Event Critique Art Museum

Use the following format for your museum critique; answers must be typed below the questions and all questions must appear in full on your final copy. You can use this document as your template. Pay careful attention to the required number of words for those questions that have them. Failure to follow the instructions here and on your syllabus will result in a substantially low grade. Minimal answers poorly written are a D grade or less. Elaboration of points, excellent arguments, and good writing garner higher grades. ********************************** Name:_____Camille MacCauley___________ Class time period (not section number): _______2:30pm______ 1) Which museum did you visit? (check one) _X_ Univ. of Utah ___ BYU 2) In 150 words, describe at least one of the broad collections on a theme, period, geographic region, or topic) within the museum. There was an exhibit on Egyptian mummies that I thought was really cool. It was about how they used to prepare their loved ones to enter the next life. Its impressive how much work they put into preserving the bodies. There was also a hands-on part of it where you could smell the different incenses that were placed in the coffin and feel the kind of fabric the mummies were wrapped in. There were descriptions about how much effort went into painting them. I just think it's incredible and the mummies are still well preserved to this day. In the next room there was an ancient Greek gallery and even though they were about different peoples, it was all about the ancient time of that culture so I found them to be the same theme. The Greek one was also neat and it had old statue pieces and vases. I think the statues were cool because they immortalized who they were of.

3) Give a brief, one paragraph (100 words) description of a special exhibit (ask the curator what these are; they are usually in one of the first rooms): In the first room when you walked in there was a collection titled "The Self" by Martha Wilson. She went to the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in the 70's. She had been working on this particular gallery for decades. It was about how versatile a person can be. Anyone can be ugly, or beautiful, or any stereotype just by looking the part. I thought it was really interesting. She dressed as a housewive, professional, lesbian, working girl and more. She was experimenting with change and pushing boundaries. In her gallery she had video performances and many self portraits. 4) What kind of information is provided about the works? Tell me three places you might find more detailed information that doesnt include the web {hint: ask a curator for help with this question} Pamphlets, Artist statements, Asking the Curator

5) Choose several works that particularly appealed to you. Explain why you were drawn to these works. Comment on the subject, style, medium, time period, etc. Who were the artists?) This question must be answered in its entirety. (This should be at least 500 words I chose six pieces that I really liked that were from different galleries. 1.) Raven Mask No specified artist pigment on wood using wood, copper, and pigments. This was in the Native American Identity and Design section. I particularly liked this one because it was cool to look at. I like the raven also because it meant a lot to the Indians. I read in a pamphlet about it that the Raven in Indian culture was significant because Raven taught them how to fish, hunt and build homes. The raven could also change shape. 2.) Crocodile Pole No specified artist wood fiber using shell, feathers, and pigment. This 20th century carving was interesting. It was in the Pacific Island Art gallery. I liked it because of the detail put into it, and how big it was. It was a carved sculpture of a crocodile with a little pacific man riding him. I didn't know very much about pacific islanders, and seeing this gallery was cool because I got a good insight into their culture. They use a lot of natural materials to create their decorations and art. 3.) Infinity Nets Yayoi Kusama 1959, acrylic on canvas This painting was a trip. She really achieved her goal and only used small dots to achieve it. This piece influenced the rest of her paintings that she did so I think this technique means a lot to her. I stared at it for quite some time and it was like an optical illusion. I also think it's really cool that she could create that using only acrylic paint. 4.) Preparations for Dinner James T. Harwood 1980, oil on canvas This painting was in the American Visions section and stood out to me because it was so rich in contrast. It was of a girl sitting by a window with a bowl of fruit on the table and light shining in. It was very beautiful because of the color combinations he used. Everything that he wanted you to look at stood out like the bowl of fruit was before the window, And the window had such bright light coming in and the room was a bit dim. He was also very talented because using oil is not the easiest medium and it's hard to control in my opinion. He was good at capturing a moment and making a realistic painting. 5.) Honfleur Theodore Earl Butler ca. 1907, oil on canvas American Visions section. This painting was beautiful but he used a strange way to make it so. He had chosen the ugliest colors to use but they came together so nicely. You could see each color, nothing was mixed, but the painting seemed to be closer to one color. You could make out a tower and a yard. I think the colors and the fudgy images and rough outlining made it look like it was foggy outside. Some of the colors used

were light purples, sea greens and yellows, and a peach color. 6.) Springtime on Bear Mountain Maynard Dixon 1930, oil on canvas American Visions section. I liked this one because of the simplicity. He used oil paints and it made it flow even better. It was a painting of mountains and it was almost like the wind was blowing because he made everything flow so smoothly. Beautiful calming painting. I think the 30's were also a more simple time and this is reflecting it. I would love to be living in this painting.

6) How did the artworks you looked at relate to material we have discussed in class? {They do relate in many ways, you just need to look for those relationships} Minimum of 150 words. Art is a form of human expression. It allows us to go deeper and create certain feelings about things in others. Usually the artists are revealing things that are important to them. Indians with the Raven, the pacific islanders with the crocodile, and in the ancient Greek and Egyptian section they had mummies and preparations for the afterlife. There was a Greek vase that was c.340-330 BCE and on it there was a man who had passed on an people grieving for him but he still looked to be alive. We have talked a lot about death and religion in this class, and I saw a lot of it reflected in the artwork. 7) What was your personal reaction to this experience? Would you enjoy attending this type of event again? Why or why not? {Minimum 100 words} I always enjoy going to an art museum to get my dose of culture, though I am by no means an art critic. Most of the time I have no idea what kind of symbolism and meaning the artist was trying to give. I am blind to that kind of stuff, but I think it's good for everyone to be exposed to different things, and different ways of living. You can really find that in art. Especially when the galleries are from a different time, or different country. It can give you first hand insight into how things are perceived by others. I like photography because not only are you seeing a beautiful image, you are also seeing it through someone else's eyes. I would like to do this assignment again because I enjoy looking at everything.

As always remember that I want to see reflective thinking on your part. Show me you are aware of your limitations, your biases, etc. Show me that you are thinking about your own responses and why you respond the way you do.