Your assignment is to write a formal response to this work. By carefully describing subject matter, medium, form, and context, you should be able to arrive at a thoughtful well -defended interpretation of the piece. (1) Describe it . Thoroughly. If it is representational, what is the subject matter depicted? If it is non -representational, say so. What does it look like? What is the medium? Have we studied/do you know anything about the process that resulted in the work? What size is it? Is it a 2 -dimensional or 3 -dimensional piece? Which formal elements stand out to you? What are the colors being used? Be as descriptive as possible. (2) Contextualize it . What is the title? What is the name of the artist who created it? Do you know anything about the artist? Is there a statement giving you more information? In which year was it made? Where is it being displayed as you are looking at it? How is it being displayed? Are there other works by the same artist there to give you more context? Can you compare and contrast it to other works you’ve seen elsewhere or studied ? (3) Interpret it. Based on your description, what do you think the artist was trying to say? It may be difficult to separate this interpretation from the descriptive process and it is okay if the two aspects are interwoven. (4) Respond to it. Though I am not interested in merely hearing whether or not you like the piece, I also want you to meaningful respond to the work. As art -critic Peter Scheldahl proposes, a question more valuable to ask yourself can be, “If I were someone who did like this piece, why would I like it?” Who is its intended audience and are you among that audience? Why did you choose this particular piece? What does it make you think about? Why do you think that the artist made the choices that she or he did? Do you agree with all of those choices? Is the artist’s intention clear/well -executed? How do you feel about the way in which the work is being displayed? Would it be more suitably exhibited somewhere else or alongside different work? This part of the paper may contain judgments, but at this point they will be well founded. Never make a proclamation without continuing the sentence with the because… Your response should be a minimum of one and a half double -spaced pages, 12 point font. If you are thorough in your description, you should find that you easily exceed this length. Name of this Artwork: The Black Ring .

1. Your assignment is to write a formal response to this work. By
carefully describing subject matter, medium, form, and context,
you should be able to arrive at a thoughtful well -defended
interpretation of the piece. (1) Describe it . Thoroughly. If it is
representational, what is the subject matter depicted? If it is non
-representational, say so. What does it look like? What is the
medium? Have we studied/do you know anything about the
process that resulted in the work? What size is it? Is it a 2 -
dimensional or 3 -dimensional piece? Which formal elements
stand out to you? What are the colors being used? Be as
descriptive as possible. (2) Contextualize it . What is the title?
What is the name of the artist who created it? Do you know
anything about the artist? Is there a statement giving you more
information? In which year was it made? Where is it being
displayed as you are looking at it? How is it being displayed?
Are there other works by the same artist there to give you more
context? Can you compare and contrast it to other works you’ve
seen elsewhere or studied ? (3) Interpret it. Based on your
description, what do you think the artist was trying to say? It
may be difficult to separate this interpretation from the
descriptive process and it is okay if the two aspects are
interwoven. (4) Respond to it. Though I am not interested in
merely hearing whether or not you like the piece, I also want
you to meaningful respond to the work. As art -critic Peter
Scheldahl proposes, a question more valuable to ask yourself
can be, “If I were someone who did like this piece, why would I
like it?” Who is its intended audience and are you among that
audience? Why did you choose this particular piece? What does
it make you think about? Why do you think that the artist made
the choices that she or he did? Do you agree with all of those
choices? Is the artist’s intention clear/well -executed? How do
you feel about the way in which the work is being displayed?
Would it be more suitably exhibited somewhere else or
alongside different work? This part of the paper may contain
judgments, but at this point they will be well founded. Never

2. make a proclamation without continuing the sentence with the
because… Your response should be a minimum of one and a
half double -spaced pages, 12 point font. If you are thorough in
your description, you should find that you easily exceed this
length.
Name of this Artwork: The Black Ring