Final Essay Exam Assignment: Impact of Global Events in Art from the 19th-21st C

Final Essay Exam Assignment:
Impact of Global Events in Art from the 19th-21st Centuries
Assignment Overview:
In this Art 3 course, we have studied the progression of the visual form of art and style in connection to the historical context and intended meaning of the artist. From the nineteenth century to the twenty first century, a shift in the visual form of art occurs as artists respond in their art to their experience of life, social, national and global issues in a growing industrialized and interconnected world. In your Final Exam, you will analyze the connections of visual form, historical context and meaning in art from the nineteenth to twenty first century.
Review the assignment directions and select art examples which fit the dates and criteria listed below. The artists and art movements for the Final Essay Exam are studied in Modules 9-15. Have fun with this Final Exam essay assignment!
Final Essay Introduction: Impact of Global Events in Art from the 19th-21st Centuries
Beginning in the nineteenth century, and continuing into the twenty first century, artists divert from the traditionally accepted visual style based in Renaissance naturalism and traditional themes which upheld the power of religion and elite political control. Artists in the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty first century develop new visual styles, embrace abstraction, and use new techniques or non-traditional materials to push the limits of possibilities in art. Artists since the nineteenth century have also extended the purposes and functions of art to include their response to current events and issues, presentation of real life experiences, expression of emotion, formal aesthetic art concepts, and revisionist theories of history.
When you reflect on the second half of our course studies (Modules 9-15) from the nineteenth century to the present, which art works do you consider as important examples of the shift away from the preceding historical styles which also display strong connections between the total visual form and the communication of meaning? Select two art examples which meet the following criteria to analyze and compare in your Final Essay Exam.
Select Two Art Examples: 19th C. – 21st C.
Select one example of art from the nineteenth century (1800’s) in which the artist responds to current events, philosophies or scientific innovations from the nineteenth century.
Select one example of art from the twentieth or the twenty first century (1900-2000’s) in which the artist applies at least one of the following Modern to Contemporary approaches:
rejects the accepted historical art styles
addresses concepts, themes, social issues, and philosophies of the twentieth – twenty first centuries
responds to history and/or art history.
Observe the Art Examples and Organize Your Essay
Using the two art examples which meet the criteria listed above, write an art historical analysis essay. Observe your selected art examples closely, make notes about the visual form of the art, and review any art historical information that is relevant to the art, artist, nineteenth to twenty first century art styles, and historical context of the time in which the art was created. Using detailed descriptions from the selected art examples, explain how the visual form of the art has changed in the nineteenth to twenty first centuries as the artists respond to personal, political, social, environmental and global events.
In your essay you will apply the following steps:
Develop a thesis statement and conclusion for your essay relevant to your visual and art historical analysis of the art examples.
Analyze the historical context of the art examples related to the visual form, art style or movement, art theory and philosophy, technical innovation, and relevant cultural themes.
Compare the selected art examples using a visual analysis and art historical analysis approach.
Include the sources of your information using citations and Works Cited list of sources.
Final Essay Exam Directions:
Final Essay Exam: Impact of Global Events in Art from the 19th-21st Centuries
Below is a list of the four step process of visual and art historical analysis, comparison and response you will apply in your Final Essay Exam. Apply all four steps in your essay using specific visual details from the two art examples to support your visual analysis of the form, art historical analysis of meaning, comparison, and personal response.
1. Visual Analysis of Form:
Identify the art (artist, title, date, medium, size). Refer to artist by full or last name and indicate title in Italics.)
Identify the art style or movement associated with the art work.
How does the visual form of the art divert from the preceding historical styles?
What is important about the materials and techniques used to make the art?
Does the artist use traditional materials in a non-traditional way?
Does the artist use non-traditional materials to make the art?
2. Art Historical Analysis:
Describe and analyze the connections you observe between the visual form and the meaning of each art example.
Identify the ideas or emotions expressed in the art.
What is the artist’s intended meaning of the art?
Identify the historical context of the art. What are the current events, themes, philosophies, and social issues addressed in the art?
Analyze and explain the connections between the historical context of the art, the influence of global events in the nineteenth, twentieth, or twenty first centuries, and the visual form of the art.
How do you see the artist responding the effects of war, political, social or environmental issues in the art work?
Which visual element and principle of design is the most important to visually communicate the artist’s intended meaning?
Which purposes or functions of art do you identify in the art?
3. Comparison:
How do the two art examples compare to the preceding historical art styles studied in the first half of our course (Renaissance-Neoclassicism)?
How do the two art examples compare to each other? Identify and describe connections that you observe in the two selected art examples.
4. Personal Response:
Describe your response or interpretation of the art examples.
Why did you choose these art examples?
Citations and Works Cited Requirement:
Ideally, write the visual analysis part of the essay from your own perspective, showing your understanding of the visual art form, artist, style, and historical context. However, you can also include quotations and paraphrased information from art history sources in your essay. Give credit to the source of your information, including assigned reading and video from this Art 3 course.
When using any paraphrased or directly quoted information from our course readings, videos and other research sources, you must give credit to the sources of your information. To avoid plagiarism, use in-text citations or footnotes to cite the sources of all research information. Additionally, you will list these research sources in a Works Cited page at the end of your essay. (Refer to the previous page for more guidance in citations and Works Cited.)
Format for Final Essay Exam:
Organize your notes about the art into a clearly written essay format with a thesis statement and conclusion. Proof read your essay for spelling, grammar, and typo errors. Include all required parts of the assignment listed on this page.
Exam Format Requirements:
Essay is 2 -3 pages of single spaced text, in 12 point font. (Images of art do not count toward page length.)
Essay contains a thesis statement and conclusion.
Essay is clearly organized and written using formal descriptive language.
Essay is proof read for clarity, spelling and grammar.
Essay provides a URL link to the digital image of the art you discuss.
Essay provides citations to research sources within the body of your essay.
Essay provides a Works Cited page listing URL links to any course reading, videos, or external art history resources that are referenced or paraphrased in your essay.