Criticism strategies

Art Criticism
Kindergarten
ž  Content,
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subject matter
Example questions to ask:
§  “what we see?”
§  ”What it is called?”
§  ”How it appears?”
§  “what ideas it brings to mind?”
1-2
ž  Build
knowledge base; Learn art
terminologies
ž  Subject matter of the artwork is
important
3-4
ž  Can
identify artistic elements in an
artwork
ž  Can recognize different media and
techniques in various works of art
ž  Are open to viewing different art styles
and do not yet judge if something is
“good” or “bad”
ž 
Make interpretive efforts
Sample questions to ask: “Do you like the painting? Why?”
5-6
Can identify the major compositional features
and symbols of an artwork
ž  Are interested in learning about artists, why their
work looks the way it does, what contemporary
artists are doing; have begun to form a real
opinion on certain kinds of art and artists
ž 
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Encourage them to hypothesize “Why did the artist do in that way?”
Compare and contrast works to understand subject matter, style,
and mood
7-8
ž  Can
tell differences by styles
ž  Can identify multiple meanings in
represented objects
ž  Understand metaphor and mystery
ž 
Present artworks containing expressive themes
Selecting Artworks to Study • 
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Quality Variety of media and techniques Variety of styles, cultures, and artists Meaningful Representative Aesthetically pleasing WHAT SHOULD WE LOOK FOR IN A WORK OF ART? Art Criticism Method (Edmund Feldman) •  Description Dealing with facts, things everyone can see and agree on •  Analysis Looking for relationships between parts in the artifact combining the visual features found in the first stage •  Interpretation Exploring the meanings of the work for the viewer •  Judgment Discussing the success of the object in creating visual effects, expressing feelings and meanings, and representing social issues Let’s Practice! •  All of us are teaching 6th graders •  Each group picks a stage/step from Feldman’s four stage method of art criticism •  Group discussion on what questions you should ask for each stage •  Lead the art criticism activity for this stage Vincent van Gogh 1889 Oil on canvas 73.7 cm × 92.1 cm (29 in × 36¼ in) Museum of Modern Art, New York The Five Senses • 
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Vision Audio Smell Taste Touch Memory • 
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I see____________ I hear___________ I smell__________ I feel____________ I remember______ Mattie Lou O'Kelley (American, 1908 – 1997), Yard Sale, 1979, Oil on canvas, 28 x 40 inches, Mattie Lou O'Kelley Endowment What do you see? •  Pretend you are on a path leaving this painting. From what point would you leave? What would see when you leave? •  Pretend you are sitting somewhere in the painting. Close your eyes and imagine where you would sit and what you would see. Choose another spot. Now what would you see? What sounds do you hear? •  What kind of sounds might you hear coming from the house? •  What type of conversation might two people be having in this scene? •  Act out the sounds you hear. What smells do you imagine when looking at this painting? •  Where do the smells come from? •  What is producing the smells? What tastes do you associate with the painting? •  If it were lunch time, what foods would the group of people in the painting eat? •  If you picked fruit from the trees, how would that fruit taste? Imagine what things you could feel in this painting? •  Imagine being in this picture, what things could you touch? •  What would the air feel like? Is it moving or still? Is it hot or cold? •  Imagine sitting on the grass, what would it feel like? What memories does this picture bring to mind? •  How old were you when you had the experience you are remembering? Were other people with you? •  What feelings do you associate with the memory? Points of Entry: Looking at Art through the Multiple Intelligences • 
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The Aesthetic Window The Narrative Window The Logical/Quantitative Window The Foundational Window The Experiential Window Fun Games/Activities • 
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Auction Art in A Bag Guess the Artists Telephone/operator Live painting performance Gallery talk Vote … http://www.incredibleart.org/lessons/high/
artgames.htm Norman Rockwell Artwork Critique Form/
worksheet