Chapter 5 - Lecture notes 5 PDF

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lecture notes from prof Betty Alvarez...

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Chapter 5 Evaluating Art Learning Objectives - Explain how evaluation of an artwork can change over time and across cultures - Compare formal, contextual, and expressive approaches used in art criticism - Describe the relationship between cash value and artistic quality - Demonstrate an understanding of the factual, analytical, and evaluative steps required when writing about an artwork - Explain censorship as a type of evaluation, based on religious, moral, or political values Evaluation - Evaluation is the process of selecting one thing over another. This includes the creative process. Appreciating the specialness of something. The quality of a work of art can be relative between people and cultures - What we find in a work depends on what we are looking for - We must begin with an open mind to go beyond snap judgements Art Criticism - Art criticism - the process of using formal analysis, description, and interpretation to evaluate or explain the quality and meanings of art. Three basic theories: - Formal theories: focus on composition of the work and how it shows originality, how it may have been influenced by other works, or how it influences other artists - Contextual theories: consider art as a product of a culture and value system - Expressive theories: focus on artist's expression of a personality or world view Art Criticism: Formal Theories - Formal theory - a method of art criticism that values stylistic innovation over personal expression or cultural communication - In formal theory we look at how a work of art is made - Organization is the most important factor - Formal theory values innovation in style above all Art Criticism: Contextual Theories - Contextual theory - a method of art criticism that focuses on the cultural systems behind works of art; these may be economic, racial, political, or social - Critics who use contextual theories tend to look first at the environmental influences on a work of art: - Economic system - Cultural values - Politics Art Criticism: Expressive Theories - Expressive theory - a method of art criticism that attempts to discern personal elements in works of art, as opposed to formal strategies or cultural influences - Expressive theories look at artist behind the work of art. The skill set, personal intent, emotional state, mindset, and gender of the creator are all important factors in observing art in this theory. - Expressive theories are artist-centered theories

- "Who made it? and who is she/he/they?" What makes art great? Key factors: - Some degree of innovation - Important contextual meanings - A recognizable personal statement Some things to remember: - Cash value correlates poorly with importance of quality - Art market can only tell what a certain group of collectors would pay for given work of art at a given time - Dollar values only loosely correlate with historical importance or innovation of a work - Self-examination can uncover why a viewer values a work of art as great Evaluating art with words Methods to write about art 1. Get the facts about the work - Name of creator, title, date, subject, medium, size, and location of work - If a reproduction, clarify original medium and size 2. Analyze - Parts of work and how they fit together - Formal elements, context, artists input - How was it received when it was created? 3. Evaluate - Assess the quality or importance of the work in relation to art criticism technique (innovative, does it affect your feelings, reflect a time period or personality, beautiful or challenging to the eye) Censorship: The ultimate evaluation - Censorship - the alteration or removal of works of art from public view - Carried our for religious, moral, or political reasons - Artists freedom takes back seat to other important values...