A236 is a level 2 module worth 60 credits. It introduces students to the art and visual cultures of the modern period (c.1750 the present day), drawing on a wide range of media and practitioners.  Sustainability was identified as a key topic early on in the production process and this module was the first of several new modules in the Art History pathway (R27) to engage with new art historical research on this subject. Block 5 of A236 is called ‘Visions of the Anthropocene’ and contains a week’s learning (‘Constructing Co-existence’) dedicated to sustainability, as it pertains to historic and contemporary architecture and design. Students engage with a variety of material from across the world, from nineteenth-century wallpaper designs in Europe to twenty-first century ecocities in Asia. Students also work through different types of activities in their learning. For example, one reflective activity encourages students to consider if the images they are reviewing are an effective way of raising awareness of environmental issues. An interdisciplinary roundtable discussion between art historians and members of the OU’s Design Group – prepares them for an innovative exhibition-based assessment where students can consider and explore the concept of sustainable art, architecture and design. 

Author: Samuel Shaw, Open University, Senior Lecturer in Art History.