The History, Present and Future of Art
Answering questions relating to art, architecture and urban planning in a historical context defines the ethos of the History of Art Research Unit at the Faculty of Architecture and Planning at the Technical University of Vienna. The definition of art in our research unit covers a broad spectrum. The fields of architecture, painting and sculpture, which dominated in the 19th century – when the discipline of the history of art was established at universities and colleges – have since been consistently expanded to include further art forms. The staff of the History of Art research unit think, teach and research holistically, ideally in an inter- and transdisciplinary manner. We do not see history as a rigid construct, but rather as an unfinished phenomenon of time that constantly and equally affects the present and the future.
The academic pursuits at the History of Art research unit emanate into society. The team anchors the discipline of the history of art with a focus on the history of architecture and urban planning as well as the history of photography in the Austrian university and research landscape and contributes to the national and international dialogue on the history of art and architecture.
The History of Art as a School of Seeing
The History of Art research unit provides students of architecture and other planning disciplines with theoretical and methodological knowledge of works from all branches of art, architecture and urban planning. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of a comprehensive sensorium for historical objects. For this reason, observations in front of and on original objects – beyond the university grounds – are essential for a holistic, sensory experience of the elements that form a space: the haptic quality of surfaces, the diverse range of materials, as well as acoustic and other atmospheric situations. All this within the framework of embedding the works in their respective historical contexts, their creation and reception, as well as their presence and impact today.
Europe is a focal point. However, in addition to the two-semester main lecture on the history of architecture and art, other courses explore artistic creation outside our continent – both before, during and after the colonial period.
The History of Art research unit helps to ensure that our graduates are able to cultivate a differentiated approach to issues and develop their own critical opinions. We lay the necessary foundations for professional life after graduation and provide our students with the tools they need to succeed in different areas of the professional world, aided by a knowledge of the history of art and its artefacts.
The History of Art has a Relevance in Society
Our focus centres on established master narratives and expands this canon to include artists and works that were previously excluded. The topics we address focus on the relationship between historical works and artefacts and their lasting posterity – in line with current discussions about establishing a sense of identity, cultural heritage, resource conservation, the climate crisis, and other aspects.In a city with many outstanding historical testimonies in art, architecture and urban planning, the History of Art research unit focusses on researching fields that have been neglected thus far. The aim is to fill the gaps in the history of art and architecture research – whether local, regional or national.
We consider it our responsibility to ask critical questions in our research unit and to reflect and react to the urgent challenges posed by the current crises. We see research as an opportunity to be heard and recognised in national and international academic debate. Furthermore, we see our work as a service to society by helping to develop knowledge about historic artefacts and buildings. We always act with the future in mind, whilst drawing on the essential and relevant knowledge from our past.