Reference no: EM133487883
Assignment
You are required to visit a reputable art museum in your area and select a work of art to discuss and critique in a formal, iconographic, and historical context. Your grade will be based on the depth of your analysis of the subject.
About art criticism
The process of art criticism involves description, formal analysis, interpretation and evaluation. The first step is to describe what you see. Include facts, such as the artists name, the media, size of the piece, and where it is located. Next, analyze. Look at how all the parts of the piece work together. What visual elements and principles of design did the creator use? Subjectively interpret what the content is, taking style into account. Finally, interpret and evaluate the work of art being studied; what do you think the artist's intentions were? What is being communicated? Does it have value? Can you recognize the aesthetic quality in the work? Include biographical and/or historical information. Evaluation can be a very challenging part of art criticism and requires practice and careful seeing.
Task
Select a museum in Jacksonville, Florida
Select a work of art:
The following outline is suggested, but not required:
1. Identification: Select a work of art. You may select a piece that you like or dislike. Get all the information provided: artist, title, medium, year, etc. Write down your initial responses. How do you respond to the work? Does it invoke an emotional response? What do you think the artist was trying to communicate? It is helpful to bring a notebook to record your responses.
2. Describe: the piece and review it carefully. What do you see? Note all the details about the work. How would you describe it to someone you were talking to on the phone who can't see it?
3. Analyze: the visual elements and design principles, thinking about the relationship between form, content, and subject matter. This will be helpful in your 'interpretation' of the work. Consider context: does it fit into a movement or time period? Consider its place in the artist's overall output.
4. Interpretation: Follow your analysis with a subjective interpretation of the meaning of the work. How does the work make you feel? What do you think the content is? Go beyond "I like it" or "I don't like it."
5. Research the artist: Historical and biographical information on the artist often provides clues into a work's intended meaning. Carefully consider the purpose and context of the piece. Did the piece you selected have any particular political or cultural message? Was the artist making a statement?
6. Evaluate: What do you think the artist's intentions were? Was this communicated? Does it have value? Can you recognize the aesthetic quality in the work?