THE VISIT
Now you have the basic art information to conduct a critical gallery visit. The following menu will help you ask the right questions to write a quality report. Not all of the following will apply to everyone's subject; you must choose the information that will apply to your exhibit and piece of work. Print this menu by either 1) copying this section and pasting it in a word processing program and then printing or 2) printing the entire web page.
Before the Visit: What to look for in a work of art
Two Dimensional Art
In the event that you are looking at a painting, you should begin by standing in front of it for some time, giving it your full attention. Study all aspects of it, scale, colors, application of the paint, texture, space, time, etc. Go close up to the painting and examine its details, brushstrokes and lines. Move from one side to the other looking at it from an angle. The way the sheen of the light reflects off the surface will often reveal the way it has been painted. You can follow essentially the same procedures when studying other two dimensional works of art such as drawings, prints, or photographs.3 Dimensional Art
If the viewer is studying a sculpture, they must move around it to look at it from many different angles. Only in this way can the viewer understand, see and appreciate its three dimensional qualities. Light and shadow play a more important role in seeing a sculpture than a painting. Therefore the viewer should examine the forms, textures, and angle of the work to more clearly reveal it's formal and aesthetic content. Architecture requires a much more experiential participation than either painting or sculpture. In this encounter the viewer must move into, around, and through the to fully appreciate it's context and quality. In this scenario they become witness to all the formal elements plus aspects of time, scale, sound, structure, materials and many other things.Questions to Ask
To become an informed observer of any work of art both study and serious thinking is imperative. In order to focus this thinking you need to ask a series of questions about the work of art. The following can be considered a menu of questions to be asked about any work of art. Remember that each question will not apply to every work of art. Print this list as a guide for your gallery visit.
1 Is it representational art, abstract art, or non-representational art? 2 What is it made of? What are the materials? How is it put together? 3 What is the subject matter? What does it represent? 4 Is it sacred or secular? Does it depict a particular person, subject, place or event? If so how? 5 When and where was this work made? What are or were the characteristics of the culture from which the work emerged? What else was happening in the world at the time the work was created? 6 Are the materials and the way the materials have been arranged important to the expressive quality of the work and its overall feeling? 7 Did someone ask the artist to make the work? If so who commissioned it? Were their conditions attached to the creation of it by the patrons? 8 Does the work communicate certain emotions and feelings? What is the expressive content of it? 9 How have the artists or artist used the materials? 10 What is known about the artist? Is there anything about the artist that might influence the viewers reaction to the work of art? i.e., what is the artist's racial, cultural, religious, or ethnic background? Is the artist male or female? 11 Is the work of art historically, socially, culturally or politically controversial? If so why and how? 12 Why was the work created? What purpose did it serve? What was it's function? 13 Was the work created for a specific location? If so does the work contextually fit the site, the community, the culture for which it was created? 14 What can it tell you about the beliefs, the ideas, the technology or attitudes current at the time it was created? 15 What can it tell you about yourself, the time and culture that you live in today? After the Visit: Writing the Report
Now that you've taken notes on the appropriate information, it's time to write your report. Here is the outline to follow, but feel free to use your own organizational style.
Each report must contain:
1 Your name and your Art 157 class section. 2 The admission receipt from the exhibition (if available). 3 The location, date and topic of the exhibition. 4 The artist's information should include the name, background (if available), and location (where they live and work). 5 A brief explanation of the exhibition and the gallery setting. 6 You are expected to report on the kind of art and its applicable elements, principles, and any historical, cultural and/or social significance. 7 In concluding your paper I want you to focus your personal observations and feelings on the single work of art that you selected to write on. If you choose, you may include a sketch, photograph or picture of a work from the exhibition. Each report must be:
1 Typed, double-spaced and have 1" margins 2 Spell-checked 3 Clearly written with the appropriate grammar APPLY
Introduction | Art Basics | The Visit | The Report | ExtendSyllabus | Schedule | Projects | Resources | Instructor
School of Art, Design and Art History | San Diego State University