ART 160 Gallery Review Assignment
For this assignment, I ask that you:
- travel to an art gallery, during this semester*
- view artwork from a single exhibition at one art gallery or museum
- make use of the concepts and terms you’ve been learning about in the textbook, specifically focusing on the Elements of Art and Principles of Design (section 1 of the text).
Throughout this semester, I ask that you view three different art exhibitions, and write at least 800 words about each exhibit using some of the ideas presented in the textbook. In each paper I require that you discuss at least three different works of art within each exhibition as well.
Gallery Review 1 – Use vocabulary and concepts from Section 1: Fundamentals to describe the artwork
Focus on the terms and concepts presented in Section 1: Fundamentals. In your paper describe how the artwork you’re looking at makes use of the Elements and Principles of art. Write about the Elements of Art and Principles of Design, like Line, Shape, Space, Volume, Color, Emphasis, Unity, etc in relation to the artwork you’re looking at. You book goes into great depth about these topics – use them in your discussion of the artwork!
Gallery Review 2 – Use vocabulary and concepts from Section 2: Media and Process to describe how the artwork was made, and also use what you’ve learned in Section 1 to describe it.
Focus on the terms and concepts presented in Section 2: Media and Process, as well as what you’ve learned from Section 1. In your analysis of the exhibit, discuss what the artist has created – is it a drawing, painting, photo, etc. How did they create the work? What skills does the artist have? What processes did they use? Don’t forget to still correctly use the terms and concepts from Section 1 as well – Line, Shape, Space, Color, etc.
Gallery Review 3 – Use vocabulary and concepts from Section 4: Themes to describe what the artwork might mean subjectively, and also use what you’ve learned in Sections 1 & 2 to describe it.
Focus on the terms and concepts presented in Section 4: Themes, as well as what you’ve learned from Sections 1 and 2. In your analysis of the exhibit, discuss why the artist has created what they have. Does the artwork relate to any of the chapters from Section 4? Don’t forget to still correctly use the terms and concepts from Section 1 as well – Line, Shape, Space, Color, etc, and correctly tell me how the artwork was created. Gallery Review 3 “brings it all together.”
Make sure you check out the “Gallery Guide” for an abridged version of all this!
Consider each of these papers as building blocks to writing about and understanding the world of art.
How do I write a Gallery Review?
Most people follow this format:
- Paragraph 1 – Intro: Who what where when – What gallery? What Exhibit? What Artist(s)? How many works of art? In general, what did you see when you walked through the door? Was there a theme for the collection of artwork?
- Paragraph 2 – Piece #1: Discuss a specific work in detail using terms and concepts from the text
- Paragraph 3 – Piece #2: Discuss another work in detail using terms and concepts from the text
- Paragraph 4 – Piece #3: Discuss another work in detail using terms and concepts from the text
- Paragraph 5 – Conclusion: Summarize your experience, discuss what you liked/disliked, reflect on your experience
Although it is not required, I prefer MLA Formatting – http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
If you look in the Gallery Review Module, you’ll see an example from a previous semester. Or, CLICK HERE
!
Names and Titles
As you go view these Exhibitions, make sure you note at least the following:
- Name of the Gallery
- Title of the Exhibition
- Names of the artists who created the pieces
- The title of each piece you’re reviewing
- And the medium of each piece (what it is made of – charcoal on paper, oil painting, ceramic, marble, digital photo, etc)
Without these facts, your review isn’t going to read very well. Imagine you’re writing these reviews for a publication, such as a newspaper or a magazine. You’ll want your readers to know exactly what you’re talking about. If you don’t know these facts, ask the person at the gallery. Often there will be a card next to each piece, but sometimes there’s a sheet or booklet at the front of the gallery.
How do you grade this? Well, If you complete everything exactly as assigned, you’ll earn 100%!
Look at the rubric at the bottom of the page where you turn in the assignment.
In general:
- Use the terms from the textbook
- Don’t tell me what you think the artwork means or is about
- Don’t tell me if you like the artwork or not
- Don’t tell me if the artwork reminds you of something
- I am looking for a rich, vivid description of the artwork using the elements of art and principles of design, and other ideas from the text.
- Pretend I am blind, describe the artwork to me
- Include images or a link to the website/virtual exhibition you are reviewing
- Include an introductory paragraph and conclusion
Art Around Las Vegas
(If you choose to go to an in-person Art Gallery, double check they are open)
Check the links in the Galleries List or pick up a free copy of the local free newspapers/magazines – the Las Vegas Weekly, Las Vegas Citylife, and Vegas Seven all usually have a story about art around Las Vegas.
Always call before you drive across town to visit a gallery – they are notoriously bad at keeping regular hours.
Also, feel free to email me if you want a recommendation of interesting shows to see.
How do I turn this in?
Login to our Canvas course, and go to the Gallery Review Assignment Module. Click the Gallery Review assignment you would like to turn in, then click “Submit Assignment” on the top of the right side. Either Copy and Paste your text or upload a doc, docx, or pdf file. Hit Submit! You should see your submission on the right-hand side.
Don’t email/message your assignment – submitting it via the Canvas ensures that I will receive it, that the time you submitted it is documented, and Canvas will mark you off as having handed something in.