Museum experience

Instructions
Over the course of the semester, you have analyzed several works of art according to the Formal Elements of Art (FEA) and Principles of Design (POD) and you have learned how to determine and articulate both your objective and subjective responses to art from a myriad of artists’ global perspectives and how society & culture influence artistic styles & trends, as well as an artist’s aesthetic decisions. This is quite an accomplishment!

To that end, your final project will demonstrate your ability to successfully fulfill the following learning outcomes that we have been cultivating throughout the course:

Understand how art is an important part of everyday life and used as an expressive vehicle for change and awareness in the world or local communities.
Recognize the difference between objective and subjective responses and interpretations of artwork.
Use skills to analyze, write and speak about artwork in an informed, articulate manner utilizing language based on the principles and elements of art and the broader lexicon of art.
Interpret and relate how art reflects the ideals, concerns, beliefs, knowledge and technology of the culture and time it was created.
Demonstrate the appropriate artistic terminology and the skills of visual analysis necessary to describe critically the works of art in written/oral composition.
Visually analyze an artwork using discipline appropriate terminology.
Identify the basic concepts, media, and elements of art and design present in an artwork.
Contextualize artworks within their respective political, economic, and social circumstances.
Demonstrate information literacy skills.

For the final project you are required to visit an art museum, describe your experience, and select the artwork you will thoroughly critique (objectively and subjectively) from this visit.

NOTE: you must get my approval for the museum you would like to visit prior to doing so, focus on selecting an Art Museum, not historical or other genres as these will not be approved.

 

Your final project consists of multiple parts: your Museum experience and background information, a biographical sketch of an artist of your choosing from the museum, plus a critical analysis of an art piece exhibited at the museum you visited by that same artist based on both your subjective response and objective response based on the formal elements of art and the principles of design; and finally, a bibliography documenting your research source materials.

 

Process:

Select a museum you would like to visit and contact me for approval. Once approved, visit the museum (the earlier in the term the better).
Select one artwork from the museum that you would like to explore further and conduct in-depth research on. Find something that intrigues you visually and/or conceptually: play art detective as you explore the museum. Remember to keep an open mind and consider selecting a work that gives you a negative response, this can be just as engaging as a positive one. Your quest is to explore your ideas about the artwork while considering the artist’s intention – art can be subjective.
Start to think about the artwork by exploring the 5Ws: Who? What? When? Where? Why? What’s the medium? How was it made? What was the artist’s intent? What does it mean? Contextually analyze the artwork by investigating the original historical, cultural, political, or aesthetic context of the work.
Research the museum, artist, and artwork. Begin by reviewing the information provided by the museum, and then move to conducting a general online search using the title or name of the artist to start collecting information on this work. Try to stay away from dubious sources (Wikipedia is not acceptable for this project, but it can provide further resources) and look to CCC’s resources, the artist’s own website (if living), and/or the art gallery that represents the artist.

NOTE: you cannot write about the same artist or artwork you used for previous Reflective Analyses, you must select a different artist and artwork.

Then, you will provide analysis and opinions based on your research and answer some reflective questions which should include all of the following sections in essay form:

1. Museum Background and Visit Experience (25 points):

This portion should be comprised of information about the museum you selected to visit. What was your personal experience of walking through the facility? How did you feel, particularly while taking this course? What senses did this stimulate? What works caught your eye? Also include a light background on the museum and description of the space and format of the galleries as it pertains to viewing the artworks.

* Length: At least 250 words, no more than 350 words.

 

2. Artist (20 points): This portion should be comprised of information about the artist of your choice as well as why you selected them. Begin with: Who is the artist? Why did you choose the artist – what is generally interesting to you about them? Additional suggestions for material: date and place of birth and death, family information, lifetime accomplishments, famous art pieces, effects or impact on society, or historical significance.

* Length: At least 250 words, no more than 350 words.

3. Critical Analysis Artwork: Objective Response (30 points):

This portion of the writing assignment should be your own objective critical response to a work of art by the same artist you chose. You must base your opinion on formal elements of art (EOA) and the principles of design (POD) – using this specific vocabulary throughout. Describe the of the artwork = use descriptive adjectives = a description is what you see in the artwork, NOT an interpretation. provide appropriate background information about the artwork. Your objective interpretation/POV should be supported through an explanation of HOW the FEA, POD & context support your interpretation. Which media that we have learned about is utilized to create this artwork? How does the artist’s use of their selected media (material) emphasize and support their content – the meaning of the work? Does it align to your subjective response?

 

Things to consider: how does the artist’s use of the EOA and POD to emphasize and support their content – the meaning of the work? Be sure to not simply describe the work, but rather, elaborate with specific details from the work that illustrate your analysis. Answering the “HOW” part is crucial to your analysis. It is not enough to just identify the characteristics and list a few historical facts; you have to synthesize the information into a cohesive interpretation.

* Include the title of the work (in italics) and a picture of the artwork

* Length: At least 500 words, no more than 750 words

 

4. Critical Analysis Artwork Subjective Response (30 points):

This portion should be your own subjective response to a work of art by the same artist you selected. Why did you choose the artwork – what is generally interesting to you about it? What was your initial, subjective interpretation of the artwork? What is the artwork saying to its audience, to you? What does the artwork mean? Did it change as you found out more about the context of the artwork? What emotions, concepts, or ideas did it provoke in you? Do not simply describe the work or state whether or not you “like” the work; but rather, elaborate with specific details from the work that illustrate your response. Are there broader thematic messages conveyed by the artwork? What are they?

* Length: At least 500 words, no more than 750 words.

5. Bibliography (20 points): You must provide a bibliography in one of the formal the correct citation styles that includes at least 5 sources. Online sources are ok, but at least one source must be a book/journal/periodical/ catalog and must be in addition to your textbook, and remember, Wikipedia doesn’t count. You are encouraged to research the artwork at your school’s library by searching through books and articles, written by scholars in the field of art and art history.