Philosophy of art assignment

PHL317-001—PHILOSOPHY OF ART

ASSIGNMENT #2

Instructions:

· Answer one question. Concentrate on a providing clear and complete answer to the question. Don’t worry about writing an engaging or literary introduction. Just get right to the point. It is important to answer every part of each question; each question should be thought of as leading the essay writer step-by-step through the writing of a satisfactory essay. Note that, because of the relations among the parts of each question, it may be difficult or impossible at times to answer a later part of a question adequately without having accurately answered an earlier part of that question.

· The reasoned evaluation in the final part of your essay is not expected to be comprehensive or all-inclusive; it is sufficient either (i) to press one or two clear and relevant objections to the philosopher’s position or argument(s), (ii) to defend the philosopher’s position or argument against one or two clear and relevant objections, or (iii) to propose a clear and relevant additional argument for or against the philosopher’s position.

· Please defend your interpretation of a thinker by citing passages that support it. But don’t quote passage after passage. Instead, put the thinker’s points into your own words and indicate the page on which he or she makes them.

· There is no specific length requirement, just concentrate on providing a clear and complete answer to the question. Around 2 pages would be certainly sufficient.

· Grading is based on the accuracy, completeness, and philosophical acuity of the essay considered as a response to the question posed.

· Answers must be typed and double-spaced. Answers must also be typed in a normal sized font (12 x Times New Roman is usually a good size), and in an acceptable format. Leave margins of your essay at the top, bottom, left and right sides of each and every page. One-inch margins all around the page are standard. Separate cover sheets are unnecessary.

· Please keep a copy of your answer as insurance against loss.

· Your answer must be your own work. You must take care not to incorporate others’ ideas without explicit acknowledgment. If you draw on any external sources, you should do both of the following. First, provide, at the end of your essay or in a footnote, a full bibliographic entry for the source (including the author’s name, the title, the journal, book or other location in which it was published, the year of publication, and the beginning and ending page numbers). Second, every time your ideas rely on that source, credit the additional reading by giving the author’s last name, the year of publication, and the page number in parentheses. Please note that any material taken from the writings of another person must be placed in quotation marks, with the source explicitly cited.

· Your answer is to be handed in D2L by Friday, August 2nd by 11:00p.m.

1. In 1971 Nochlin famously posed the question, ‘why have there been no great women artists?’ Explain at least one possible answer to the question that Nochlin rejects and why she rejects it, and her own preferred answer to the question. In the final part of your answer provide a reasoned evaluation of some aspect of Nochlin’s take on the role of women in art.

2. Explain the two major trends in feminist art that Korsmeyer identifies. How do these trends challenge traditional conceptions of art according to Korsmeyer? In the final part of your answer provide a reasoned evaluation of some aspect of Korsmeyer’s take on the impact of feminism on art.

3. Compare and contrast Nochlin and Korsmeyer’s approaches to gender and art. Explain the authors’ key points and comment on where they seem to agree or disagree. In the final part of your answer provide a reasoned evaluation of Nochlin and Korsmeyer on the relation between feminism and art.

4. Describe Wingo’s encounter with the ceremonial African mask in the Western museum and explain the role of art in African culture. In the final part of your answer, provide a reasoned evaluation of some aspect of Wingo’s contribution to the philosophy of art.

5. Explain Davies ‘arguments against the view that non-Western societies have no concept of art and his own positive concept of art that includes non-Western art. In the final part of your answer, provide a reasoned evaluation of some aspect of Davies’s approach to non-Western art.

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