Program Overview

Course Overview

The course SARC 304, Art & Landscape Aotearoa/Te Taiao me Te Whakairo o Aotearoa, is a comprehensive study of the imaginative power of landscape in Aotearoa through the analysis of art made in this region. It interprets what it means to be in Aotearoa by examining images, forms, and narratives of imagination. The course covers continuities and changes in narrative, form, and image in the art of premodern, modern, and contemporary periods.

Course Details

• Dates: 23 February 2026 to 21 June 2026
• Starts: Trimester 1
• Fees:
  • Domestic students: NZ$1,205.55
  • International students: NZ$5,558.70
• Lecture Start Times:
  • Monday 4:40 pm
  • Tuesday 4:40 pm
• Campus: Te Aro
• Estimated Workload: Approximately 150 hours or 8.8 hours per week for 17 weeks
• Points: 15 points

Special Course Features

• Includes mātauranga Māori

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: 60 200-level points
• Corequisites: None
• Restrictions: Students who have passed SARC 383 and SARC 483 in 2022–2024, or SARC 404, cannot take this course

Taught By

• School of Architecture — Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation

Disclaimer

This course outline may be subject to change.

Key Dates

Important dates, including mid-trimester teaching breaks, can be found on the University's key dates calendar. Assessment dates will be provided once the course has begun.

About This Course

The course involves studying how artists have interpreted the landscape of Aotearoa through drawing and photography. Students will develop their analytical, critical, and creative skills by interpreting the narrative of a whare whakairo and understanding the traditional tribal boundaries of the main tribes of Aotearoa.

Course Learning Objectives

Students who pass this course should be able to:

1. Recognize the different carving styles of regions and chronologies of Aotearoa
2. Interpret and read the narrative of a whare whakairo to a level of detail
3. Explain the traditional tribal boundaries of the main tribes of Aotearoa, their landmarks, and their history
4. Compare and contrast the interconnections of changing representative forms and narratives with the movements of history through the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries
5. Develop analytical, critical, and creative skills for agency in Aotearoa's contemporary cultural situation

How This Course Is Taught

This course is delivered online and in-person, with some classes requiring attendance at scheduled times. Pre-recorded lectures are available for on-demand viewing, and tutorial/seminar and studio classes are primarily delivered in-person and livestreamed via Zoom.

Assessment

• Assignment 1: Meaning from Composition Type (Individual, 35%)
• Assessment 2: Language from Personification (Individual, 35%)
• Assessment 3: Design (Individual, 30%)

Lecture Times and Rooms

• 23 February 2026 to 5 April 2026
• 20 April 2026 to 31 May 2026

What You'll Need to Get

No specific texts or equipment are required for this course.

Past Versions of This Course

Older versions of this course may be accessible through the course archive.