150-300 words : ART DISCUSSION for Block 1 – 20210626R

This week’s art consisted of four images on the Block 1 Art Page. In addition to those four, you could also consider the Mapplethorpe image discussed in Lecture 1 that appears as the main image on the ROADMAP for Block 1. Aside from the Mapplethorpe portrait discussed in Lecture 1, I have provided no background or contextual information about the selected works. I would like you to just look at the images and think about what they mean. “Read them” by deconstructing and decoding what you think the context might be; what is the author’s message. React to them as much with your emotion as with your intellect. When you’re ready–but BEFORE11:59 pm on Sunday, January 17–please write a post between 150-300 words in the Forum. Please cut and paste the prompt you’re replying to. (Don’t count the prompt in your word count!) You may react to one of the prompts below; or, you may react to a post one of your classmates has already written; or, you may post on a topic of your choice as long as you are “reading” the art for this week. PROMPT 1: Focus your comments on a single work of art. What aesthetic qualities does the work possess that enable it to capture and hold the viewer’s attention? How does the piece appear to stake out a position in some cultural dispute? What did it make you feel when you looked at it? What did it make you think about when you looked at it? PROMPT 2: Focus your comments on one or two of the selected works. Explain how and why the work exemplifies high culture. low culture, or possesses attributes of each. PROMPT 3: Next week in lecture we will examine which political controversies fall under the “culture war” umbrella and which are, well, just run of the mill political arguments. (Hint: taxation policy is an evergreen political issue, always hotly contested; however, abortion policy ticks many of the boxes to make it a culture war issue.) So fully accepting we have yet to define these issues, which piece or pieces make their stand so clear that you believe you can identify the particular cultural division the work seeks to comment on. PROMPT 4: Which work evoked the strongest emotional responses from you as a viewer? What did it make you want to do next and why? PROMPT 5: In Lecture 1, Dr. Master discussed the Davies definition of art. One of the categories described by Davies, was functionalism. Functionalist art may offer commentary on society, offer a historical point of view, or comment on the art world itself. Pick two of the five works from this week and offer a functionalist interpretation of the piece. What makes it fuctionsalist, specifically? Requirements: 150-300 words | .doc file