INSPIRATION. Find an artwork, an example of Fine Art in the Western Tradition that for you is inspirational, exciting, challenging and meaningful. You'll need to be sure you've got the right kind of art: Fine Art. One way to be sure is to look for the person or art you pick from the Art 21 website http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists, or to find the work in a fine art gallery or to find the work in a museum that exhibits fine art. Check with me if you are not sure.
After you have found an artwork that is for you an inspiration then I'd like you to find another work by the same artist. You can find this artist's work anywhere you like. Some good places to find this art are:
o From the Art 21 website http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists.
o From your research and efforts in the assignments from Week 2 or Week 3.
o From a fine art gallery or from a museum with a (European) fine art collection.
Research that artist and find more images of their work.
THEN-Look at those other artists who influenced your artist of choice, that is look for their precedents. (Their precedents are other artists or artwork which came before them and influenced them in one way or another in their work.)
OR -research those artists who have been influenced by the artist you chose.
You will receive extra credit if you can find the real life examples of the work from the artists that you choose- not reproductions in magazines or books or on the internet but instead - live and in person examples of their work.
ESSAY FORM FOR ARTS IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY
To direct your thorough examination of an artwork, I'd like you to follow this form and use your words to look and think about the work.
Facts- The facts or basic information include but are not limited to: The artist's name, the title of the work, the year it was made, medium (materials it is made with), dimensions (its size), where it was viewed and when. If you are viewing art in a museum or many galleries you may find most of this information on a little plaque on the wall and near the work. For other times collect all available information and add to it your further research about the work or the artist.
Description- I'd like you to give me a detailed description of the appearance of the artwork and should include surrounding events when you saw the work. Be like a detective looking for clues in the texture, line, color, imagery, composition, scale, physical context and effects on the immediate environ or the effects of the environment on the work. Include sounds and smells and how you feel. Include a photograph of the artwork you are writing about.
Research- In this part of the essay form I'd like you research and give credit for the information about the artwork or the artist which informs your analysis. This may include museum or galley text materials or internet or library research on the artist' s biography any history or symbolism research which you've found about the work. It is very important that you add footnotes at the end of each entry telling about what you've learned/how it shaped your interpretation. Giving credit to your sources by footnotes is everyone's responsibility and a common part of any research document.
Analysis and interpretation- Gathering the facts and your thorough description will give you a growing list of tools to approach your interpretation. Keep in mind this question as you take apart and analyze what you see: What could anyone and/or everyone understand from looking at this work? (If and only if you must, you can also tell me what it reminds you of. Please do not use an artist's statement as your interpretation. Ironically, sometimes artists know less about their own work than others who view it.) Be independent minded here.