Class 12: Art & Environment; Midterm Review ART 101 : What Is Art? Class 12: Art & Environment; Midterm Review

Objectives: Midterm: Introduction & Questions Art and Environment: Three Stories US vs UK Ancient Egypt Art & Technology in Southern California Conditions of California Art

The Midterm The midterm comprises four sections = 100 points A description of a work of art on view (40 points) A series of research tasks on a work of art (40 points) A written reflection (20 points) Additional important information The midterm will be given in class on Wednesday, March 8, 2017 The exam will begin at 1:30 PM sharp; you are encouraged to arrive at 1:20 to be prepared to start on time We will meet in Napa Hall Gallery You will need: An exam book. Writing implements. A computer with Internet access. (While you can try to make do with a smartphone or tablet, a computer is highly recommended as not all websites function equally well on smartphones or tablets. Computers may be checked out from Broome Library with a valid CI student ID card. )

The Midterm Part One: A description of a work of art on view (40 points) You will have 20 minutes in which to write a description of a painting or print of your choosing from among those on view in Napa Hall Gallery. You will need to consider the formal qualities of a work of art, as introduced in class, discussed in your textbook, and presented in the PDF image presentation, Selected Terms for Art History, under Class 04. You will be evaluated on the comprehensiveness, the thoughtfulness, and the clarity of your description, as well as on your ability to use art historical vocabulary and technical terms (e.g., saturation, value, symmetrical balance). Review the comments on your formal analysis paper as a guide to help you prepare for this section of the exam.

The Midterm Part Two: A series of research tasks connected to an artwork (40 points) At 1:50 PM, we will leave Napa Hall Gallery and return to our classroom. I will distribute to you a handout with a color image of a work of art, together with basic information (artist, title, medium, date, museum) You will need to do the following: Locate the artwork’s object record from within the museum’s online catalogue, provide the object’s accession number, and list the stable URL for the collection record Identify a book about the artist, providing a complete citation in Chicago notes/bibliography format, explaining how you located the item, and stating why it is an authoritative source appropriate for university-level, art history research. Identify a journal article about the artist, providing a complete citation in Chicago notes/bibliography format, explaining how you located the item, and stating why it is an authoritative source appropriate for university-level, art history research.

The Midterm Part Three: Written Reflection (20 points) You will write a reflective essay on one of the following topics (your choice): How does the role and training of an artist in the United States or Europe differ today from how it was in the pre-Modern world? (E.g., an ART 21 artist versus Velasquez) Can non-human (non-homo sapiens) species create works of art? What is your aesthetic reaction to the artwork assigned in Part Two of this examination? What is the most engaging or challenging idea that you have encountered to date in ART 101, and why? How has your thinking about this idea shifted or expanded? You should choose your essay topic in advance and give some thought to your response. The best responses will include specific examples from the textbook, from class discussions, from additional research, or from careful observation. Essays will be evaluated on the basis of clarity and organization, thoughtfulness, direct engagement with the chosen topic, evidence of knowledge and preparation, ability to observe and describe artworks, and consideration of divergent positions and counterarguments, as relevant to the topic selected.

Making an Art World in Postwar LA

Morris Louis, Alpha-Phi, 1961: The problem of “acrylic paint”

The Problem of Acrylic Paint Inspiration: Morris Louis, for example Approach, 1961 Result: John Hoyland, for example 25.4.69, 1969

ART & ENVIRONMENT IN EGYPT Khafre Enthroned (Pharaoh Enthroned) Diorite (a type of stone). 2520–2494 BCE 4th Dynasty, Old Kingdom Egyptian

Billy Al Bengston, Big Jim McLain, 1967 Polyurethane and lacquer on aluminum Larry Bell, Untitled, 1969 Mineral-coated glass

California Art: Materials, Resources, Technologies Chumash, from Santa Barbara Natural History Museum. Alice Chittenden (1859-l 944), California Springtime, c. 1920, oil on canvas, 10 x 14 inches, Courtesy of De Ru' s Fine Art, Laguna Beach Judy Baca, The Great Wall of Los Angeles Camille Utterback, Textrain