Not Quite Art - Series 1 (ATOM Study Guide)

Three-part television series Not Quite Art is a funky, lively and engaging exploration of contemporary art, in all its many varied, postmodern guises. It is fast-paced and dynamic, capturing the commitment and sometimes-anarchic exuberance of the huge range of artists featured. Host Marcus Westbury is unpretentious and accessible, determined to pull Art kicking and screaming out of the hallowed sanctuary of the Gallery and back into the midst of our daily lives, where he feels it truly belongs and has perhaps always thrived.

At the heart of Not Quite Art are two fascinating and ultimately unanswerable questions: What is art? And why do we make and consume it? As well as providing an exciting and potentially inspiring introduction to contemporary art, this series offers a wonderful opportunity to strengthen students' thinking skills and to engage in what is basically a philosophical enterprise.

Comprising three 30-minute episodes, Not Quite Art is the perfect package for teachers who are intent on moving beyond the teaching of art as a narrative history of Grand Masters. It will expand students' appreciation of various art forms, while also challenging their sense of the many possibilities inherent in art practice. Not Quite Art opens up a rich world of almost unlimited potential, encouraging students to think of art as a way of seeing, experiencing and engaging with the world around them. It critiques existing assumptions about what constitutes legitimate artistic practice, making the series a valuable addition to all secondary school arts curricula from Years 7 through to 12.