For your final project, you will be writing a 4-5 page paper that either: Update

For your final project,
you will be writing a 4-5 page paper that either:
Updates, expands, or complicates one of Lazzari and Schlesier’s themes presented in the textbook (Food & Shelter; Reproduction & Sexuality; Deities & Places of Worship; Morality & Immortality; Power, Politics, & Glory; Social Protest / Affirmation;
Mind & Body; Race, Gender, Clan, & Class; Nature, Knowledge, & Technology; Entertainment & Visual Culture; Art in Your Life)
-OR-
Creates a new, original theme that you think should be added to their list.
For whichever approach you choose, you must select at least 2 new artworks that are not presented in the textbook and that relevantly speak to your theme. In your paper, you will show that you can conduct formal analysis of these objects, analyze their larger historical and cultural meaning, and discuss how/why these art works contribute to your theme.
You will also need to conduct some research outside the scope of our textbook. You should plan to use at least 2 academic sources in the form of books or articles (recommend at least 1 for each art object, historical time period, and/or culture you are working with). “Good” academic sources for this paper do not include Wikipedia! It’s an okay place to start your research, but don’t let it be where you stay — use the works sited section to track down better academic sources. All sources must be properly cited in MLA format, both in-text if/when you are quoting or paraphrasing them, and in a bibliography page at the end of your paper. Bibliography does not count towards your length requirements.
A good MLA tutorial can be found here (Links to an external site.).
In your final project, you must:
IDENTIFY the artists, artwork titles, dates, countries/cultures of origin, art historical movements (if applicable), and medium or locations.
ANALYZE the formal and stylistic elements of your chosen artworks (remember that formal analysis does not = just observation or description; analysis = finding meaning).
INTERPRET any iconography, symbolism, motifs/tropes, or other significant/meaningful visual elements within your selected artworks.
CONTEXTUALIZE the artworks within their larger historical and cultural moments (ie: what was happening in society and history at the time of its creation; how do these artworks and artists reflect and/or speak back to these events or issues?).
DEVELOP AN ARGUMENT that either updates on of the themes proposed by Lazzari and Schlesier, or that creates a new theme by finding at least 2 new artworks and conducting formal analysis and historical/cultural interpretation. Show your reader how your selected artworks are speaking to and/or against your theme in a way that puts different images, time periods, and cultures into conversation with each other. You can be interpretative and have a POV, but your arguments should be supported by specific facts and evidence grounded in formal analysis and historical/cultural research.
Length and Format requirements for your Final Project:
~ 4-5 pages of written text; you can include images, but they do not count towards your page count.
12-point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, 1 inch margins.
A works cited page (does not count toward your page count).
Your grade will be determined by your ability to:
Conduct formal analysis by correctly identify elements of form and style.
Offer an original and insightful analysis of how the form and content of art pieces reflect and shape historical and cultural ideas.
(Note: If you choose an artwork we have discussed in-class, do not simply repeat our discussion, but rather provide your own new and original insight.)
Apply historical knowledge, cultural contextualization, and theoretical interpretations to your discussion.
Create a compelling argument that either updates one of Lazzari and Schlesier’s themes or offers a new, original one.
Use effective rhetoric and proper grammar/spelling.
Provide a thoughtful reply to at least 1 of your classmates.
this is the full assigment and rubric