UNIT 5: Contextual References in Art and Design

Contextual references in Art and Design

Artists and designers have always looked to the past for inspiration and innovation. In order to learn from the past and build on others’ creativity, it is essential that you understand and are aware of the importance of historical and cultural influences on artists.

In this unit you will;

• Develop a greater understanding of contemporary and historical movements in art, craft and design.

Develop research and skills in identifying, selecting and recording information

• Develop visual, written and verbal presentations skills

Choose an art discipline from the list below that you are interested in;

Photography

Graphic Design

Sculpture

Textiles

3D Design

and complete tasks 1, 2, 3 and 4

TASK 1

INITIAL INTRODUCTION AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT

1. Research the history and background of the art discipline. When did the discipline start? What are key dates? Why are they important - what happened?

2. What are the characteristics / principles of the discipline?

3. What are key ideas / concepts?

4. Who are the key individuals? Why are they important? What did they do?

5. What is the aim / intention of the artists involved?

6. What major developments have taken place in the discipline? e.g digital age

7. What caused these changes? e.g. politics, developments in technology, war, impact of media, a significant event - war. Go into detail here

TASK 2

ARTIST RESEARCH

1. Research 2 key artists from the 19th, 20th or 21st Century

2. For both artists write an analysis of their work.

3. Include examples of their work

4. What subjects / ideas did they explore in their work?

5. What was their inspiration? e.g. another artist / art movement

6. What technqiues / materials do they use to create work?

7. READ reviews about their work and include quotes by the artist and critics or in reviews of their work

TASK 3

Start to write a glossary of key terminology. You will add to this over the year

e.g. Context

Concept

Aesthetic

Composition

Client

Contrast

TASK 4

EXHIBITION

1.Over summer visit an contemporary exhibtion of your choice.

2. Select two pieces of work that link to your discipline (photography/graphic design etc) of choice. Make sure one piece of work is contemporary and one is from the 1800's/1900's.

3. Photograph the work and upload to your Prezi

4. When was the work made? What was happening at the time the work was made? War / political uprising etc

5. What is the subject of the work?

6. What is the artists' intention?

7. What materials have been used? What is the scale of the work?

8. Compare the 2 pieces of work. How are they different? Which do you prefer? Why?

TASK 5

1. What barriers and obstacles do creative people face and how can they overcome these? Provide examples of artists and what techniques they have used

3. What effect has the credit crunch had on the creativity of practitioners? Discuss

4.Is Graphic Design art? Discuss

5. Can contemporary design be considered the new art form? Discuss

6. Can the touch of an artist turn a mundane object into an art form? Discuss

7. Do private gallery owners and national gallery curators exert too much influence and control over the art world and what the public get to see?

8. Has art become a fashion and commodity?

8. What is the true value of art?

TASK 5 Continued

• Research a wide range of artists
• Include examples of artists work
• READ reviews / articles on exhibitions
• Include quotes to support the points you raise
• Write a conclusion to the essay question - include personal opinion

"Photography is nothing–it’s life that interests me".

Henri Cartier-BressonINDIA. Tamil Nadu. Madura. 1950.