ART CRITICISMSM2273

CHARLOTTE FROST

LAST WEEK

We considered how to analyse an artwork. We discovered that analysis involves looking even harder at the evidence in front of us and asking ‘why’ the work might look like that. You then worked in pairs and took on imaginary characters to practice asking questions about a work of art.

Over the next two weeks we are going to learn how to research the lives of artists and produce clear factual accounts for others to refer to. Today art writing takes many forms, and what we will produce together will not be a work of art criticism (in that it will not feature your own opinion or any analysis/interpretation of art) but a well-researched biography of an artist. This will teach you how to support and expand the descriptions and analyses you write of artworks.

Why does an artist’s biography matter?

On the one hand it can be as simple as knowing how to verify facts so you can provide your reader with supporting information such as when the artist started painting, or where they grew up - which might have some bearing on their work. On the other hand, their biography might be inextricably bound with what they make; it may be a significant factor in understanding their art.

Read this biography about the Mexican artist Frida KahloNotice how Kahlo’s work is about her life and her on-going physical and

emotional pain

‘The Two Fridas’ (1939) Frida Kahlo

In order to be a good art critic, you have to be good at researching and contextualising an artist’s work.

On Monday 6th October we will meet on the street outside Asia Art Archive at 4.30pm

11/F Hollywood Centre

233 Hollywood Road,

Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

(On the junction of Possession Street and Hollywood Road)

We will be given an introduction to using the archive because you are going to do a 2 week research project on a Hong Kong artist. I will put you in pairs by the end of the session at Asia Art Archive and give you an artist to research.

Before next week you each need to:

Create an account on Wikipedia (more information on signing up and choosing an appropriate username)

Read this guide on writing your first Wikipedia article

Watch this video on writing your first Wikipedia article

In your pairs:

1. Return to the Asia Art Archive

and/or

2. Use the CityU library and the Asia Art Archive to research your chosen artist.

Find the Google Doc for your allocated artist and start to make notes here: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BxWPY4i3ahbAYU51c2dwaV81Tjg&usp=sharing

Note! You can divide the tasks between you. One of you return to the Asia Art Archive while the other goes to the CityU library for example.

You will need to find things like:

1. A copy of the artist’s CV.

2. The artist’s birth city/state and the country they were born in.

3. The artist’s date of birth.

4. The artist’s full name (including middle name).

5. How to best describe the art they are most noted for?

6. The exhibitions the artist has been featured in and the awards they’ve received and the dates for each.

7. References to articles, book chapters and catalogues the artist is featured in (these are essential!).

REFERENCESAll Wikipedia content must be verifiable or rather, you need to support every statement you make with a reference. So while you are doing your research, make sure you gather the full details of each source you use so you can include them in your Wikipedia article. You need:

Book:

Author’s Name (year of publication) Name of Book. Location in which the book was published: Company that published the book, page number(s)

• Elkins, J. (2003) What Happened to Art Criticism. Chicago: Prickly Paradigm Press.

Article:

Author’s Name (date of publication) ‘Name of Article’, Name of Journal/Magazine, volume number (edition number) page number(s)

• Plagens, P. (2007) ‘Contemporary Art, Uncovered’, Art in America, v.95 (no.2) 45-51.")

Website:

Author’s Name (date of publication) ‘Name of Article/Blog Post etc.’ Name of Website: URL

• Green, T. (27th April 2011) ‘Lewis Baltz’s ‘Prototypes’ at the National Gallery’ for Modern Art Notes on Blouin Art Info: http://blogs.artinfo.com/modernartnotes/2011/04/lewis-baltzs-prototypes-at-the-national-gallery-2/

Books in the CityU library that will also help you:

N7347.H66C662003

N7346.H66Z682007

N7346.H66Z6832007

N7347.H66 C66 2001 c.2

N 7346 .H66 T288 2002

N 7347 .H66 C56 1996 c.2

N 7346 .H66 H639 1999

N 7346 .H66 F68 2012

N 7346 .H66 F68 2004

N 7347 .H66 X86 2006

N 7346 .H66 H6385 2008

N 7347 .H66 H68 1997

N 7347 .H66 W46 2000

N 7346 .H66 C58 2001

N 7346 .H66 H4 2013

N 7345 .5 .V53 F46 2002

And here’s a fuller guide to editing Wikipedia for further reference:

Wikipedia training for students:

Welcome, a short introduction;

The Core, an overview of Wikipedia's core principles;

Editing, a tutorial on the basic mechanics of editing pages and communicating with others; and Advanced, some selected advanced topics to help you get off to a good start with your first article.

NEXT WEEK

13th October

Room M4004 as usual

Bring laptops!

You will work in your pairs to write Wikipedia entries on Hong Kong artists.

Any questions about any part of this course or the strike disruption please do not hesitate to talk me. You can email me or meet me for a milk tea and we can discuss anything you like!

clfrost@cityu.edu.hk