In the course so far, we’ve examined artifacts as expressions of cultural values

In the course so far, we’ve examined artifacts as expressions of cultural values, traditions, and individual viewpoints. Mainly, we’ve focused on the content of the expression, that is, the beliefs, customs, and traditions expressed. In this assignment we’ll look more closely at the means of expression.
There is a tradition of artistic interpretation that stresses expression as the main goal of artworks. Whether it’s a painting, a film, a novel, a play, music, or piece of sculpture, an artwork can give expression to ideas and emotions that can be difficult to express in ordinary words. We’ve seen that artworks convey aspects of culture and family tradition. But they can also express and communicate religious ideas and feelings or political struggle. And a work of art can express the personal experiences and inner life of the artist who created it. A work of art can do all of this in a way that connects the viewer or audience to the artist. Some see this type of connection as the closest we can get to experiencing the inner life of another person.
Here are some examples. To get an idea of the means artworks have available for expression, consider how a representational painting conveys much more than what’s directly represented (for example, a human figure or a mountain scape). A painter can use color, line, shading, and composition (arrangement of forms) to express ideas and emotions about what’s depicted in the painting. Also, consider the creation of a novel. The author considers character development, theme, plot, and narrative, among other concepts. A novel can be created in different genres, such as historical fiction or fantasy, as examples. All artworks attempt to connect the viewer, reader, listener, and so forth to larger concepts.
Instructions
For this assignment, you will choose an artwork to analyze as a means of expression. Remember, a work of art can be a painting, a poem, a film, a piece of music, a story, or another medium of expression. You’ll write about what is expressed, but will also need to pay careful attention to the detail of the artwork to identify how the expression occurs.
Give a description of the artwork you’ve chosen. What form does it take (for example, music, painting, short story)? Be sure to name the artist or artists (painters, writers, actors, etc.) and say something about the historical context of its creation.
Explain/describe the work of art you’ve selected. If the work depicts a subject or event (like representational paintings, sculptures, stories, or films do), describe what is depicted. If the artwork is nonrepresentational (like an abstract painting or sculpture, music, or architecture) you can simply say that it is nonrepresentational.
Explain two or three things that the artwork expresses, beyond whatever is directly depicted in the work (if it is representational). What ideas, moods, emotions, feelings, hopes, aspirations, or states of mind do you think the artist is trying to express? If the work is representational, perhaps the artist is expressing certain feelings about what’s depicted (for example, grief, anger, or joy).
Describe at least three features of the work that have an expressive power. Here you can focus on qualities specific to the selected art (color, line, shape, composition, light and shading, sound, and so forth). These are the aspects of the work that do the job of communicating to the viewer or listener something that can’t easily be expressed in ordinary language.