recognition for Department

A 2012 Clark fellowship has been awarded to Professor Roger Benjamin of the Department of Art History and Film Studies.
New Foundation Council members

Power Institute Foundation President, Lynn Fern, and the Director of the Power Institute Foundation, are delighted to announce three new board members for the Foundation Council.
In Memoriam, Frank MacDonald

The Power Institute is sad to pass on the news of the death of influential arts figure Frank MacDonald.
Changing of the guard at Schaeffer Library

After 25 years of valuable service, the Power Institute bids farewell to Schaeffer librarians Peter Wright and John Spencer.
Roger Benjamin and Anita Callaway in Tsukuba

Two Department members, Anita Callaway and Roger Benjamin, recently took part in a workshop in Tokyo as part of the Department’s exchange program with Tsukuba University.