final project
Guidelines
This project, whose oral part must be ready for early December (5th or 12th, depending on its subject), is designed to give you the opportunity to present, in a creative fashion, a significant element or idea about art – an idea that has been inspired by our classes, by the critical readings, one of our event (or an event you have attended separately). This is your opportunity to talk about your responses to art as well as, for some of you, your own involvement in an art form. Be creative, think outside of the academic box!
You will work in a group of three or four (exceptionally alone or in a pair), to present the results in class. Rachel Szeleky and I are eager to see you try out some of the new technologies at your disposal (short videos, power point presentations, photoshop etc). The presentation will be followed by a short analytical paper in which you present, each separately, a summary of the central ideas of the presentation and relate them to the course as a whole.
I will entertain, in discussion with a group, any subject you may propose. I will also ask each group to give me, by Wednesday 28th November, at the very latest, a broad written synopsis of your project/presentation specifying the technology you plan to use. Make sure to see me at least once, as a group or separately, to discuss your project and questions you may have.
Before you lauch your project, and as you are making the choice of the technology you want to use, you must have a conversation with Rachel, who can help you assess your needs, the resources needed, and also the time-frame for your project.
Rachel will available on Thursday Nov. 15 (12:00-2:00), and Friday 16th (11:30-16:00), and then again after the Thanksgiving break. But we want to urge you to talk to her as early as possible.
As you elaborate your project consider first
1) which art form you want to study (or work with, if the project is creative rather than analytical).
2) talk with friends in the class who have similar interests
3) Choose a topic
4) Decide what seems to be the best medium for your presentation, check with Rachel if this idea is workable at a technical level.
Suggestion: topics we have talked about
· The medium of the work of art – art as form
· The figure of the artist
· Virtuosity and/or art
· Modern forms/classical traditions
· How art responds to or transforms cultural, social, or gender norms
· The role of teaching and transmission in the arts
To give you some ideas
Report back on an art exhibit or a show you attended (for example Lulu)
Build a case, with visual examples, around the notion that fashion can be considered as an art
Take a walk around a neighborhood, analyze the art scene (street art, galleries, presence of museum), take pictures.
Do a web search, visit an exhibition. These are the talk of the town these days
Kara Walker, at the Whitney
The Age of Rembrandt, Metropolitan
Georges Seurat: The Drawings at the Museum of
Talk to an artist or someone who is an artist or aspires to become one, prepare a short documentary or an interview
Pursue, in depth, research on an artwork, painting, dance/ballet, opera, or play that has particularly impressed you during the semester. Share your newly acquired expertise with the class.
tap into your own artistic self and present your own art work to the class, but remembering that our focus has been mainly on the body (painted, narrated in the form of poetry or fiction or film, dancing, singing, performing…) and comment on your project.
For each of these, consider that you probably find, in the course package, our books, the video materials on reserve, or in a discussion critical sources that will help you conceptualize your project and will give you tools for your analysis. At any stage, contact me for an appointment to discuss your ideas. My role, throughout, will be that of a consultant who can help you define your topic, suggest extra resources, or help you work out an issue or question.