Purpose:  The purpose of this assignment is to explore both the conscious and unconscious ways that works of art connect to and affect our everyday perspectives on the world around us and how the world around us affects our perspective on artworks.

Assignment:  You will select one artwork from the Art 21 website: http://www.art21.org/ (Links to an external site.)

This is an extensive website featuring over 140 contemporary artists.  Some of these we have looked at in class, some we have not.  I want you to explore the website to find an artist whose work interests, confuses, provokes, inspires or in some way captures your attention.  This may take some time since there are many artists and links to many images so do this as soon as possible. This should be an artist whose work we have not looked at in class.

Once you have selected your artist you need to select just one of their artworks and print an image of that work, do this by no later than Tuesday, March 23.  You will then carry that image with you everywhere until Saturday, April 3.  Throughout the week, you will be keeping a journal in which you will record any thoughts, connections, and/or observations that might have occurred to you as you go about your daily activities relating to or inspired by the artwork that you are carrying with you. Some experiences may cause you to feel differently about the image/artwork, while some experiences may be experienced differently because of the image/artwork.  You must complete at least 4 entries for 4 separate days, but you can do more.  Each entry should be no less than 4 sentences.

Your final paper/journal will include the following:

    1 introductory paragraph that includes the name of your artist, the title of the artwork you have chosen (if there is one) and an explanation of why you selected the artist/artwork.
    4 entries each consisting of a short paragraph of approximately 5 sentences in which you will explain or record your thoughts from a particular day relating to the selected image/artwork.
    Include an image of the selected artwork in the document (or as a separate file).

Format: The format for the journal should follow the outline linked here (docx file download , pdf file download , pages file download ).  You will include a date for each entry followed by your thoughts (a short paragraph of approximately 5 complete sentences) recalling and explaining your observations/experiences for that particular day.  You will submit your complete journal with the image to Carmen.  I have no particular expectations as to what you should or could write, just be open-minded and creative and try to be attentive to even your most random thoughts.

Grading: There are clearly not right or wrong responses in your journal.  What I will be looking for is the following: 

    At least 4 complete entries
    Clarity and thoughtfulness of your interpretations and explanations Though your journal entries will be specific to you, I want to be able to see clearly in your writing where and why you made your observations and what aspects of the particular artwork were significant to your observations. Be as specific and creative as possible.
    Quality of your writing (grammar and spelling)