Critical Thinking Homework
Imagine you work in a museum and your boss has asked you to propose a museum exhibit reflecting something specific about the human condition. You can choose any works of art you like but the museum only has room for three pieces. What three pieces would you choose and what would they reveal about the human condition to museum goers? To answer these questions, your boss has asked a written proposal that identifies the pieces you would include in your exhibit and what they exhibit demonstrates.
Theme: You must select a theme that connects each of the pieces you have selected for your exhibit. Your theme should reflect a personal value or belief reflected in the human condition. For example, you might believe that the sacrifices soldiers make in war are honorable and you might choose works that support this idea (the photograph of World War II soldier raising the American flag on Iwo Jima, for example). However, you might believe the reverse, that war is destructive, and include works that support this idea (the Vietnam War photograph of a young girl running after a napalm attack).
Works: You must choose a minimum of three pieces of art that demonstrate the theme you have chosen. Works should represent a minimum of two different art forms (dance, painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, etc.). The works you choose should reflect different time periods and places/cultures (20th Century American art, Italian Renaissance, etc.) to demonstrate that these beliefs about the human condition have existed throughout human history.
Thesis: You must clearly identify the theme for your audience in a clearly stated and well-developed thesis statement.
Medium: What are the materials of the work of art? Of what is the artifact made?
Form: What is the structure of the elements of art (line, color, space, texture, light, etc.)
Content (Meaning): What does the work of art mean to you, personally? What is the universal meaning?
Historical Context: What was happening historically when the work of art was created?
Style: What is the characteristic manner of composition of the work of art? Is it archaic, classical, medieval, neo-classical, romantic, modern, or post-modern?
Sources: In addition to your three works of art (primary sources), you must use the VU library's databases to find a minimum of two secondary sources that help support your analysis of the pieces you have chosen. Sources must be scholarly. With instructor approval only, you may supplement your research with reliable sources found outside of the library's database.
POWERPOINT ORAL PRESENTATION GUIDELINES
I. Select three works of art from two different arts (dance, painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, etc.) with the same theme. These are the same three art works you used for your critical thinking homework. Analyze them according to the following critical thinking methodology.
II. Subject: What is the work of art about? What is the theme or major idea?
III. Medium: What are the materials of the work of art? Of what is it made?
IV. Form: What is the shape or structure of the elements (line, color, texture, space, light) of the work of art?
V. Content: What is the meaning of the work of art?
VI. Historical Context: In what culture or civilization was the work of art made? When was it made? How are the values of the culture or civilization embodied in the work of art?
VII. Style: What is the characteristic manner of composition of the work of art? Is it Medieval, Classical, Archaic or Modern?
VIII. Use the Modern Language Association's guidelines to parenthetical reference and bibliography.
IX. The slides may include text, creative imagery, websites to videos, and Speaker's Notes.
X. Use 3 to 5 references, books, journal articles or Internet resources. Do not use all Internet resources. You may use your textbook as one reference.
XI. Make 8 slides for your PowerPointoral presentation based on your critical thinking essay.
i. Slide 1: Title of the presentation, your name, the course name and number, Vincennes University, the date.
ii. Slide 2: Subject of the works of art with pictures of them (you may have one slide per work of art if you wish).
iii. Slide 3: Medium-of what is the work of art made?
iv. Slide 4: Form: structure of the elements of the work of art (see above categories).
v. Slide 5: Content/meaning of the work of art.
vi. Slide 6: Historical Context
Format your homework according to the following formatting requirements:
i) The answer should be typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), double spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides.
ii) The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the homework, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
iii) Also include a reference page. The Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.