artist Andres Serrano  For the third essay assignment you will write a piece of art criticism, that is, an essay that examines an artwork (or two or three related works) in detail and with insight.  Your subject may come from any of the genres of cultural production we’ve discussed:  literature, art, film, theatre, dance, food, fashion, design, architecture, advertising, the list goes on.  Make an argument for why these works are interesting, thought-provoking, and moving.  It is important that you choose something not merely because you like it, but because you feel there is something there to explore intellectually, something meaningful to say or discover about it.  Keep in mind our discussions of what culture does for us, what we do with it, and why we seek it out.  Think about cultural objects and activities as the free and creative response to life in a given society and time, or to some of the conditions of human life generally.  Remember that art involves a marriage of meaning and form. That is, we don’t just care what art means or says, we care how that meaning has been created or constructed. In artworks, arguments and ideas are always embodied in form.  Past papers have considered a trio films depicting the Holocaust, visual art concerned with the effects of technology on modern society, the depiction of romantic love in Korean soap operas. The possibilities are vast. The important thing is to clearly connect ideas and questions to the works of culture. Your own voice and mind should lead the way as you interpret, analyze, and describe. Avoid at all costs a paper that dumps a lot of information or biography on the reader. The essay will be five pages, following the normal formatting guidelines.  Any external language, ideas, and information must be cited using MLA style.  See schedule for due dates. .

1. artist Andres Serrano
For the third essay assignment you will write a piece of art
criticism, that is, an essay that examines an artwork (or two or
three related works) in detail and with insight. Your subject
may come from any of the genres of cultural production we’ve
discussed: literature, art, film, theatre, dance, food, fashion,
design, architecture, advertising, the list goes on. Make an
argument for why these works are interesting, thought-
provoking, and moving.
It is important that you choose something not merely because
you like it, but because you feel there is something there to
explore intellectually, something meaningful to say or discover
about it. Keep in mind our discussions of what culture does for
us, what we do with it, and why we seek it out. Think about
cultural objects and activities as the free and creative response
to life in a given society and time, or to some of the conditions
of human life generally. Remember that art involves a marriage
of meaning and form. That is, we don’t just care what art means
or says, we care how that meaning has been created or
constructed. In artworks, arguments and ideas are always
embodied in form.
Past papers have considered a trio films depicting the
Holocaust, visual art concerned with the effects of technology
on modern society, the depiction of romantic love in Korean
soap operas. The possibilities are vast. The important thing is to
clearly connect ideas and questions to the works of culture.
Your own voice and mind should lead the way as you interpret,
analyze, and describe. Avoid at all costs a paper that dumps a
lot of information or biography on the reader.

2. The essay will be five pages, following the normal formatting
guidelines. Any external language, ideas, and information must
be cited using MLA style. See schedule for due dates.