essay

Module Exercise 3: A Critical Analysis

Due Monday by 8am Points 125 Submitting a file upload File Types rtf, doc, and docx Available Jun 21 at 12am - Jul 18 at 8am 27 days

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Writing Task:

Contemporary artists explore the body from a variety of formal and conceptual constructs. Some artists, such as Jenny Saville (http://www.gagosian.com/artists/jenny-saville) and Maureen Connor, address our notions of the "perfect" body in their work, particularly as one might find the body represented through media images and pop culture. Other artists consider the body as a mortal organism, subject to decay and degradation. Consider, for example, the work of artists Joel-Peter Witkin, (http://www.masters-of-fine-art- photography.com/02/artphotogallery/photographers/joel_peter_witkin_01.html) Kiki Smith (https://www.artsy.net/artist/kiki-smith) , and Robert Gober (http://www.matthewmarks.com/index.php?

n=1&a=141&im=1) . The body as cultural sign (and battleground) is another focus for contemporary artists. Many of Barbara Kruger's (https://www.artsy.net/artist/barbara-kruger) photomontages from the 1980-90s addressed major cultural and political issues of the times: sexual expression, reproductive rights, and role of women in the work force. Our textbook (Robertson & McDaniel 2 009) also refers to "Performing Bodies" (pp. 82-4) in reference to how some artists use their actual bodies as instruments and/or materials in their work. Janine Antoni (http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/antoni/) , Adrian Piper (http://blog.art21.org/2009/05/07/the-power-of-now-adrian-pipers-indexical-present/) , Mierle Ukeles (http://www.feldmangallery.com/pages/artistsrffa/artuke01.html) , and Carolee Schneemann (http://www.caroleeschneemann.com/) are a few artists who use performance as a vehicle for expression. We also find that rapid technological changes have introduced both subject and content into contemporary art about the body. Artists such as Stelarc (http://stelarc.org/?catID=20247) explore the "post-human" body (Robertson & McDaniel 2009, pp. 95-101) as cyborg-an amalgamation of biological and machine parts. Some artists working with this topic do so in ways that are highly conceptual and which represent the body as a literal machine. Rebecca Horn's (http://www.rebecca-horn.de/pages/biography.html) Painting Machine (1988) and Wim Delvoye's (http://www.wimdelvoye.be/) Cloaca (begun in 2000) are two such examples. The human figure is deeply represented in the art and cultural artifacts of most world cultures and it remains a popular subject in today's art. Contemporary artists explore the human body with regard for its corporeality (its material reality as flesh, tissue, and bone) and its existence as a "cultural artifact" that reflects "society's views of proper behavior, social and economic roles, and power relationships" (Robertson & McDaniel 2009, p. 76).

For this assignment, you are to write a critical analysis of a work of art discussed in Chapter 3 (The Body) in the course textbook. As a premise on which to organize your thoughts, reflect on the question: "How do artists today explore our complex perceptions of the human body?" This is the underlying question that should be addressed in this module exercise. With regard to the purpose of this assignment, your analysis of the work should relate to how the artist is addressing issues of the body in or through the work.

The goal of a critical analysis is to help your reader/audience to gain insights into a work and new ways of thinking about a work of art that they otherwise might not have discovered on their own. The purpose of this assignment is for you to present a critical analysis that builds on a visual description of the work. Some description of the work that you discuss is appropriate. Description, however, should quickly lead to a discussion of the artist's technique, an interpretation of the work's meaning or intention, and an evaluation of the work.

Assignment Guidelines:

Select a work of contemporary art (created after 1980) that is discussed in Chapter 3: The Body (in the course textbook). You are required to identify in your response the section and page number where the work is discussed in Chapter 3: The Body.

Write a critical analysis of the work in which you present your analysis and evaluation and discuss how you perceive the artist is exploring issues of the human body through the work. Use the following steps for developing your critical analysis:

Begin your analysis with a consideration 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 established a formal analysis, move on to discuss the significance of the work. Frame your discussion of the work's significance by using at least two or more of the following perspectives (Brereton, n.d.):

Historical significance: When was the work created? What was happening in the world at that time? Are there specific events or actions that contributed to the work's conception?

Cultural significance: What is the meaning of the work? How is the "meaning" of the work affected by the values, beliefs, customs, ideas of the culture in which the work was created?

Social significance: How is the work valued or used by contemporary society? Does the artwork address particular social groups? Does the work address or explore particular social issues related to race, ethnicity, gender, etc?

Political significance: Is the work making a political statement? If so, what political issue does the work address? Does the manner in which audiences experience the work frame the work in a political context or purpose? Is the political significance of the work a deliberate action of the artist or accidental by virtue of exhibition, changing events, etc.?

The final part of your essay should provide your reader with a conclusion that summarizes your main points and which leaves your reader with additional thoughts to consider, something more for the reader to think about as they contemplate the work you analyzed.

Embed an image of the work you discuss within your essay or provide a working URL where the work may be viewed online.

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 assignment box 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

Module Exercises

Criteria Ratings Pts

25.0 pts

evaluation.

When submitting your response to the CANVAS assignment box, 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 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.

Sources

1. Brereton, K. A Guide to Critically Analysing Your Art Works. URL: http://www.kurtbrereton.com/critical_method.html. Accessed: 27 April 2015.

Structure : • Organization • Flow / Transitions

25.0 pts Exceeds Expectations: • Paper is organized in a logical manner

21.0 pts Meets Expectations: • Paper has a clear organization

19.0 pts Needs Improvement: • There is some evidence of organization but

15.0 pts Inadequate: • Scant or no evidence of organization to the paper. •

50.0 pts

30.0 pts

20.0 pts

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.

with only a few ambiguities or digressions. • Introduction and/or conclusion summarize the main points of the paper. • Consistent use of basic transitions

paper contains digressions or ambiguities that disrupt flow of thought. • The paper demonstrates very little sense of introduction and/or conclusion. • Transitions are ineffective.

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 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.

44.0 pts Meets Expectations: • Paper addresses the writing task in a clear manner with adequately detailed and insightful development of main issues. • Content is presented in a thoughtful manner with identified supporting details and information. • Response demonstrates original discussion and ideas.

39.0 pts Needs Improvement: • Paper addresses the writing task in a vague manner that lacks clear clarity of purpose. • Content demonstrates some critical thought with some general supporting details and information. • Response demonstrates some original discussion.

34.0 pts Inadequate: • Paper has no central idea and is completely lacking in purpose. • Scant or no evidence of critical 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

18.0 pts Meets Expectations: • Several supporting sources but primary source is course textbook. • Citations formatted correctly and consistently using standard methods of

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

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

Total Points: 125.0citations properly noted and formatted. • Bibliography is complete and properly formatted. • Image and/or functional URL included in paper.

citation. • In-text citations properly noted and formatted. • Bibliography is complete and properly formatted. • Image and/or functional URL included in paper.

identified. • Bibliography is incomplete and/or not properly formatted. • Image and/or functional URL not included in paper.

not included in paper.