Sketches of Spain: Spain in Contemporary Mass and Visual Culture

The course analyses the categories, political, social, anthropological or aesthetic, at work in the idea of Spanish "typicality", a "Spanish-ness" or "españolidad", in the realms of visual and material culture and in the arts. Its goal is a critical reflection on the notion of what denotes (or qualifies) in an object, an attitude, an artifact, a work of art, a piece of literature the condition of being "Spanish". The point of departure is a critical deconstruction of the "Spanish" topic at different moments in history (basically modern and contemporary times), and not an essentialist interpretation of a presumed cultural and anthropological "identity" of Spain. The course would address questions such as: how has "Spanish-ness" been fabricated historically in Spain and outside? How does it function symbolically at different levels and times? Which is it its efficacy in the political discourse? How does it relate to exoticism and primitivism, violence, devotion, solidarity, heroism etc.? Main areas considered in this course are advertising and design.

Course leader

Blanca Fullana

Target group

The UPF Barcelona Summer School has been carefully designed to fulfil the expectations of students who are in good academic standing, have a minimum level of proficiency in Spanish and a pre-existing interest in Spanish culture, and want to earn university credits in an intensive six-week period.
The programme is also open to all UPF undergraduate students who want to use the summer term to make progress in their studies by taking elective credits from their degree courses.

Course aim

The course analyses the categories, political, social, anthropological or aesthetic, at work in the idea of Spanish "typicality", a "Spanish-ness" or "españolidad", in the realms of visual and material culture and in the arts. Its goal is a critical reflection on the notion of what denotes (or qualifies) in an object, an attitude, an artifact, a work of art, a piece of literature the condition of being "Spanish". The point of departure is a critical deconstruction of the "Spanish" topic at different moments in history (basically modern and contemporary times), and not an essentialist interpretation of a presumed cultural and anthropological "identity" of Spain. The course would address questions such as: how has "Spanish-ness" been fabricated historically in Spain and outside? How does it function symbolically at different levels and times? Which is it its efficacy in the political discourse? How does it relate to exoticism and primitivism, violence, devotion, solidarity, heroism etc.? Main areas considered in this course are advertising and design.