Class name: Looking at Art. Term Paper Purpose. The purpose of this assignment is for you to demonstrate that you understand and can use a critical approach in this class by discussing the object of your choice in terms of form, content, and function. It provides me with an objective example of your understanding that I can use to determine part of your grade. Subject. Just like in part 1 and 2, you are to visit a Chicago area museum or related venue or use a textbook or online source. You are free to select any object from any culture within the historical timeframe covered by this class. Choose an appropriately complex object. You will be writing an in -depth description of the object, and if you choose an object without enough visual detail you will find it very difficult to succeed. You will photograph the object, or obtain a photo from the museum store, and you will attach the photograph to your paper. Once you have selected an object you will research the historical and cultural conditions within which the object was created. Use all resources available to you including, but not limited to, books, periodicals, and internet sources. Keep track of your sources; you will need to cite them in your paper. You can use the information from the first and second term paper handouts in your part 3: Start with the basics: what is it, what is it made from, how big is it, how old is it, where was it made. Describe your object in the language of the visual arts. Refer to your classroom notes from the first section of class during which we discussed the formal elements of art. Part Three: In this part of the paper you will write about the social utility of the artwork you have chosen. Why was the artwork made? What purpose did the artwork serve? Dig deeper than the obvious levels of decoration or storytelling, and look at how the artwork reinforced the social structure of this culture. Examine the work from the perspective of the political or power structure of the period. Explore the ways that the work might be related to the monetary hierarchy of the times. Did the artwork serve a religious purpose, and if so how did the artwork help to solidify religious belief? What function does the artwork serve here and now? Papers must be typewritten (or word processed). Hand written papers will not be accepted. Use double spaced lines, Times Roman (or similar) 12 point type, one inch margins on all four sides. In those sections requiring citations place the citations on a separate sheet at the end of the paper. It is essential that your spelling and grammar be acceptable. You should have someone proofread your papers before you submit them to me. I recommend that you consult one of the personnel at the Academic Success Center so that you need not worry that basic writing errors will affect your grade. As with the formatting specifications above it is your responsibility to insure that your paper is submitted in a way that reflects the best effort of which you are capable.
