Learning outcomes

Corse Objectives:
Many parallels between art and the teaching methods used in art have been suggested in the last few years. One aspect of these is the recognition of the relevance of the cognitive processes underlying the creative processes. Students will be given the opportunity to acquire the basic knowledge to assist in the development of artistic abilities. Instruments and methods developed in the field of Psychology of Art are used within the perspective of Experimental Phenomenology.

Program

Program:
The first issue addressed during the course will be to establish the place of Psychology of Art within the field of contemporary Cognitive Sciences. A second important issue will be the study of “affordances”, focusing on the relevance of this to the origins of Psychogy itself. Language will be dealt with in terms of its function of translating into words the art object. The development of aesthetics will be discussed from its origin to the experimental version, comparing it to Gibson’s ecological approach to the study of perception and of pictorial representation.

Examination Methods

Exam texts:

Students will have the opportunity to establish a specific bibliography with the teacher, based on their personal interests in the discipline. What follows is a list of recommended texts (without excluding the study of other books on similar topics):

Argenton A., Arte e cognizione, Milano, Cortina, 1996.
Arnheim R., Per la salvezza dell’arte, Milano, Feltrinelli, 1994.
Arnheim R., Arte e percezione visiva Milano, Feltrinelli. 1978.
Benedetti C., L’ombra lunga dell’autore, Milano, Feltrinelli, 1999.
Bodei R., Le forme del bello, Bologna, Bologna, il Mulino, 1995.
Ferrarsi M., L’immaginazione, Bologna, il Mulino, 1996.
Gibson J. J., Un approccio ecologico alla percezione visiva, Bologna, il Mulino, 1999.
Gombrich E.H., Arte e illusione, Torino, Einaudi, 1966.
Goodman N., La scienza dell’arte, Firenze, Giunti, 1990.
Kemp M., La scienza dell’arte, Firenze, Giunti, 1990.
Kemp M., Immagine e verità, Milano, Il Saggiatore, 1999.
Kennedy J. M., La percezione pittorica, Padova, Cortina, 1988.
Kubovy M., La freccia nell’occhio, Padova, Muzzio, 1978.
Maffei L., Fiorentini A., Arte e cervello, Bologna, Zanichelli 1995.
Massironi M., L’osteria dei dadi truccati. Arte, Psicologia e dintorni, Bologna, il Mulino, 2000.
Pizzo Russo L., Che cos’è la psicologia dell’arte, Palermo, Aesthetica, 1991.

Evaluation methods:
Oral discussion on the text chosen by the student in agreement with the teacher.
The students may decide to discuss a written essay on a topic (and a bibliography) as agreed with the teacher.