Assignment 4: impressions of museum or gallery exhibit

As a way of experiencing the Humanities beyond your classroom, computer, and textbook, you are asked to attend a “cultural event” and report on your experience. This assignment requires the following:

• Submit your cultural event choice to the instructor for approval before the end of Week 5.
• Visit a museum or gallery exhibition of modern art before the end of Week 9.
• Write a report of the visit.
• Summarize the report in a PowerPoint presentation.

Write a three to four (3-4) page paper (750-1,000 words) in which you:

1. Identify the date visited, location, name, and background of the museum or specific exhibition. (If virtual, identify the Website along with the other information.)
2. Describe three (3) works, noting the artist, title, subject, and the time period of each work.
3. Compare the style, influences, and meaning or intent of each piece, highlighting any changes (if any) from the first to last piece.
4. Explain your reasons for selecting the pieces in a discussion of the reasons for the artist’s popularity and / or impact on the art world.
5. Summarize the main points of three (3) works discussed in your paper in a PowerPoint presentation of at least three (3) slides. Each of the slides should have three to four (3-4) short bullet points and notes about the works in the slide notes section. Include a cover page for the PowerPoint. Add the slides with notes to your paper.
6. Include four (4) references that help support your claims. (The text may be used as one (1) reference.)

Visiting a Museum

• It makes sense to approach a museum the way a seasoned traveler approaches visiting a city for the first time. Find out what is available to see. In the museum, find out what sort of exhibitions are currently housed in the museum and start with the exhibits that interest you. If there is a travelling exhibition, it’s always a good idea to see it while you have the chance. Then, if you have time, you can look at other things in the museum.
• Make notes as you go through the museum and accept any handouts or pamphlets that the museum provides free. While you should not quote anything from the printed material when you do your report, the handouts may help to refresh your memory later.
• The quality of your experience is not measured by the amount of time you spend in the galleries or the number of works of art that you actually see. The most rewarding experiences can come from finding three (3) pieces of art or exhibits which intrigue you and then considering those works in leisurely contemplation. Most museums even have benches where you can sit and study a particular piece.
• If you are having a difficult time deciding which pieces to write about, ask yourself these questions: (1) If the museum you are visiting suddenly caught fire, which three (3) pieces of art or exhibits would you most want to see saved from the fire? (2) Why would you choose those two (2) particular pieces?

Note: If a student is unable to attend a cultural event in person due to circumstances beyond the student’s control, then the instructor will recommend an alternate event/activity for the student to “attend” online. The “ virtual” event/activity is usually only for students who, due to their physical location, cannot possibly attend an event/activity in person; typically, these students are stationed overseas or have no means of transportation. If you believe that you have a legitimate reason for attending a “virtual” activity, you must contact the instructor no later than Week 5 for your request to be considered. 

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA Style format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the tile of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.
• Include a PowerPoint presentation. The PowerPoint presentation is not included in the page count.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Discuss the value of visual art for an individual and society.
• Analyze the essential relationship between any work of art and the various kinds of influences on the artist and audience that shape the interpretation of the art.
• Explain the formal elements of various styles of modern art both in general and in specific works. 
• Describe the relationship between individual artistic expression and the cultural, social, political, and historical forces which give rise to these expressions.  
• Classify key artists and styles in the visual arts from the Impressionist period to the present.
• Explain various terms, qualities, and themes of visual art from the late 1800s to the present.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in the study of modern art.
• Write clearly and concisely about modern art using proper writing mechanics.