overview

Up to 7 points of extra credit for a written review of a professional art opening

• 1 point: Attend an art show reception and isolate your favorite work on display. Take photos or videos of that work, as well as any project statement or artist statement.

• 1 point: Interview the artist for further context into the area that you find interesting and document that interaction (extensive notes or audio recording).

• 2 points: Write an essay following the required specifics (below).

• 1 point: Bring your printed draft to the writing center, have them give you handwritten notes, and sign it with their email.

• 2 points: Submit a final, post-writing-center paper by the end of the term.

essay specifics

The list here is quite detailed, yet it is quite easy to follow. This is the general expected structure for all professional writing, so take it with a grain of salt. The point is to develop and maintain a standard that others can easily follow.

• topics that must be discussed:

  • Describe how you think works like this may lead to a more critical awareness of personal identity AND how society may become more inclusive based on these ideas. (If their work does not fit a mold into identity, you must consult with me to solidify a different topic.)

  • Additionally, how does the medium/format/technology that they chose help to uphold these endeavors?

• Must be 450-500 words, double spaced, Times New Roman, 12pt font, 1” margins, following a professional structure based on the Chicago style:

  • Have a cover page containing:

    • your name,

    • essay title,

    • school + class

    • instructor name and title (Bernard Aaron Dolecki, MFA - Adjunct Instructor)

    • date of submission.

  • structure of the essay:

    • does not include any header (that info is on the cover page)

    • may include page numbers in the footer (not required)

    • essay should not describe the images (we can look at them ourselves), and should not dwell on your experience of the show. The point is to perform a critical review of their work.

    • well organized paragraphs

      • intro paragraph:

        • has a captivating introductory sentence,

        • contains a thesis statement (the easiest way is to pose a question),

        • does not introduce any elements (leave those for the body)

      • body paragraphs:

        • covers a different aspect of your thesis,

        • use in-text citations at the end of a sentence when referencing a specific image so that the reader can have the visual context for what you are writing about. Using “(Image #1)” is perfectly acceptable.

      • a conclusion that:

        • relates back to your thesis,

        • summarizes topics discussed in your body paragraphs (how they relate to the thesis),

        • and does not introduce any new content (reserve that for body paragraphs)

    • a conclusion that relates back to your thesis (possibly answering a question that you outlined).

  • an additional page (or two) after your essay of a few images that display the work you are reviewing.

    • Include an overview shot, closeups of any specific details

    • Caption the images with

      • an image number that associates with the in-text citations that you use in your writing (such as “Image 1”)

      • the artist’s first/last name

      • title of the work

      • a descriptor in parenthesis (overview, detail of “thing”, etc.)

  • an additional page of the artist’s “artist statement” (check their website if not on display)

• After completing everything above, bring your draft to the writing center

  • show them the requirements page (you may be able to email them this link ahead of time so that they can prepare)

  • have them focus on your ability to articulate your thesis, using different ideas in organized paragraphs.

essay submission

This formal art review will be due Wednesday, 5/18 to the class submission drive. It will be graded based on how you are able to articulate and discuss the components of your thesis, general structure, and logic, as well as your ability to follow general directions.

Using the guidelines from above, submit a single Word doc that includes:

• cover page (1 page)

• essay pages (2-3 pages)

• page(s) containing images of work (1-2 pages)

• page(s) containing artist statement(s) (1-2 pages)

• all scanned pages of your writing center draft (5-8 pages - all elements from above)