Please select one work of art from the morning docent-led tour at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA) and one
work of art from the afternoon docent-led
tour at the MIA (two works of art total,
one from each tour). The
artworks you select must come from the docent-led tours. Do not write about works of art
that were not viewed during your docent-led tours.
Write a short paper (two full pages minimum, double-spaced) on each work of art you have selected (one from each tour). Attach a Cover Page (see "Format," below) and your Sketch (see below). Thus, you will have a minimum total of four pages to turn in for each of your two papers. Your two completed papers should each consist of five parts, as follows:
1. SKETCH: Make a brief pencil sketch of each of the two
works of art you have selected while you are in the museum. Your sketches
should be on separate pieces of paper, attached to your accompanying essays
with a paperclip. You
will need to bring paper and a pencil to the museums so you can complete this
section. Your sketches will help
you later when you begin writing your papers. You will not be graded on your sketches.
2. IDENTIFY: Give the name of the object (title), the name of the artist (if known), the date(s) of creation, the medium, and the approximate measurements. Many students forget to do this part. Sometimes not all of this information is available at the museum. For example, sometimes dimensions are not given. If all information is not available, simply estimate and do your best. Please be certain to gather this information while you are at the museum, as it will be difficult to find once you have left the museum. Note: Sometimes some of this information is not available or relevant. For example, the work could be a video installation, in which case you obviously would not have approximate measurements.
3. DESCRIBE: What do you see? Write a complete description of the object, but be concise and to the point. Describe the piece without being analytical, judgmental, or using interpretation (that will be done in the next step, Formal Analysis, explained below.). Just look carefully and tell what you have seen. Write your description in such a way that a person who has read your paper would have no difficulty identifying the object you have described.
4. FORMAL ANALYSIS: Consider the use of the visual elements and principles of design as we have discussed them in class. Some typical terms used to describe these: line, shape, space, light and color, texture, pattern, balance, focal point, etc. Refer to Chapters Four and Five in your Living With Art text to help you with this part of the assignment.
5. INTERPRETATION: Interpret the work the best you can in terms of its place in the history of art and more importantly, in terms of what it means to you personally. Please write about the object, considering each of the following areas:
· Subject Matter: What is shown or depicted? What kinds of meanings can be associated with this appearance? What do you see that makes you say think this?
· What is the original purpose of the work? Why did the artist make this? Where would it be used and/or seen? How do you know this?
· What is the historical position of the piece? Out of which culture does it come? How do you know this? (Does this work of art come from the time of the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, the Vietnam War? Does it come from contemporary times? Does its historical context affect the work of art? If so, how?)
· What is the style of the work? Please consider both the personal style (the factors making it characteristic of works of art by that particular individual artist) and the period style (the characteristics associating this work with others of its time, place, purpose and meaning.) For example, the museum owns screenprints by Andy Warhol, a Pop artist. What is a Pop artist? What significance does Pop art have within the cultural context of the 1960s in America? How does Warhol's style illustrate this? Second example: The MIA also owns paintings by Rembrandt and Poussin, who are both Baroque artists. What characteristics of Baroque art do you find in Rembrandt's Lucretia, or in Poussin's Death of Germanicus (both of which are at the MIA)?
You can find the information for questions 1-4 above in several ways, including: through the docent-led tour, by reading the label for the work of art, and, most importantly, through looking carefully and recalling what you have learned throughout the semester both in class and in your Living with Art text.
Plagiarism: This is not a research paper. You do not have to use sources outside your own thoughts, notes from class, and the information provided at the museums. However, if you decide to refer to information from your Living With Art text or to use outside sources, be sure to footnote that information (see Footnotes, below).
Format:
Your paper must be typed and double-spaced (10 or 12 point type). Please leave margins on each side and on the top and bottom. Include a cover sheet with your name, date and the title of your essay. Papers should be stapled together at the upper left corner. Remember to include your sketch.
Evaluation:
Each paper is worth a maximum of 100 points (200 points total for the two papers). Your papers should be proofread and spell checked. Your papers will be graded for:
· Ideas and Content
· Organization/Clarity
· Writing Style/Quality
· Completion of all five parts listed above
· Completion by due date
Footnotes:
Words or ideas in your essay that
come directly from a particular source (any source outside your head) must be
credited to that source. If you quote from museum labels or museum websites, please make
note of that. Failure to
cite sources of words or ideas is considered plagiarism. Plagiarism
can result in a failure for the course.
You do not need to include a Bibliography or Footnotes unless you have cited sources outside your own thoughts.
Due Dates:
1110-01: May 3, 2004
1110-02: May 3, 2004
1110-91: May 5, 2004