Contemporary Art Research

Objective: to learn and understand the work of an artist that relates to me and my life as well as trends of the 21 st century.

Materials: Computer and internet or gallery access, sketchbook, drawing and writing utensils.

Steps and Procedures: Explore and discover a variety of artists using the internet or a gallery. Through these readings and research experiences, find one artist that speaks to you personally and complete the following questionnaire. Plan to be able to possibly use the ideas you discover in a future work of your own. Evaluate the artists from the following links and answer the questions listed below. You can answer each question in complete sentences or you can write this up in article format just as you would a paper in English. Both options are to include images of both the artist as well as his or her artwork. The critique at the bottom of the list is to be a one page minimum discussion.

Research Data expected:

 Name of artist  What do you like the most about the artist? What do you like the most about the  Birth/death date ARTWORK?

 Location (childhood and current)  What are the differences between your beliefs and theirs if any?  What background does this artist have in artmaking? (Did they go to college? Self taught?  What do you dislike about the artist or artwork? Explicit details expected here.)  Reading an article or magazine journal about  Describe the type of artwork this person creates the artist, what would you say is the general public opinion about this artwork? Why?  Media used?  Critique a work of art by this artist using the  Who are their influences for artmaking? Feldman Model. Be sure to list the title and  Why do they create art? date of the artwork as well as current location.

 What galleries or venues are their works o Description- Make a list of the visual qualities of shown? the work that are obvious and immediately perceived. Includes content and subject matter  Name three websites and newspapers or in representational works, includes abstract magazines that the artist has been examined or o Analysis-Focus on the formal aspects of interviewed. elements of art, principles of design, and other formal considerations: exaggeration,  What is the underlying theme of the artists composition etc. work? (Social commentary, political beliefs, o Interpretation-Propose ideas for possible etc.) meaning based on evidence.

 Describe the theme and what they say about o Judgment-Discuss the overall the use of this theme. strengths/success/merit of the work.

Possible websites to get you started: (you will have to explore much further than what you see here) http://www.thecontemporary.org/exhibitions/current/ http://www.contemporaryartdaily.com/ http://www.artspan.com/ http://www.mocaga.org/ http://www.mcachicago.org/ http://www.risd.edu/ http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/16/arts/16iht-melikian16.html?_r=0 http://www.scad.edu/ http://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-museum/museum- http://www.damienhirst.com/ departments/curatorial-departments/modern-and-contemporary-art http://whitney.org/Exhibitions/2012Biennial http://www.scacontemporary.com/ http://www.moma.org/ http://www.icaboston.org/about/history/ http://themodern.org/ Extra Credit Project: Create a PowerPoint presentation about your artist and his or her artwork that goes along with this research. Present the work to the class and receive an extra summative grade. Be sure that the PowerPoint is visual heavy and words are kept to a minimum.