HUM201WW Close Looking Analysis

Close Looking Analysis: Visual Art

Artist’s Self-Portrait Analysis

*The analysis assignment will be run through TurnItIn to look for plagiarism, so be sure to leave yourself enough time to review your paper’s “Originality Report” and make any necessary changes before the due-date.

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Introduction

In this part of Module 5, we have been exploring how visual artists and architects interact with borders in their work. Borders inherently establish defined points of view as well as remind us of the limitations and possibilities for transgressing those borders or living in the “borderlands” (Anzaldúa). Consider the images you viewed of the art, architecture, and design found at the physical borders between nations around the world. Could you imagine standing at these different borderlines or in the border spaces? Which borders can you step over? Where can you sit with someone on the other side? Where can you see across? Which ones are completely opaque? Which borders feel unsafe? They feel so different! How are they designed to feel or operate this way?

Then, consider artists and architects who explore borders as themes or principles in their work or who feel themselves to be operating in a border space? (see Marlin-Bennett, Maya Lin) Did any of the artists in our tours of Chicago’s public art use their work to highlight or bump up against the borders of a wall, a neighborhood, a community, the city?

Finally, we turn our attention to self, self-perception, and self-representation. How would you create a portrait of yourself? (Give it a try right now!) How do you express your internal spirit externally? In which ways do you intentionally “present” to the world and in which ways does the world layer an image on to you? When does creating your own image or own story act as resistance to a “single story” misperception? How can a self-portrait be powerful? Consider the story behind Artemisia Gentileschi’s Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting (see Mary Gerrard) and how she used dominant iconography of the time to render a feminist portrait. Almost every other artist you can think of or know personally (maybe including yourself) has created a self-portrait of some kind of another. (See the list of 275 of them below!)

This project asks you to select the self-portrait of one artist and explore the “windows and doors” of their image through a close analysis of the piece. How is the internal made external in their self-image?

Step 1: Select an Artist and their Self-Portrait

Spend time reviewing several of the artists on the list below; identify those that you have read or learned about, those you have always wanted to explore, and those who are completely new to you. Browse around online to get more acquainted with some of the names that pique your interest (you can start by googling the artist name and “self-portrait”). Decide on an artist whose work you would like to explore during this project. Select ONE of their self-portraits (an image in which the artist represents themselves – in painting, sculpture, or any other medium). This self-portrait will be the object of your close analysis for this paper.

Artist Options

These artists are arranged chronologically by date of birth. This is just a small sampling of artists (if they are not on this list, it does not mean they are less important than those here). This list only includes artists who have created at least one self-portrait (an image in which the artist represents themselves).

 

Step 2: Complete the Written Analysis

A.            Once you select an artist, identify the particular self-portrait by them that you will analyze, and do some research to prepare for the analysis.

Some of the artists have only created a single self-portrait; others have created multiple self-portraits. Depending on the artist you choose, you might need to select which one of their self-portraits you want to research and closely analyze in your paper, answering the five questions listed below.

If you are having trouble identifying which of your artist’s artworks qualify as self-portraits, please email the instructor asap for assistance. I will be happy to help.

B.            Prepare your analysis to plan your paper.

You can do research into the artist and the specific self-portrait by them that you have selected:

?             Consult this HWC Library Guide on doing artist research:

?             Utilize this HWC Library Guide on doing visual art analysis:

?             Other reputable sources include artsy, hyperallergic, artnet news, museum websites, university websites, scholarly journals like those you can access through the HWC library,  or the artist’s personal website [for contemporary artists showcasing their own work]

?             Do not rely on Pinterest or Wikipedia or other non-reputable sources.

?             Review the “Resources for Close Looking Analysis,” which are posted in the Module 3 Part 5 tab, to familiarize yourself with some terms and techniques that will be useful for you to incorporate into your analysis.

Your analysis should be about 2.5-4 pages and answer the following 5 questions about the artist’s self-portrait (you may number your responses):

1)            Relevant biography (10 pts)

Explain in 1-2 paragraphs a brief outline about the artist’s life, focusing specifically on any particular experiences or aspects of their background that are important to know about in order to better understand the choices they made in this particular self-portrait. Be sure to cite whatever biographical information about the artist that you learned from outside sources.

2)            Medium/Materials (5 pts)

Explain in 1 paragraph about what materials/media the artist utilized to make this self-portrait (Is it a photograph? A painting? A sculpture? A print such as a woodcut or engraving? A mixed-media piece? A performance?) Be as specific as possible about the particular materials they used and the way that those materials help draw attention to some of the other choices they made about subject matter and/or formal elements.

3)            Subject matter (what is depicted: people, things, words, etc.) (15 pts)

In 1-2 paragraphs, explain the subject matter in detail. Obviously, the artist is somehow included as subject matter in this self-portrait (otherwise, it doesn’t meet the requirement for the assignment), but which aspects of the artist are included—what parts of their body, what clothing or objects, what scenery is included? What do those choices help reveal to the viewer about the artist?

4)            Formal Elements (how it is depicted: colors, shapes, perspective, composition, etc.) (15 pts)

In 1-2 paragraphs, explain how the artist has chosen to represent the subject matter mentioned in question 3. Is the artist represented naturalistically (true-to-life), or are they represented in a more stylized or abstract way? What colors are used, what shapes are created by the arrangement of lines and forms? Where are each of those elements of subject matter positioned in the composition? Where is the viewer positioned relative to the subject matter? What do those choices help reveal to the viewer about the artist?

5)            Meaning/Message/Mood (15 pts)

In 2 paragraphs, explain which aspects of the self-portrait help elicit* an emotional and/or intellectual response from the viewer. Be sure to explain how and why those aspects work to convey a message. How do the image’s formal elements and subject matter work together or work in opposition to convey the message? In other words, think of this fifth question as a way to tie together observations from questions 1-4:

   Historical and Cultural Context (values and events prevalent during the artist’s life)

   Subject Matter (what is depicted: people, things, words, etc.)

+ Formal Elements (how it is depicted: colors, shapes, perspective, composition, etc.)

   Message/Meaning/Mood of the Artwork (your interpretation based on analysis of the subject matter and formal elements and connections to the context in which it was made)

In your paper, explain the aspects of the artist’s identity that they chose to highlight through their self-portrait (Their professional identity; one or more aspect of their physical appearance; one or more aspect of their gender, ethnic, or religious identity; some aspect of their emotional or psychological state; or a combination of these things) and how their artwork fits into and/or stands out from its historical context.

6)            Include a Works Cited section, plus the artwork and caption; and organize your writing into clearly-constructed sentences and paragraphs (20 pts)

III. Other Writing Tips

Your paper should be written in the first person [using “I see” or “it makes me think”] or in third person [using “one sees” or “it makes the viewer think”] but avoid using second person [do not use phrases like “you wonder” or “it makes you think”].

Use the included rubric (see pages 8-10) as a checklist to ensure you have provided the reader with everything required.

*Good words/phrases to use when describing and analyzing visual works:

The work of art alludes to an idea… (NOTE: the work of art does not elude unless it avoids something like capture or definition.)

The work of art conveys a message…

The work of art evokes an emotional response… (NOTE: the work of art does not invoke unless it’s explicitly calling on a deity.)

The work of art elicits an emotional response… (NOTE: the work of art does not illicit. Illicit is an adjective meaning forbidden or unlawful. Elicit is a verb)

The artist illustrates an idea or story…

The artist suggests an idea or emotion…

The work of art or artist emphasizes an element, area, or mood…

IV. Quoting and Citing your Sources

1.            When you incorporate background research about the artist or self-portrait, you should only use reputable sources such as museum and university websites, or scholarly journals like those you can access through the HWC library, or the artist’s personal webpage (if they have one). You must also make sure to abide by the rules of academic honesty and provide appropriate MLA citations. TurnItIn will generate an “Originality Report” for your final draft, highlighting any wording that comes from another source (internet, another student’s paper, etc.) rather than your own head. Be sure to resolve any issues with your Originality Report before the due date by fixing the issue in your paper and resubmitting a corrected draft.

a.            If the Originality Report only highlights passages of “matching text” that have been properly quoted and cited in MLA format (following the three steps listed below), then you are fine.

b.            If, however, the Originality Report highlights any passages that have NOT been placed in quotation marks AND ALSO provided with an in-text citation and Works Cited page citation in MLA format, then you must fix these issues and resubmit a new draft by the due date.

Three steps to properly quote and cite your sources

Step 1: Put all borrowed wording in quotation marks, using proper MLA style

Formatting quotations in MLA style (Note that there are different formatting guidelines for quoting lines of poetry and for quoting lines of prose. Also, the length of the quotation affects the formatting that you should follow).

Step 2: Construct in-text parenthetical citations for all borrowed ideas (whether you’ve kept and quoted the original wording, or whether you’ve summarized or paraphrased it in your own words), using proper MLA style

•             MLA In-text citations (basic book)

•             MLA In-text citations (electronic sources)

•             MLA In-text citations (artwork, movie, etc.)

Step 3: Construct a Works Cited page, using proper MLA style

MLA Works Cited page.