Being able to take concepts and terms and 1) research, visualize, and analyze them in writing and 2) apply them to your real-life experience and the world around you are both important skills that are applicable across many fields of study.
The focus of this project will develop your creative abilities to identify context and symbolism in art allowing you to analyze and understand art beyond its form and structure or type.
Background: The process we go through when we look at a work of art to determine if we recognize and can make sense of its content is not just a visual one. It is a mental process as well, largely based on the information within and about the work we can identify and categorize. As we look and think, we may be given clues about what the work means by where it is, when it was made, what culture it came from, who created it, or why it was made – this concept is “context.”
Any information we can gather helps us understand the work’s context, that is, for what historical, social, personal, political, or scientific reasons the work of art was made. And then, using all the contextual information we have gathered, we interpret the work of art’s content to discover what it means or symbolizes.
Task:
Analyze the painting in Figure 5.1 (Unit 5, Chapter 5 — image is attached below) and write a brief description of your observations. Then select at least 10 items from your environment that symbolize who you are (the where, when, what, who and why of “you”) and create a “still-life.” Take a photo of your still life using your phone or a digital camera. Then, using between 400-500 words, analyze and describe the symbolism and context in both the Dutch still life and your still life.
Take the following steps:
- Review section 5.3.1 in the text and study how 17th century Dutch still life paintings related to historical events in the Netherlands at the time.
- Review the painting in Figure 5.1 and create an inventory list of the objects and their symbolism and meaning in the painting.
- Find at least 10 objects from your home environment that symbolize who you are and address as many of the following questions as possible:
- Where are you from?
- When does your still life take place – past, present, future?
- What is important to you?
- Why did you select these objects?
- Arrange your objects into a “still life,” thinking about how and where the objects are placed. Then take a photo using some of the photographic techniques in the Still Life Photography Tips page to capture an interesting composition.
- Create a presentation (in PowerPoint or Google Slides, but saved as a PDF), with the following general slide breakdown (use additional slides if needed):
- Slide 1: Insert a screenshot of Figure 5.1, and in 100 or more words discuss the painting’s historical context.
- Slide 2: List your symbolism inventory for Figure 5.1.
- Slide 3: The photo of your still life, labeled with a title.
- Slides 4-6: A minimum of 250 words describing your photo, examining your identity, personal history, and symbolism, and why you selected the objects that give you context. To learn more about symbolism and perhaps gain a new perspective,
research at least one object within your still life and include this new found knowledge into your presentation. For example: a football jersey with specific colors/design and the numbers printed on them defines both the team and the individual; or a passport, an actual piece of paper that identifies you and allows you to cross borders. Elaborate on these ideas on a personal level to better identify yourself. - Slide 7: A brief reflective statement of 50-100 words about how this exercise has enriched your perception of context as it relates to art, and how it relates to you personally. Feel free to use first person here, but check your grammar and use full sentences.
- Save your presentation as a PDF and submit it to the assignment folder by the deadline.
Reference this site for guidance on how to build an effective presentation.
File submissions: Please submit your file as a PDF file.
Criteria on which you will be graded for both options:
- Your photo essay is clearly written, covers the elements listed above, and provides effective visuals that meet the criteria.
- Your accurate descriptions and use of Key Terms and definitions from the text.
- Your thoughtful/insightful analysis of the still life you created.
- Your photo essay meets the minimum slide/word/image count.
- Your insightful and thoughtful reflection statement.