Welcome! You’ve made it to our Unit 2 Seminar!! ~ Please feel free to chat until we begin at 8:00 ~

ART! HU 300: Unit 2

Tonight’s Agenda: focusing on imitation 1. This week’s project assignment 2. Central issues regarding Realism 3. Central issues regarding Abstract Art

This Week’s Project F or this project, you will give detailed analysis of a piece of architecture and a work of art from your life and/or community. “The objective of the assignment is to apply the concepts from the chapter to art and architecture in daily life.”

Part I “Take a field trip around your neighborhood, city, or region. Find one example of architecture that catches your attention. Explain what you see in detail. Discuss the elements of form and function. Which concepts from the chapter reading are applied in this work?”

Part II “Next, find an element of art. Consider civic art, sculpture, an image you use to decorate your home, graffiti, street performance, or any art experience that you find engaging. Start by describing the work of art. Try to use terminology from the text. You may consider the following questions: What is the medium? What are the dimensions? When was the work made? Is the work abstract or representational? You may find the flashcards in “My Humanities Kit” a helpful resourc e....

and finally Then, add to your discussion: What is the purpose of this work of art? What does it mean to you? Which concepts from the chapter reading are applied in this work?” Your best bet for a fantastic Unit 2 Project: view 3-4 of the “Closer Look” art critiques from your Humanities Kit. They will give you a very good idea of how to consider and discuss a work of art. (And, this is required viewing for your discussion question this week!)

Essential Advice As with every assignment in this course: learn the grading rubric!! This is what the rubric offers for an A paper: Essay demonstrates ability to express and evaluate values and terms of art or architecture.  Project explains the purpose of art to the individual and its universal appeal.  Project uses vocabulary terms from the unit.  Project is clearly written.  Project meets posted length requirements.

Art What is the role of imitation in art?

“What’s it a painting of ?” Some art aims to be a clear imitation of the physical world. “ Representational ” is one word to describe imitative art, because the artwork represents the physical world. “ Realism ” is another word for representational art. When realism extremely exact it’s generally called “ photo-realism ”.

Central questions... What does the art do or offer that’s different from the scene itself? Why is every artist’s version of the same scene different?

POST-IMPRESSIONISM

SURREALISM

“Meaning” in Art Generally speaking, words are not very good at relaying the “meaning” of a work of art. If the artist had a verbal idea in mind, she would communicate it best with literal words. The “ medium ” an artist chooses is essential to the meaning of an artwork. The artist’s medium communicates in a way that words cannot match!

CUBISM: What’s this a painting of? Is this realism?

About that modern stuff... Some art does not aim to be an imitation or depiction of things in the physical world. This sort of art is “ non-representational ” “ Abstract ” art is non-representational.

Central questions: Does abstract art imitate something that’s just not physical – like feelings or moods or ideas? How does abstract art communicate with us?

Kandinsky What is your reaction to this work of art? Does it imitate anything in the physical world? Is this abstract or realist?

Art can often mean different things to different people. Is this a strength or a weakness?