This week’s art consisted of four images on the Block 1 Art Page. In addition to those four, you could also consider the Mapplethorpe image discussed in Lecture 1 that appears as the main image on the ROADMAP for Block 1.
Aside from the Mapplethorpe portrait discussed in Lecture 1, I have provided no background or contextual information about the selected works. I would like you to just look at the images and think about what they mean. “Read them” by deconstructing and decoding what you think the context might be; what is the author’s message. React to them as much with your emotion as with your intellect. When you’re ready–but BEFORE11:59 pm on Sunday, January 17–please write a post between 150-300 words in the Forum. Please cut and paste the prompt you’re replying to. (Don’t count the prompt in your word count!)
You may react to one of the prompts below; or, you may react to a post one of your classmates has already written; or, you may post on a topic of your choice as long as you are “reading” the art for this week.
PROMPT 1: Focus your comments on a single work of art. What aesthetic qualities does the work possess that enable it to capture and hold the viewer’s attention? How does the piece appear to stake out a position in some cultural dispute? What did it make you feel when you looked at it? What did it make you think about when you looked at it?
PROMPT 2: Focus your comments on one or two of the selected works. Explain how and why the work exemplifies high culture. low culture, or possesses attributes of each.
BLOCK 1 Art: Images from a divided culture
This week’s art folder contains only four images. I have deliberately omitted any identifying information from the pictures below; so, you are not expected to know anything about the artist or the context. Well, you can know this: all four works selected have in some way figured into the Culture War. I would like you to look look at the four images at least twice. The first time concentrate on your emotional reactions. Then go away for a day or two. When you come back the second time, try to decode the images analytically. (You may wish to view Lecture 1 “Art in the Age of Divided Culture” and read essays by David Trend before you take on this challenge.)
REACT (emotions): Does it evoke an emotional response? Does it convey some message that speaks to you? Do you believe the artist was trying to create a specific emotional response in the viewer?
READ (intellect): How can you decode elements of the work that may shed light on the artist’s motives? Are there any clues about potential dates? What elements in the piece connect it to the culture war (morals, conflict, progressives v. conservatives)?
When the Block 1 Discussion for Art becomes available, between Wednesday and Sunday, post your thoughts about these works. You can make that post anytime prior to Sunday night at 11:59 pm (June 27).
Note: The “titles” attributed to each piece have been made up for this exercise. So googling the titles will not help you here.
IMAGE ONE: Statue and bulletproof vest
IMAGE TWO: Graphic art with a message
IMAGE THREE: Crucifix in Liquid
IMAGE FOUR: Needle, thread, man
BLOCK 1 LECTURES
For Block 1, view the following lectures. Strongly suggested you read the essay by Hunter before starting Lecture 1. The Trend .pdfs should be read prior to Lectures 2 and 3. The Thompson can be read at any time. Let’s get started slowly. Lecture 1 is now available. Lectures 2 and 3 will become available in the next few days. In future Blocks, all lectures will drop at once (unless there’s a Reason to do it different). But for now, I want to pace you with a little bit at a time.
- LECTURE 1 Art in an Era of Divided Culture (Links to an external site.)
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- NOTE: Disregard any section of this lecture that describe specific assignments or due dates. Those comments applied to the Summer Session. If you read conflicting details on Canvas or in the Syllabus, trust that!
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- LECTURE 2 Beginner’s Guide to American Politics (Links to an external site.)
- NOTE: The Lecture was recorded following the mid-term elections of 2018; so the information does not include any reference to the 2020 election campaigns. The broader point of the lecture are not changed by anything that happened in recent months.
- LECTURE 3 Why 1968 is a Turning Point (Links to an external site.)
- LECTURE 4: Defining the Culture War
PROMPT 3: Next week in lecture we will examine which political controversies fall under the “culture war” umbrella and which are, well, just run of the mill political arguments. (Hint: taxation policy is an evergreen political issue, always hotly contested; however, abortion policy ticks many of the boxes to make it a culture war issue.) So fully accepting we have yet to define these issues, which piece or pieces make their stand so clear that you believe you can identify the particular cultural division the work seeks to comment on.
PROMPT 4: Which work evoked the strongest emotional responses from you as a viewer? What did it make you want to do next and why?
PROMPT 5: In Lecture 1, Dr. Master discussed the Davies definition of art. One of the categories described by Davies, was functionalism. Functionalist art may offer commentary on society, offer a historical point of view, or comment on the art world itself. Pick two of the five works from this week and offer a functionalist interpretation of the piece. What makes it fuctionsalist, specifically?
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