Piece of art the visual analysis is on + details on the work + link to website
Anang artist, Nigeria
Mami Wata figure
Late 20th century
Wood, paint, raffia
67.5 x 53 x 28 cm (26 9/16 x 20 7/8 x 11 in.)
Gift of Flora Edouwaye S. Kaplan, 2009-16-1
Gift of Flora Edouwaye S. Kaplan, 2009-16-1
In southeast Nigeria among the Anang, figures and masks of Mami Wata blended with ideas of earlier water spirits and deities. She was considered a giver of wealth and also linked with curing infertility. Her brightly painted representations often include long fiber tresses.
Your Visual Analysis should include:
The title of the image, artist, year of creation, and materials.
The link to the work of art you chose in the comments section of the submission folder.
A one page visual analysis (approximately 250 words; 1” margins, typed, and double-spaced)
A visual analysis asks you to look at the individual, visual components of a work (formal elements) as well as the relationships between these elements; it then asks you to synthesize this information (elements and relationships) to form a coherent thesis, which you then support. No outside research is to be done for this assignment. This analysis should not refer to the historical context of the work nor concern itself with interpretation (what it means). It should be based on what you see.
Instructions on writing visual analysis:
In an introductory paragraph, briefly describe the work of art.
At the end of your introductory paragraph, include a thesis statement that relates to the fundamentals of the piece. How is line/shape/volume/color/variety/balance/rhythm incorporated into the composition? Remember, a thesis statement is an argument that will require evidence (from the work of art) as support.
The body of your paper is the evidence for your argument. You should have 2-4 examples from the work of art that you chose that support your argument. Be specific!
If the work is figurative (i.e. representative/not abstract) avoid basing your thesis on the “realism” of the image or subject matter. Instead, focus on the formal elements and their interaction.
Keep your references to “the viewer,” “the audience,” “the eye,” “the impact on the viewer,” and phrases like “at first glance” and “upon closer inspection” to a minimum.
Avoid referring to the artist’s intentions. Simply concentrate on “how” a certain effect is achieved via the formal elements.
Use a writing style appropriate to a formal essay. Pay attention to good writing: conciseness, sentence variety, spelling, and punctuation.
