About Department of Theory of Art & Design

The Department of Theory of Art & Design plays several roles within the Faculty. First, we engage with the range of ideas and theories informing contemporary art and design, providing studio students with the intellectual tools and critical language with which to consider and discuss their own and others’ practice, and develop their own work further.

Theory staff also offer interested students the opportunity for dedicated theory studies, both as a major stream within the Bachelor of Visual Arts, and also as a specialist discipline at honours, MA and PhD levels, under expert supervision.

Members of the Department also engage actively in art theoretical discourse, writing criticism and reviews, exhibition catalogues and catalogue essays, scholarly articles and books, and giving lectures and conference papers on a diverse array of contemporary and historical topics. Research undertaken in Theory includes several projects funded by national competitive grants from the Australian Research Council Grants Committee (ARC) and the Australia Council.

For details of recent publications and research activities, see Staff Profiles.