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In this thought-provoking Subject Spotlight, Dr Suzy O’Hara presents: What is the role of the artist in the wider world? Suzy begins by defining fine art, considering the history of fine art, and discussing the power of fine art in society. She goes on to consider the relationship between fine art and technology, picks out those names that have been fine art pioneers, and discusses our social awareness of artistic contributions and their impact on society. In episode 3, Suzy focuses on building awareness through art, introduces what the Sea Scapes Collab is, and explains the positive impact of the programme. To conclude the Spotlight, Suzy thinks broadly about the artist and their artistic intentions, presents a brilliant activity in which you get in touch with your surroundings and consider what it means, and explores what the role of a fine artist is in a crisis.
Dr Suzy O’HaraUniversity of SunderlandArt
All episodes
1. Fine art in society: where, why and when
2. The relationship between fine art and technology
3. Case Study: Sea Scapes
4. Activity: understanding the meaning behind our small artistic contributions
About the university
University of Sunderland
The University of Sunderland is a top 50 UK university (Guardian University Guide 2024) and a global institution which offers life-changing opportunities for over 20,000 students across its four campuses in Sunderland, London and Hong Kong. With over 300 undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses, placement opportunities and the option to study full or part-time, there’s something for everyone at Sunderland. The University of Sunderland has also received five stars for teaching, inclusiveness, employability and facilities in the QS World University Rankings 2023 and is in the top 10 UK universities for social inclusion (The Times Good University Guide 2024).
University of Sunderland profile →Meet the academic
Dr Suzy O’Hara
Dr Suzy O’Hara is a Lecturer in Digital Arts and Enterprise in the Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries at the University of Sunderland. Suzy is a curator, educator and practice-led researcher exploring emerging models of cross-sector collaboration between Art, Innovation and Society. Suzy’s research explores critical and interdisciplinary modes of art-making that challenge perceived distinctions between sites of artistic, economic and knowledge production by brokering new, direct ways of working between them. Thereby Suzy reframes traditional understandings of the creative processes, research and outputs generated by art-making as central to securing social, economic and environmental justice within society. She is co-founder and research lead for Co/Lab Sunderland, an arts-led research platform designed to broker connections between diverse ecologies of knowledge and practice between researchers, cross-sector partners and stakeholders, and diverse local communities to drive creative innovation. Her research-led curatorial projects facilitate interdisciplinary contexts that foreground creative experimentation, knowledge generation, and collaborative creative production that generate outcomes that have societal value and positive impact in the world. In her current position as Lecturer in Digital Arts and Enterprise in the Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries, Suzy designs, delivers, and assesses the Collaborative Creativity module across Artist, Designer, Maker (Glass & Ceramics), Fine Art, and Photography, Video and Digital Imaging), is module lead for the Dissertation and Application module (Fine Art) and co-teaches within the Fine Art Methodologies module and the MA Visual Practice. She also supervises PhDs by practice-led research and by existent publication or creative works.
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