The assignment- Choose 3 works of art that you like, and 3 that you don't like. For each do the following:
1) Stand in front, looking at it carefully for a full 5 minutes
2) After 5 minutes of concentration, state what you like and don't like about the piece, and analyze it using the Feldman Criticism Method (description, analysis, meaning, judgement), using formal art language when possible. Description is what you can see- shapes, colors, objects depicted, etc, as well as materials used, and the processes if you know them. Analysis is how things work together, things like size relationships, shape relationships. color relationships. Meaning is what you think the piece is about based on your observations, what you believe the artist was trying to communicate, if anything, and the judgement information is below. Descriptions and analysis are based on observations of what you actually see, while meaning and judgement are your opinions- as long as you can provide reasons for what you write, you can't be wrong.
Choose one of the three pieces the that you like and answer the following three questions:
a)What period or art movement does this work belong to?
b)Why (other than the date) do you link this artwork to that period?
c) What connection does this piece have to the society in which it was created?
The judgement step is deciding which of the following criteria you believe was the intent of the artist, why you believe this, and were they successful:
a) formalist- relationship of parts to the whole, pleasure comes from viewing the object itself, visual organization is more important than symbols, narrative, life experience.
b) expressivist- focus on the depth and intensity of experience of viewing the artwork, success comes from work with the greatest power to arouse emotions and communicate significant ideas.
c) instrumentalist- art that serves a particular purpose (political, religious, etc) and is successful when it helps advance a cause or change behavior- the idea is more important than the artist's emotions or formal art theory.
If you think more than one applies (and in some works all three could apply), choose the one you think most important for the work being analyzed.
3) Do a small sketch of the piece, or arrange to provide a photo.
The eligible museums are-
Montclair Art Museum, 3 South Mountain Ave, Montclair
Newark Museum, 49 Washington St, Newark
Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave (near 82nd), New York
Whitney Museum of American Art, 99 Gansevoort St, New York
The Museum of Modern Art, 11 W. 53rd (near Fifth), New York
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Ave, New York
The Frick Collection, 1 E. 70th St. (at Fifth), New York
Grounds For Sculpture 126 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, NJ (3D Class Only)
Click the links to learn about hours, admissions, rules, and special shows.
Other institutions may be acceptable, but you must check with me first. Some classes may have to deal with specific works- for a 2D class, the chosen works must be two dimensional (paintings, drawings, prints), for a 3D class the works must be sculptural (carved, cast, assembled) and for a drawing class the works must be drawings (pencil, charcoal, ink, pastels, etc)
