Art 101: Why Is This Art? 

An interactive lecture series on contemporary art.

Why do we call some things art and not others? Who decides what deserves our attention, and how is artistic value created? 

Art 101 is an interactive five-session lecture series offering different ways to understand contemporary art and navigate its diverse practices and contexts. Together, we will explore how our ideas about art have changed, what roles ideas, craftsmanship and humour play in artistic practice, and how the art world is shaped by institutions, collectors, patrons and the global art circuit. 

Starting with the question of what contemporary art actually is, we will look at how artistic value is established, who determines which artists and artworks gain visibility, and what alternatives exist to established structures. We will also explore the relationship between taste, culture and social class, and how artists challenge conventional ideas about what art can be. 

Rather than offering a single, definitive interpretation, the course opens up space for different perspectives, questions and shared reflection. Each session includes discussion, while the final conversation with curator Theo Carnegy Tan and Peter Watkins connects the themes explored throughout the course with real-life experiences of contemporary art and curatorial practice. 

The programme is held in English. You can join us in person at Kunsthalle Praha or online. 

Why join Art 101?

• Develop new ways of looking at contemporary art. Explore artworks in context and discover new questions that can help you interpret them.

• Get to know how the art world works. Learn about galleries, museums, curatorial practice, collecting, patronage and international art exhibitions. 

• Explore different perspectives. From changing ideas about art and taste to questions of value, power and alternative ways of organising artistic practice. 

• Take part in the conversation. The interactive format combines lectures, discussions and shared reflection. No specialist knowledge is required. 

• Lectures in English. Led by British artist and educator Peter Watkins, the course offers an opportunity to explore contemporary art in an English-speaking environment. 

• Connect ideas with practice. The final conversation with curator Theo Carnegy Tan and Peter Watkins will explore the role of curating in contemporary art. 

• Choose how you participate. Attend in person at Kunsthalle Praha or join online. 

Programme

18 January — What Is Contemporary Art?
What does contemporary art mean today? How have ideas about art changed over the past century, and what roles do ideas, craftsmanship and the act of making play in artistic practice? 

25 January — Is It Kitsch or Is It Art?
Who decides what counts as good taste and what is dismissed as kitsch? We will explore how culture, education and social class shape our ideas of artistic quality, and how artists use humour, parody and excess to challenge these hierarchies. 

1 February — The Art World
What happens in an artist’s studio, and how does an artwork reach its audience? We will explore artistic practice and the role of galleries, museums, curators, and collectors in shaping what we see and how artistic value is established. 

8 February — The Global Art Circuit
How does the international art world work, and who gains visibility within it? We will examine the relationships between artists, collectors and patrons, the role of biennials and art fairs, and the independent and collective initiatives that offer alternatives to established structures. 

15 February — Conversation: Theo Carnegy Tan and Peter Watkins
The final session explores the role of curating today. Curator Theo Carnegy Tan and Peter Watkins will build on the themes of the previous sessions, connect them with real-life examples and open the floor to questions and discussion. 

Who is your lecturer?

Peter Watkins is a British artist and educator based in Prague. His work begins with photography and extends into sculpture, video, installation, and text to examine trauma, loss, history, and the structures through which personal and collective memory are formed. Alongside his autobiographical practice, he develops socially engaged projects that focus on visibility, solidarity, and collective forms of image-making.  

Watkins graduated from the University of Westminster in 2008 and the Royal College of Art in 2014 with Distinction. He lectures in Photography at FAMU, Prague, and is a regular guest speaker at several UK universities.  

His work has been exhibited internationally, with solo exhibitions at Galerie NoD (Prague), Webber Gallery (London), Open Eye Gallery (Liverpool), The Ravestijn Gallery (Amsterdam), Format Festival (Derby), and Brighton Photo Fringe. His projects have been featured in The Guardian, British Journal of Photography, 1000 Words, Numero, Hotshoe, and Photoworks. He has received multiple awards, including the Guernsey International Photography Award (2018) and the Skinnerboox Book Award (2019). His book The Unforgetting was shortlisted for the Rencontres d’ Arles Author Book Award (2020) and named one of The Guardian’s best books of 2019.  

Works from his collaboration with Tereza Zelenková, Index of Time, are held in the Victoria and Albert Museum (London) and Museum Winterthur (Switzerland).