The department of Art History and Film Studies was founded in 1967 as part of the Power Institute of Fine Arts, and initially concerned itself with the history of painting, sculpture and architecture of Europe, with some reference to Australia. Since then it has responded to the radical transformations in the nature of art history itself and to the explosion of ‘visual studies’, taking in the areas of film, television, digital technology, photography, design, costume, style and cultural studies. The department has also responded to its geographical and cultural location by introducing study and research into Aboriginal and Asian art.

The Australian Centre for Asian Art and Archaeology, headed by Professor John Clark and based at the University of Sydney, is home to postgraduate research in Asian art.

The Power Institute presents major symposia and maintains an active publication program, of about two books per year in contemporary art and theory, cultural studies, media studies, and film and animation. In 2006 the Institute received a prestigious grant from the J Paul Getty Trust in Los Angeles to publish a series of books, Australian Studies in Art and Art Theory.

Research students have access to the Faculty’s Postgraduate Research Centres, and to the outstanding research collection in the department’s elegant Schaeffer Library and at the Fisher Library. The department holds regular colloquia and research workshops, at which staff and visiting scholars present papers and invite critical interaction.