Museum Paper Assignment

1Museum Paper Assignmen

Exhibition Review

You must submit 2 copies (one hard copy and one electronic)! Attach entrance ticket stub/receipt to paper copy. Submit a digital copy through blackboardYour paper should be 3-5double-spaced pages 1” margins, 12-point type (Please use Times New Roman).

PARAGRAPH1

1.Lo cat io n o f e xhib it(phys ic a l lo cat io n, ga lle r y nu mber, na me o f inst it ut io n, flo o ret c:)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________ _________ _______ ____________ ________ ______

2.Pr imar y art ist(ift here is o ne, if no t t hen t he o ne art ist t hat stoo d o ut to yo u)___ ________ ________ ________ _____ ____________ ________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________

3.H ist o ry o f artist___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4.What do es t he e xhib it w ish t o achie ve o r fo cus o n?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2PARAGRAPH2

1.Overa ll lo o ko f t he exh ib it (wa lls, flo o rs, light ing, co lo r etc:)___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2.P ie ce t hat stoo d o ut to yo u(fro m t he art ist that st oo d o ut to yo u)___ ________ ________ ________ _____ ____________ ________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________ _________ _______ ____________ ________ ________

3.Wh y d id t his cert a in p ie ce st a nd o ut to yo u_ ________ ________ _________ _______ ____________ ________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PARAGRAPH3(INSERTFORMAL ANALYSIS HERE IN YOUR ESSAY)

1.Thisis t he fo r ma l a na lysis, itsho u ld be fre e fro m a ny judg me nt sGuide to Writing a Formal Analysis1.Move from discussing larger and more important elements (like the composition) to smaller details (like the types of brushstrokes, colors).

2.Each section should be about something specific and not consist of a random string of observations. Also, the first sentence of the paragraph–or the topic sentence–should announce what you are going to discuss inthe rest of the paragraph.

3.Create variety in your sentence structures, and try to use active verbs as much as possible. Avoid passive constructions involving the verb “to be” (is, are, was, has been, etc.). For example, rather than, “Textured brushstrokeswere used to create a sense of volume in the hills,” say, “The artist used textured brushstrokes to create a sense of volume in the hills.”Opening:Provide basic information (if known) about the work of art, including the title or subject, artist, date and/or period, country. Also mention the material (media): ink on paper or silk, ink and colors on paper or silk, etc., and the format: hanging scroll, handscroll, album leaf, folding fan, mural, screen, panel, painting , sculpture, etc.4.First Section:This should serve as a basic overview of the work. Use specific terms like foreground, middle ground and background; left, right and center; upper and lower; corner and edge.e.g. “A withered tree with gnarled branches stands in the lower right corner of the foreground.” or “An elderly man clad in voluminous robes sits at a table

3laden with books and antiques, while a young servant prepares tea at a small stove in the background.”Once you have established where the main elements are located, you can refer to themmore simply, as in “the central peak,” or “the main figure.”5.Second section:This is where you should begin to analyze the composition as a whole. Discuss specific shapes: triangle, square, rectangle, etc.; and lines: diagonal, vertical, horizontal, curving, etc. Also use terms like monumental; intimate; close-up, etc.Ask yourself: How does the composition as a whole work? Is it balanced, symmetrical, stable, asymmetrical and/or dynamic? Generally speaking, squares and isoceles triangles convey stability,as do vertical and horizontal lines. Triangles with uneven sides, and diagonal lines, tend to be more dynamic.How do certain parts of the composition relate to other parts? Do they dominate, are they subordinate, or do they balance each other? Use words like symmetrical and asymmetrical, solid and void or full and empty space.Does the artist try to create perspective? If so, how? Avoid the erroneous assumption that Western single-point perspective is “natural” or “correct.” Asian paintings typically followdifferent principles of organization, which are in no sense “primitive.”6.Third section:Discuss the brushwork and the use of color (if any). Use terms like: firm and loose; thick and thin; dark and light; saturated and dilute; even or modulated (i.e., a line that thickens and thins within the same stroke), outline / contour and, texture; mineral and vegetable pigments; opaque and translucent. Differentiate the use of distinct brushstrokes from broader areas of inkwash or color. Comment on the tonalities and textures created.Note on word choices:Try to vary the pace by occasionally using vivid and evocative imagery. Mountains can soar or tower, streams can wind or meander or rage, cliffs can be craggy or eroded, the general atmosphere can be eerie or ghostly, calming or inviting, etc. Avoid overusing any single term. When writing about a work of art, call it a “work” or “painting” or “landscape” (etc.)

PARAGRAPH4

-opinion 1.Ta lka bo ut t he spac ecr it ica lly, go o d o r bad( fo rma l a na lys is o f t he e xhib it ) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________