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This course offers an insightful journey through the evolution of modern art, beginning with Matisse and the Fauvists and culminating with Art Deco in the 1930s.

As we shall discover, modern art was not one thing, but a series of arguments, experiments and acts of rebellion. On this course, we will be introduced by Viv Lawes and Michael Paraskos to some of the key artists and movements that transformed European art in the first part of the twentieth century, from the shock of modern colour and fractured vision to the machine age, dream imagery, abstraction, design and anti-art.

We will look at painting, sculpture, architecture and objects, asking why modern artists so often rejected tradition, and what they hoped to put in its place.

The course is ideal for anyone who wants to understand how modern art emerged, why it seemed so unsettling, and why its challenges still shape the way we think about art today.

The sessions are designed to be accessible and engaging, encouraging lively discussions and debates on the artworks and themes presented.

All welcome; no previous experience necessary.

This course can be taken on its own, but a follow-on course is also planned to start in the New Year, covering the period 1945 to the present day. For details click here.

Autumn Term 2026

1. Wednesday 30 September 2026 – The shock of the new (What is modernism?) – MP
2. Wednesday 7 October 2026 – A bunch of beasts (Fauvism) – VL
3. Wednesday 14 October 2026 – Durée et simultanéité (Cubism) – VL
4. Wednesday 21 October 2026 – Burning down museums as art (Futurism) – MP
5. Wednesday 28 October 2026 – The forms of things unknown (German Expressionism) – MP
6. Wednesday 4 November 2026 – dada m'dada, dada m'dada dada mhm (Duchamp/Dada) – VL
7. Wednesday 11 November 2026 – Soluble fish (Surrealism) – VL
8. Wednesday 18 November 2026 – Inspiration controlled by mathematics (Constructivism) – MP
9. Wednesday 25 November 2026 – Building the crystal cathedral (Bauhaus) – VL
10. Wednesday 2 December 2026 – Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes (Art Deco) – VL

MP = Michael Paraskos, VL = Viv Lawes

For course content enquiries: Contact the course tutor, Dr Michael Paraskos, at m.paraskos@imperial.ac.uk

For enrolment and booking enquiries: Contact Christian Jacobi at c.jacobi@imperial.ac.uk

Class recordings

These classes are not recorded.

Imperiacertificates

This course has no exams or assessments, so you can focus on enjoying your learning. If you attend regularly, you may also receive an Imperiaattendance certificate. (T&Cs apply).