Essay
Module Exercise 5: Autobiographical Reflections
Due Monday by 8am Points 125 Submitting a file upload File Types rtf, doc, and docx Available Jun 21 at 8am - Aug 1 at 8am about 1 month
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Doris Salcedo, Shibboleth, 2007. Photo: Tate Modern
Writing Task:
The introductory commentary to this module notes that in the opening pages of her book, The Lure of the
Local (http://www.amazon.com/Lure-Local-Senses-Multicentered-Society/dp/1565842480) , art critic Lucy Lippard (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_R._Lippard) (1997) addresses the deep connections that we have to the idea of "place" and what she identifies as the longings we have to identify with the "resonance of a specific location that is known and familiar" (p. 7). She writes:
[t]he intersections of nature, culture, history, and ideology [that] form the ground on which we stand—our land, our place, the local. The lure of the local is the pull of place that operates on each of us, exposing our politics and our spiritual legacies. It is the geographical component of the psychological need to belong somewhere, one antidote to a prevailing alienation. The lure of the local is that undertone to modern life that connects it to the past we know so little and the future we are aimlessly concocting. (p.7)
For this assignment, you will write an autobiographical reflection in which you discuss personal memories, experiences, or dreams that help you define the idea of "place" in relationship to a work of art selected from those discussed in Chapter 6: Place in the course textbook.
Assignment Guidelines:
Take a few moments to think about these questions: Where do you identify your greatest sense of "home?" Where do you long to be? Where is your special "place"? For many of us, notions of place are grounded in family and friends. Others of us, however, feel "at home" wandering the world as we explore new cultures and customs. Still others, find that their idea of "place" is not yet defined and, instead, rests in the dreams they have for what is yet to be.
Select a work of contemporary art (created after 1980) that is discussed in Chapter 6: Place (in the course textbook) with which you feel a particular resonance or connection.
Write a reflective essay in which you discuss how this work "resonates" with you and why. Use the following steps for developing your essay:
Begin your essay by discussing your responses to the questions posed above.
Identify the work from Chapter 6: Place that you find connects most meaningfully to your ideas and concepts of place.
Present a brief discussion of the work's formal elements: What is the subject matter of the work? What is the work made of? What techniques did the artist use in creating the work? How large or small is the work? Does it have physicality or is it solely conceptual? What colors, textures, and shapes are present in the work? How is the work exhibited?
Once you've presented your discussion of the formal elements of the work, move on to discuss why you were drawn to this particular work. Consider the following points when writing your reflection:
Personal narrative: This assignment is premised on the role of the self-narrative (the "autobiographical"). It is anticipated that you will frame your essay as a personal narrative and
that you will connect that narrative to personal experiences, stories, etc.
The personal intersects with art: For many of us, our experiences with works of art are grounded in emotional responses and connections that we feel in relationship to the work. Sometimes, these responses are framed by the way we connect what we see (in a work) with what we have experienced (in our life). This assignment asks you to discuss a very specific type of "connection"; namely, in what way does a particular work connect with your conceptions of "place".
The final part of your essay should provide your reader with some brief, concluding thoughts about the work you chose to write about and why.
Embed an image of the work you discuss within your essay or provide a working URL where the work may be viewed online.
This assignment does not require the use of research sources; however, if you do use sources to support your discussion, they must be properly cited in both in-text citations and a bibliography appended to your discussion.
Technical Requirements:
Your response to this assignment must be a minimum 600 and a maximum of 750 words in length (not including bibliography)
Your response must be conceptually polished and fully edited when submitted as a finished product.
Your response must be submitted to its assigned CANVAS dropbox by the due date and time assigned for this assignment.
All research sources used must be fully and accurately documented using the citation standards of one of the following: American Psychological Association (APA), Modern Language Association (MLA), or the Chicago Manual of Style.
Your response must be formatted in a readable typeface (e. g., Arial or Helvetica) and saved as either a RTF (rich text format) or a DOC/DOCX (Microsoft word) file. No other file formats will be accepted for evaluation.
When submitting your response to the CANVAS dropbox, please identify the submitted file in the following manner “yourlastname. xxx. For example, a Microsoft Word file submitted by "Riley Smith" would be labeled “smith.doc”. It may also be helpful for your records if you insert a number after your name to correspond with the exercise number. For example, consider labeling your files in the following manner, using Riley Smith's last name as an example: “smith1.doc” for Module Exercise 1, “smith2.doc” for Module Exercise 2, etc.
Successful participation in this module exercise will demonstrate the student's ability to:
Identify and analyze issues and problems relating to contemporary art, artists, and the institutional
Module Exercises
Criteria Ratings Pts
25.0 pts
50.0 pts
frameworks in which art is experienced; and
Define, apply, and convey his / her understandings of and opinions about contemporary art in discipline- specific written conventions.
Late submission of assignments: Papers or projects submitted late (i. e., past their due date and time) are subject to a 20% penalty for every 24 hours or portion thereof that they are submitted late, including weekends and holidays. After three days, no late submissions of any project will be accepted unless extremely unusual circumstances warrant an exception and the student (or his/her authorized agent) has conferred with the instructor. Examples of such exceptions would include a student’s hospitalization or a death in a student’s immediate family (father, mother, sibling, or grandparent).
Evaluation Criteria
You may review the Evaluation Rubric for this assignment here. Please note that this assignment will be submitted by the instructor for review to Turnitin.com for instances of plagiarism or possible misuse of research information and sources. Evidence of such actions may result in the student receiving a failing grade and referral for additional academic sanctions.
Structure : • Organization • Flow / Transitions
25.0 pts Exceeds Expectations: • Paper is organized in a logical manner that is easily followed from beginning to conclusion. • Introduction and/or conclusion summarize the main points of the paper. • Consistent use of smooth and logical transitions.
21.0 pts Meets Expectations: • Paper has a clear organization with only a few ambiguities or digressions. • Introduction and/or conclusion summarize the main points of the paper. • Consistent use of basic transitions
19.0 pts Needs Improvement: • There is some evidence of organization but paper contains digressions or ambiguities that disrupt flow of thought. • The paper demonstrates very little sense of introduction and/or conclusion. • Transitions are ineffective.
15.0 pts Inadequate: • Scant or no evidence of organization to the paper. • No introduction or conclusion. • Flow of discussion is difficult to follow • No transitions between sentences and/or paragraphs.
Content: • Clarity of purpose • Critical and original thought • Supporting details
50.0 pts Exceeds Expectations: • Paper addresses the writing task in a clear manner with a richly detailed and insightful development of main issues. • Response
44.0 pts Meets Expectations: • Paper addresses the writing task in a clear manner with adequately detailed and insightful development of
39.0 pts Needs Improvement: • Paper addresses the writing task in a vague manner that lacks clear clarity of
34.0 pts Inadequate: • Paper has no central idea and is completely lacking in purpose. • Scant or no evidence of critical
Total Points: 125.0
30.0 pts
20.0 pts
demonstrates an exceptional level of original discussion and ideas throughout the paper. • Content is presented in a thoughtful and reflective manner with vivid and specific supporting details and information.
main issues. • Content is presented in a thoughtful manner with identified supporting details and information. • Response demonstrates original discussion and ideas.
purpose. • Content demonstrates some critical thought with some general supporting details and information. • Response demonstrates some original discussion.
thinking or careful thought. • Few if any supporting details and/or examples • If present, supporting details or examples are irrelevant to the purpose of the assignment.
Grammar / Mechanics / Language: • Sentence structure • Punctuation/mechanics • Vocabulary
30.0 pts Exceeds Expectations: • No punctuation or mechanical errors • Uses complex sentences for excellent effect and impact • Uses sophisticated vocabulary in a correct manner.
26.0 pts Meets Expectations: • Very few punctuation or mechanical errors. • Uses complex sentences. • Vocabulary is varied, and appropriate to the context of the assignment.
23.0 pts Needs Improvement: • Excessive punctuation and/or mechanical errors. • Uses compound sentences intermingled with simple sentences. • Vocabulary is used properly but may be simple and without much variation.
20.0 pts Inadequate: • Punctuation and/or mechanical errors render the paper incomprehensible • Uses only simple sentences. • Vocabulary is very simple and may be used inappropriately.
Citations / Bibliography/Image: • Acknowledgement of supporting sources of information • In-text citations • Bibliography • Image/URL
20.0 pts Exceeds Expectations: • Multiple and varied supporting sources of information. • Citations formatted correctly and consistently using standard methods of citation. • In-text citations properly noted and formatted. • Bibliography is complete and properly formatted. • Image and/or functional URL included in paper.
18.0 pts Meets Expectations: • Several supporting sources but primary source is course textbook. • Citations formatted correctly and consistently using standard methods of citation. • In-text citations properly noted and formatted. • Bibliography is complete and properly formatted. • Image and/or functional URL included in paper.
16.0 pts Needs Improvement: • Sole supporting source is course textbook. • Citations are not formatted in a consistent manner and/or exhibit errors in format. • In-text citations are not always properly noted and identified. • Bibliography is incomplete and/or not properly formatted. • Image and/or functional URL not included in paper.
13.0 pts Inadequate: • Citations are inappropriately identified. • In- text citations are consistently missing and/or improperly identified. • Bibliography is missing. • Image and/or functional URL not included in paper.