discussion board for fine art appreciation

Pages 10-20 of A World of Art list four different “roles of the artist.” Choose one of the four roles, then find a work of art from anywhere in the textbook as an example of that role. Your answer should describe the work you choose and say why it fits the book’s statements. Feel free to discuss any other reaction you have to the work, like why something stood out for you, or any additional interpretations you may have. Also note that you will refer to the same pages when doing the next discussion. Worth 2 points.

The general criteria for all graded discussion posts are available under the Papers/Projects link to the left.

Refer to the previous discussion (second required discussion post). Repeat the exercise except choose a different role and a different art work. Worth 2 points.

Page 30 discusses the differences between representational and abstract art. Find your own examples in the book (different from what the chapter uses) to illustrate representational and abstract. Worth two points.

Look at Part 3 – “The Fine Arts Media” – in the table of contents. This section of the book goes through different general categories of art. Write about an example of any of these that you have first hand experience with. For example, you might be living somewhere or have visited some place with a particularly striking piece of architecture or public monument. Feel free to talk about the circumstances under which you experienced this, what you think about it, what it says about the culture, time period, or individual that produced it, or any other relevant information. If you wish to use the topic of your Writing Assignment, that would work fine. Worth two points.

Example: One of the items listed in Part 3 is “Sculpture.” I live near a historic bridge used for cattle crossing, and it has recently been decorated with a series of statues to commemorate that history. I could offer a brief description and discussion of one or all of the statues for this assignment.

In the textbook you’ll find a timeline beginning on page 393 and extending through 597. The timeline is intended to show correlations between certain works of art or movements and historical events. Pick one or more works of art mentioned along the time line and discuss them as expressions of the time period or culture that produced them. You may find it easier to accomplish this by comparing two or more. Worth two points.

Note that one section of your 20 point Writing Assignment asks for an analysis of a work of art. This discussion is one example of analysis in that it seeks meaning or significance in a work by connecting it to a larger context.