The wide range of the city’s sculpture will be explored through walking tours, and will include historic monuments and memorials, architectural commissions and modern site specific works. The collections of public art in the city’s galleries and museums will also be examined and students will be able to examine the different materials and processes involved in creating sculpture, and to discuss issues and debates surrounding the patronage, creation and conservation of public art.
Module leader: Dr Lee R. Kendall
Lee was born in Liverpool and completed his PhD in History of Art at Liverpool John Moores University. An independent art historian and author, he has been part of the front of house team at Tate Gallery, Liverpool since 2009 and has lectured for the University of Liverpool's Continuing Education Department since 2019.
Aims
- To develop confidence in understanding and communicating complex ideas
- To develop skills in research, collaborative learning and producing and delivering presentations
- To examine the public art of Liverpool in its historical, social and architectural context, and to assess its contribution to the redevelopmentof the city through tourism.
Content
The following topics will be considered on the module:
- Context: social and historical background
- The city’s art collections along with museological aspects such as display, interpretation and presentation
- Materials and processes involved in making art along with their maintenance and conservation
- The role of art in Liverpool’s redevelopment and tourism, including its contribution to the city’s World Heritage Site status.
Structure
The module will be delivered over a three-week period in six two hour sessions (four hours per week, total 12 hours contact time).
The course will be divided into theoretical and practice based sessions. Group discussion and sharing of knowledge is integral to the course. Each classroom session will begin with an interactive slide-presentation, followed by group discussion and workshop. We will also make several visits to locations around the city, usually in the form of walking tours and gallery workshops. Students should indicate whether they require assistance for these walks and should also wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
The course will be interactive in nature, with the sessions highly focused on understanding, interpretation and expression: encouraging students to put theory into practice throughout.
The indicative schedule is as follows:
Session one: Introduction to public art and the collections of Liverpool
This opening session will examine the historical origins of Liverpool’s extensive art collections and public works, in particular the ‘Merchants’ Palaces’ and the city’s monuments and memorials to its worthies and heroes. We will discuss some of the issues and debates surrounding art in the public realm, such as planning, patronage and consultation.
Session two: Hope Street walk
This session will examine the relationship between sculpture and architecture focusing on works in the two cathedrals and site specific sculptures of Hope Street. The session will conclude at the Anglican Cathedral where we will examine the architectural sculptures of Edward Carter Preston along with devotional works created by Arthur Dooley, Elizabeth Frink and Tracy Emin. There will be a particular focus on materials and processes employed by modern artists.
Session three: A city walk
This session will begin with a walk down to the Culture Quarter, looking at some of the monuments, memorials and architectural sculptures discussed last week. We will discuss projects recently carried out by The Conservation Centre and issues concerning the situation of works in public spaces. The tour will conclude with a workshop at the Walker Art Gallery.
Session four: Capital of Culture – Biennials, Light Nights and blockbuster exhibitions
In this session we will examine the contribution of art to the city’s tourist industry with a focus on the Liverpool Biennial events and blockbuster exhibitions. The second part of this session will include the multiple choice examination.
Session five: The University precinct and Victoria Gallery and Museum
The University has fine examples of architectural sculptures on campus and inside some of the faculty buildings. This session will take a short tour of the Precinct before spending the second part of the session exploring the exhibitions and permanent displays of the Victoria Gallery and Museum.
Session six: Presentations and synthesis
We will use this concluding session to review and reflect on public art in Liverpool. Students will deliver a group presentation on a work of art as part of their assessment.
Teaching methods
The teaching approach will include the following:
- Taught sessions
- Small group working
- Group discussions
- Presentations
- Workshops
- Site visits to galleries and public art in the city.
Assessment
Assessment will be by:
- Group presentation (worth 50% of the overall mark)
- Multiple choice/short answer paper (20 questions) (worth 50% of the overall mark).
Standard University policies apply with regard to late submission of assessments.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students will be able to: Learning outcome Assessment component which assesses this learning outcome Display confidence in understanding and communicating complex ideas in written and spoken language Multiple choice/short answer paper (20 questions) Group presentation Research a topic and work collaboratively to produce a presentation and deliver it Group presentation Demonstrate a basic awareness of the skills and knowledge required to plan, deliver and reflect on the contribution of public art and sculpture to the regeneration of a city Multiple choice/short answer paper (20 questions) Group presentation
Skills
Key skills that will be developed:
- Collaboration & Teamwork Group discussions, activities and tasks in class Group presentation Communication Orally in group discussion and debate; written communication via completion of assessed assignment. Multiple choice/short answer paper (20 questions) Group presentation
Books, ebooks and websites
The University Library website provides access to many relevant books and electronic books, as well as academic journals and databases.
Recommended pre-course reading
- Cavanagh, Terry, Public Sculpture of Liverpool, Liverpool University Press, 1997
- Curtis, Penelope, Patronage & practice: sculpture on Merseyside, Tate Gallery Liverpool 1989
- Sharples, Joseph, Liverpool, University Press, 2004 2007
All three of these books are excellent introductions to 60s Culture and Liverpool, but it is not necessary or required to read all of them. We would recommend choosing and reading one, or at least dipping into the chapters of particular interest to you.
We may also assign readings from these books as preparatory work during the course.
If you are not familiar with the English grammatical system, it would be advisable to also buy or borrow a good grammar reference book and/or a learner’s dictionary. Examples include:
- Swan, M. (1996). Practical English usage (2nd ed.). Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press
- Hornby, A. S., & Crowther, J. (1995). Oxford advanced learner's dictionary of current English (5th ed.). Oxford : New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Core texts
- Cavanagh, Terry, Public Sculpture of Liverpool, Liverpool University Press, 1997
- Curtis, Penelope, Patronage & practice: sculpture on Merseyside, Tate Gallery Liverpool 1989
- Sharples, Joseph, Liverpool, University Press, 2004
Useful websites
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