Assignment 4

Identifying Artworks as Examples of Art Theories

Search the web at the following sites to find an image of an art work for each of the theories.

Two challenging collections.

• World's Women on Line http://wwol.inre.asu.edu
  
• Chicano Arte http://mati.eas.asu.edu/ChicanArte/gallery.html

Two major traditional galleries

• National Gallery of Art http://www.nga.gov
• Metropolitan Museum of Art http://www.metmuseum.org

Two modern art museums

• The Guggenheim http://www.guggenheimcollection.org
• MoMA The Museum of Modern Art in New York City http://www.moma.org

You may use both 2 and 3 dimensional art. Answer the questions. Hand in the written quiz to you teacher.

HINT: Many pieces of art may be explained by more than one art theory. The explanation about why and how the theory explains the artwork is more important than the theory you choose.

1. Expressionism

Artist: ____________________________________________

Name of the artwork: ________________________________

URL: _____________________________________________

Kind of art: (Is it a painting, sculpture, etc.?) __________________

Medium: (Is the painting in oil, watercolor or acrylics, or the sculpture in metal or marble, or. . .?) ______________________________

Technique: (Is it blended, direct paint, carved, assembled, other?)

________________________________

Explanation: (What does the artwork express? Why and how does this theory explain this artwork?) ____________________________________________
____________________________________________________

2. Representationalism - Imitation Theory

Artist: _____________________________________________

Name of the artwork: _________________________________

URL: ______________________________________________

Kind of art: (Is it a painting, sculpture, etc.?)____________________

Medium: (Is the painting in oil, watercolor or acrylics, or the sculpture in metal or marble, or. . .?) _________________________________________

Technique: (Is it blended, direct paint, carved, assembled, other?) ___________________________________________

Explanation: (What does it imitate? Is it photographical or semi abstract? Why and how does this theory explain this artwork?) ______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

3. Functionalism

Artist: _________________________________________

Name of the artwork: _____________________________

URL: __________________________________________

Kind of art: (Is it a painting, sculpture, etc.?) ___________________

Medium: (Is the painting in oil, watercolor or acrylics, or the sculpture in metal or marble, or. . .?) ________________________________________

Technique: (Is it blended, direct paint, carved, assembled, other?) ____________________________________________________

Explanation: (What is the function or use of this work? Why and how does this theory explain this artwork?) __________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

4. Formalism

Artist: ________________________________

Name of the artwork: ___________________

URL: ____________________________________

Kind of art: (Is it a painting, sculpture, etc.?) _______________________

Medium: (Is the painting in oil, watercolor or acrylics, or the sculpture in metal or marble, or. . .?) _________________________________________

Technique: (Is it blended, direct paint, carved, assembled, other?) ______________

Explanation: (What traditional or unique form does this work take? e.g. cubist, triangular, grid? Why and how does this theory explain this artwork?) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

5. Open Concept

Artist: _________________________________

Name of the artwork: ____________________

URL: ____________________________________

Kind of art: (Is it a painting, sculpture, etc.?) _______________________

Medium: (Is the painting in oil, watercolor or acrylics, or the sculpture in metal or marble, or. . .?) ________________________________________

Technique: (Is it blended, direct paint, carved, assembled, other?) ______________

Explanation: (Why and how does this theory explain this artwork?)
__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

6. Institution Theory

Artist: _________________________________

Name of the artwork: ____________________

URL: ____________________________________

Kind of art: (Is it a painting, sculpture, etc.?)________________________

Medium: (Is the painting in oil, watercolor or acrylics, or the sculpture in metal or marble, or. . .?) ___________

Technique: (Is it blended, direct paint, carved, assembled, other?) ______________

Explanation: (What institution supports or values this work? e.g. a church, shopping mall, a museum, other? Why and how does this theory explain this artwork?) __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________