Socio-cultural theories

Writing about visual form is a process of interpretation that will heighten your personal experience and also your future encounters with art an art making.

Examining the traditional skill is important to a judgment of quality but rarely gives the final answer. How does one determine whether a work of art has quality? Quality is relative (subjective). It varies from person to person, from culture to culture, from age to age.

Whether you are approaching art for your own enjoyment or for a class assignment – as long as it is not forbidden by your life’s beliefs and values- it is most rewarding to try to begin with an open, receptive mind, to go beyond prejudgments and give yourself time to get aquatinted and to respond.
Art Criticism includes making discriminating judgments, both favorable and unfavorable. The three steps outlined correspond to the three dominant types of art criticism:

Socio-cultural theories: This evaluation tends to look first at the environmental influences on a work of art: where the artist lived and at what time in history. This may include the cultural values, the economic system, and even the politics of the time. Doing this type of criticism usually requires investigation of the culture that surrounds a work. This part of the evaluation takes research to become acquainted with the place, time in history and experiences of the artist.

Formal theories: Critics who use formal evaluation look carefully at how a work is made: (elements and principles of composition) how the parts of the composition function to create a visual experience that may interest us or not. They generally believe that the most important influence on a work is other works that the artist has seen or studied.

Expressive theories: Artist centered evaluations are thus termed expressive or empathic theories. Critics tend to look for powerful personal meanings, deep psychological insight, or profound human concern of the artist. Your own perception as to the quality and meaning or message of the artwork is included.

Essay assignment rules: Points will be taken off if you do not apply these rules.

-500 to 550 words,
-size 12 font,
-double-spaced
-with verified count at the end
-rough draft included (if I worked on it with you)
-everything stapled together

Your essay will also be uploaded onto TurnItIn.com on or before the due date and time.

Your essay hard copy will be handed in at the beginning of class on the due date as well.
I am available to proof a rough draft before the essay is due if you would like some help with your ideas.

This essay outline will help you include all 3 dominant types of art criticism:
FYI: An essay includes an opening statement, a body and a conclusion.

In your analysis of a work of art always state the name of the artist, the title of the artwork, the size and the medium. The title of the work is always in quotation marks (or italics) and the first letter of each word in the title is capitalized.
Example: “Title Looks Like This”.

Start your essay introducing the artist that the essay is about. Grab the reader’s interest by sharing something about the essay and the particular artwork you will be discussing.

Get informed and share important facts about the time in history and the cultural background of the work and the artist, keeping in mind that the functions of art vary widely across the globe. If it came from a culture remote from your own, assess how it expresses the values of that culture.

Continue by considering what you see. Describe its physical qualities. What is it made of? As you are writing, describe the work as if you were explaining it to someone who cannot see it. What subjects if any, are represented?
Include the visual elements and design principles that are used and how they may affect viewers’ thoughts and feelings: Describe the dominant line, shape/ space, value, texture and color.
How was the work designed? How are unity and variety achieved? What balance is used? What is emphasized? How do the eyes move through the work (rhythm)? Proportion? Contrast?

Continue with a subjective (your own) interpretation of the meaning or symbolism of the work. How does the work make you feel? How or why does it evoke these feeling? Think again about your first description to help defend your reactions.

Finally, try to determine what the work says about the artist who made it. Can you tell what the artist was trying to say? If so, how clearly was it said? Is it a valuable message, from your point of view?

*This information can be organized however you choose to create an interesting, easy read.