Museum Website Paper

1

Dallas College, Eastfield Campus

Mohammed Alshammari

ARTS 1301 Assignment: Museum Website Experience

Eric Eley

May 26, 2021

Assignment Overview To complete this assignment, you will visit the website for the Dallas Museum of Art by following this link: DMA Website. The assignment is an opportunity for you to demonstrate what you have learned in this course by analyzing your experience of engaging with the museum website and discussing a selection of artworks in its diverse collections. Because the assignment is worth a significant percentage of your course grade, plan to spend significant time exploring the website, taking notes, and contemplating the many artworks you see. You will be writing about the museum and you will choose artworks in the DMA collection to analyze and place in their historical and cultural contexts. Allow at least two days to write responses based on your notes and to edit your document before submitting it.

Instructions

Download and read the assignment instructions before you visit the website. Know the assignment requirements and be attentive during your virtual visit.

Save this document with your last name in the file title. Type your responses directly inside this document in the spaces indicated. Save often as you write.

Required format: Word .doc or .docx, typed single-spaced, in black Calibri size 12 font.

College level writing is required. Write in complete sentences, with correct punctuation and spelling. Proofread your document carefully to eliminate mistakes. Plagiarism = 0 = F. All responses must be in your own words.

Do NOT use any sources other than the course textbook and museum website. NO RESEARCH.

This assignment is divided into sections. Each section includes prompts and instructions. Follow instructions carefully. Write your statements in direct response to the prompts. Do not add information that is not requested. Use course terminology to the best of your ability. A concise yet thorough statement is preferable to rambling and padding.

The Dallas Museum of Art Mission Statement of the Dallas Museum of Art: “Pursue excellence in collecting and programming, present works of art across cultures and time, and be a driving force in contemporary art. Strengthen our position as a prominent, innovative institution, expanding the meaning and possibilities of learning and creativity.”

1. The Role of the Museum in the Community (15 points) The Dallas Museum of Art presents us with a diverse collection of art from many different cultures and historical periods. Explore the entire museum, including the events sections. Pay attention to the world regions, countries, cultural groups, religious beliefs, themes, and time periods represented in the vast collections.

Write a long paragraph in which you respond to the following questions with specific details:

How does the DMA teach visitors to understand and respect cultural diversity? Cite specific examples from the website to justify your explanation.

How do DMA information and educational materials on the website enhance your understanding of people from other cultures and periods in history? Cite specific examples.

What role do you think the DMA plays in our community? In other words, what is its purpose here in Dallas? Explain why you think what you do.

In addition to exhibiting artwork, what other cultural events are hosted by the DMA?

Do you think the DMA website is user-friendly? Why or why not?

____________________________________________________________________________ Type your answer to question 1 in the space below, using as many lines as necessary:

Answer

The Dallas Museum of Art teaches people to respect cultural diversity by dispensing antiquities from myriad cultures. As part of this cultural diversity, some artworks are from the Indian cultures for instance the Qur’an in Bihari Script and the candlestick from the Egyptian cultures. On collections from the Americas, some artworks have come from Acoma Pueblo cultures for example the small bowl with modeled figures and hollow incised figure holding flute from the Tembladera cultures. Besides promoting cultural diversity, the materials on the website enhance understanding of other people. For example, the Qur’an artworks located in Egypt enables the user of the website to connect the Egyptians with the Islamic religion. The DMA’s main purpose is to enable the surrounding community to embrace diversity. This goal is achieved through relaying antiquities from different parts of the world such as India, North Africa and some parts of Europe through events and exhibitions so that the community can learn more about the artifacts. Also, the website aims to enable the residents to fathom history. The websites achieves the objective by providing antiquities from different centuries for instance, on the Arts of Africa; the antiquities have been collected from absolutely different centuries. An example is where, the Doll antiquity is from the 19th century while the gold weight is from the 14th century. Apart from events, DMA provides many other programs such as workshops and classes which can reinforce the understanding of art. The website is user-friendly because it has well-planned technology architecture. Browsing through the internet when searching for different artworks and other related concepts was easy. Comment by Melanie Pruit: Colon before and comma after

Analyzing the Artwork 2. Formal Analysis (35 points) Choose one artwork from one of these collections only: Contemporary Art or European Art. (Navigate from the Collection link in the Art pulldown on the front page and look for the Departments listed.)

Identify the artwork using the information provided on the website. Type the information after the prompts below. If something is missing from the website info, leave that part blank. Answer: Artwork Chosen

Title: Bombed Church

Artist’s name, if known: Alistair Grant

Region/country/culture: Not on View

Medium/materials: Color lithograph

Date: 1953

DMA collection number: 1956.5

Write a long paragraph analyzing your chosen artwork in response to the following prompts:

Explain how the artist used 3 visual elements from this list, making specific references to your chosen artwork: line, shape, contrast, volume, mass, texture, value, space, color.

Explain how the artist used 2 design principles from this list, making specific references to your chosen artwork: unity, variety, balance, scale, emphasis, pattern, rhythm.

Explain the media (materials) and processes the artist used to create your chosen artwork. (In other words, what is it made out of and how did they make it?)

Review visual elements, design principles, and media in Units 1 and 2 of the textbook to do well on this part.

____________________________________________________________________________ Type your detailed answer to question 2 in the space below, using as many lines as necessary:

Answer: Artistic Elements and Design Principles

Different shapes have been used to depict the bombed church artwork. The artwork is framed in a square while the buildings take the cubic form. The use of volume in displaying the church is manifested. It has both the area and the height. Color has also been used accurately in the image. In the background, grey color has been used which relates to the dark imagery of bombing, or rather, dull setting. Besides the visual elements, the bombed church has used emphasis. The artist depicts a cross on one of the buildings to draw the attention of the viewers to a church setting. Further, the artist has used different variety to depict the artwork. Different colors, building sizes and shapes have been used. The material was created using color lithograph medium. Grant achieved the technique by drawing directly the image on a print material.

The bombed church, Alistair Grant, 1953

3. History and Cultural Context (35 points) The context of art is the set of social, historical, cultural, philosophical and/or religious circumstances in which the artwork was created.

Choose one work from the following collections: Arts of the Americas, Arts of Africa, Arts of Asia, or Arts of the Pacific Islands. The only “American” art you can use for this part is art from traditional Native American, ancient Mesoamerican, or ancient South American cultures. (Navigate from the Collection link in the Art pull-down on the front page and look for the Departments listed.)

Identify the artwork using the information provided on the website. Type the information after the prompts below. If something is missing from the website info, leave that part blank.

Answer: Artwork Chosen

Title: Waist Pendant With Three Figures

Region/country/culture: Edo Peoples, Benin Kingdom Court Style

Medium/materials: Cast Copper Alloy

Date: 18th Century

DMA collection number: 2015.3

Read the museum information provided for your chosen artwork (some works of art on the website have more information provided than others). Refer to Unit 3 of your textbook for additional information. Do not use the internet or any other sources.

Based on information from the museum website and Unit 3 of your textbook, but in your own words, write a long, detailed paragraph explaining the context of your chosen artwork. Questions you might answer for this part include:

According to museum information and your textbook, what major historical events occurred at the time and in the place in which the artwork was created?

According to museum information and your textbook, what technological developments or scientific discoveries may have influenced the artist or provided information necessary to complete the work?

According to museum information and your textbook, what are the key philosophical or spiritual beliefs of the time and culture?

According to museum information and your textbook, what are the social and cultural influences on the work? Consider: social structure (individualistic or collectivistic), gender and other identity issues, patrons, intended audience (for personal use, private collection, royalty, the public, other artists), and original purpose of the work (religious ritual, functional, ceremonial, memorial, political).

____________________________________________________________________________ Type your long, detailed paragraph for question 3 in this space, using as many lines as necessary:

Answer: The Context of the Artwork

The work was created in Benin Africa, in the 18th century. During the 18th century in Benin, the Benin Kingdom began splitting. This came after the kingdom had witnessed periods of massive expansion between the 14th and 15th century. Further, during this period, there was no plague as with previous years. During the 18th century, missionaries had moved to Africa and Christianity was entrenching the Beninese communities. The slaves who had been converted to Christianity aided in the spread of the word. The purpose and context of the artwork is political. The figure at the center was the king in Benin Kingdom. There are two men standing at each side of the king. The men are symbolic of the support the king received from the community during his reign. The entire artwork is surrounded by sea which symbolizes that the Kingdom was wealthy as a result of sea trade. Comment by Melanie Pruit: “splitting up” Comment by Melanie Pruit: Comma before “as” Comment by Melanie Pruit: Comma before “and” (FANBOY with new subject and new verb) Comment by Melanie Pruit: Comma before “which”

4. Cultural Engagement Comparative Analysis (15 points)

Locate a website for a public art museum in a city other than Dallas. Identify the museum by providing the following information:

Answer

Museum name: New York Metropolitan Museum

Museum location: New York City

Museum website address: https://www.metmuseum.org/

Referring back to your response in 1.3, compare your new museum to the Dallas Museum of Art. Write a long paragraph in which you respond to the following questions with specific details:

How are the two museums similar and different in terms of their community engagement? Cite specific examples.

What can you assume about the communities they serve based on the events they host? In other words, what do you infer about each city and its people by the information on the museum websites? Make sure to be specific when talking about each city and explain why you infer what you do.

Which museum do you think does a better job of engaging with the community based on the information you see on the website? Cite specific examples to justify your response.

Which museum do you think has a more interesting collection of art? Why?

Which of the two museums would you prefer to visit in person, and why? Make specific references to content on the websites to explain your answer. (If you have already visited either museum, pretend that you haven’t for this thought exercise).

____________________________________________________________________________ Type your paragraph for question 4 in this space, using as many lines as necessary :

Answer

The two museums have both similarities and differences. The similarity is that both museums engage the community through exhibitions and events. However, from the websites, the people from Dallas city are offered many options for visits including dining and that shows a robust collaboration between the community and the museum. On the other hand, the New York Metropolitan offers only few options for visits like buying a ticket and therefore, during visits, community members spent limited time at the museum. Dallas Museum of Art does a better job of engaging the community through exhibitions and events in addition to visits which can be made by community members. Also, the museum provides different programs for the adults, the kids, and family and community groups while New York Metropolitan Museum lacks such programs. Overall, the Dallas museum has interesting collections than the New York museum. That is because; the website for Dallas Museum of Art provides numerous artworks which are grouped into detailed categories that include Arts of Africa, which is further divided into cultures, different centuries and the material. Additional information is provided for other artworks. On the other hand, on New York website, less information is provided on most artworks and that makes search for knowledge complicated. The museum I would prefer visiting is Dallas. One of the reasons is that it offers great opportunity to learn of vast artistic works not only by providing the images but also grouping them into cultures, classifications and centuries. It also provide specific programs, for instance, there are programs for adults, children and families. Lastly, the museum provides essential services like dining for the visitors. Comment by Melanie Pruit: “such as” Comment by Melanie Pruit: “more interesting” Comment by Melanie Pruit: omit Comment by Melanie Pruit: “materials”? Comment by Melanie Pruit: “the search” Comment by Melanie Pruit: “provides”