How did artists respond to consumer culture, the Cold War, feminism, and social change? This course examines the major artistic developments of the period 1945–1989 and its influential figures.

Online course (Zoom)

Fridays, from 1 to 3 pm

10 weeks, starting on 18 September and ending on 27 November 2026

Cost: £ 140 (scroll down for payment button)

If you miss a session, you will have the slides and “video-notes” to catch up.

This ten-week art history course explores the transformations that reshaped the visual arts between 1950 and 1989. Emerging from the aftermath of the Second World War, artists confronted a rapidly changing world marked by political tensions, the Space Age, consumer culture, social activism, and the rise of globalisation. In response, they developed new forms of artistic expression that continued to challenge traditional ideas about what art could be and what role it might play in society.

We will examine the major movements and debates that defined the post-war era, from Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art to Minimalism, Conceptual Art, Land Art to Postmodernism. As we do so, we will define new artistic practices and media, such as performance, video and installation. The course will explore how artists responded to the rise of mass media, the Cold War, feminism, civil rights movements, and the increasing internationalisation of the art world. Along the way, we will encounter some of the most influential artists of the twentieth century such as Pollock and Warhol, Basquiat, Yoko Ono, Judy Chicago and Louise Bourgeois, Donald Judd, Joseph Beuys and Cindy Sherman. Particular attention will be given to the relationship between art and its wider cultural context, revealing how artistic innovation reflected—and often challenged—the values of the contemporary world.

Illustration above: Robert Smithson, Spiral Jetty, 1970, Rozel Point, Great Salt Lake, Utah, 1500 (if unwound) x 15 foot spiral, basalt, sand, and soil / Holt-Smithson Foundation

Cost: £ 140

Payment is via Stripe with your bank card. It is easy and safe. If necessary, refunds can be processed with Stripe. If the button below does not work (for instance because of cookie settings), please let me know.

A few days after you’ve paid you will receive a confirmation email from me. The Zoom link is sent to you a week before the session, and then again the day before.

Please check the terms and conditions to see the policy about cancellations and refunds. If you have any issues or questions, do not hesitate to get in touch (see “contact” above).