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The Wooden Prince

The statue of Amunhotep III stood out to me at first because of the color scheme. The gold and brown colors made the figure seem warm and welcoming. With closer look, the figure seemed to be made of wood, different from the fine stone figures usually seen in Egyptian art. This evoked curiosity. Without reading the caption, the figure seemed to be representing an authority, with a magnificent crown and a gold colored kilt. The gate of the figure gave a sense of sophistication and confidence. The figure was small, and stood on a wooden base. Strikingly the figure has no arms, and the left leg is in front of the right, suggesting a sense of motion or even dominance. There seems to be difference in the polish of the head and body, which was interesting. The crown was one of the most complicated woodwork in the figure. The crown is something called the “Blue Crown” which was first seen in Egyptian art only a few generation prior, meaning that it was a relatively new invention. The eyebrows and the eyes are outlined in a purple-blue glass, and eyes in white and black glass. The face is also drawn so realistically, and seems to be lifelike. The male figure was made in the late XVII dynasty, circa 1390-1352. The caption read that the figure was a cult statue made after the death of subject. After some research, I found that wood was pretty expensive and rare and they had to be imported. This shows that this figure was someone of great importance or meant something to the people since it was created after his death. Not surprisingly, Amunhotep III’s reign was a time of peace.

I really enjoyed looking at this piece of art, it really spoke volumes of who the the pharaoh was, and his reign. Though I was first attracted to this piece because of the color, the art revealed to me so much history and purpose that I didn’t know. Definitely a great experience.

Unit 1 Summary

 

Paolo Freire, writer of the “Pedagogy of the Oppressed,” believes there is a fundamental flaw in the current education system. The flaw lying predominantly in the relationship between the student and the teacher, and how the student is conveyed the information from the teacher. Freire writes, “Education is suffering from narration sickness…” What Freire is trying to express is this idea that students are stuck listening to a “narration” by the instructor, and because of this bland re-telling of facts or ideas, the students have a complicated relationship with the idea of learning. Freire believes this is style of education is not conducive to learning, instead, all it “accomplishes” is a strained relationship between instructor and student. Because of this style of education, Freire believes that students are less inclined to learn new material, and instead, are forced  to cram their memory for the upcoming test, and once the test is finished, students tend to forget most, if not all of what they had just studied. Freire writes, “education is reduced to an act of depositing, students are depositories and teachers and depositors, this is the banking model.”

 

“The Banking Model” according to Freire, forces students into memorizing mechanically without ever really understanding what they are learning. He also writes that the banking model takes away a student’s individuality and autonomy.  Freire offers loose advice on possible solutions to fix this deeply engraved problem he sees with the education system. He believes we must transform the structure of education so that students can become, “beings for themselves.” As a student stuck in the education system, I cannot help but agree with Freire and his ideas. Throughout high school and for most of college I feel like most of the classes I have taken follow this rigid structure of forced memorization to meet a deadline and once the deadline passes I find myself forgetting most of what I had just studied. Like Freire, I believe there needs to be a fundamental change to the entire current system of education.

 

When viewing any piece of visual art, it is important to remember formal analysis. Formal analysis, according to Anne D’Alleva, are the “methods and questions that mostly concern the visual and physical aspects of a work of art.” This includes the line, shape, color, scale, and composition of a piece of art. Formal analysis concerns itself with how all these elements come together and work with one another for a piece of art. How did the artist make the lines, are they loose and soft, adding a blended element or are they rigid and unforgiving, making your eye separate the lines from the rest of the work? It is questions like these that help give the viewer a better understanding of what they are looking at, and it could potentially help the viewer understand why the artist made what they did.

 

D’Alleva suggests a three-part process when trying to understand formal analysis. Those three steps are “interpret, decipher, evaluate.” These steps will help structure a more complete analysis for the viewer, even if they are entirely unfamiliar with art. As someone who greatly appreciates art but often has difficulty understanding the entire scope of the artist’s work, formal analysis is a great tool to utilize. Sometimes when looking at a new piece of art, whether it be a painting or a sculpture, I tend to become overwhelmed with everything I am taking in, which at times, leaves me hesitant to explore the work beyond a surface layer. Formal analysis offers me a pattern and certain steps to follow so I can have a greater appreciation for a work of art, which will only come with a better understanding of the work.

SN: Unit 1 Summary

Formal analysis and critical pedagogy are vital because they help analyze and understand artwork. Contextual analysis has us go outside of the artwork to find answers and to understand how the art shapes ideas and values of the one who made it. Formal analysis helps us find answers to questions about artwork without referring to outside sources. By this we can explore visual facts of artwork and the meaning of what the artist includes in their art. There is no pure formal analysis because everyone has a different interpretation of ideas. The main factors of formal analysis are color, line, space and mass and scale. For color, we would look at the characteristics being used and what it represents. The lines help us identify from two dimensional artwork from three dimensional and the display of lights and darks. Lines can be strong or broken up. Space and mass can make the artwork seem as if it has weight or volume and scale is the relative size within the work and viewer. Composition is important because it shows all the elements put together in artwork. 

Paolo Friere was famous for his concept Critical Pedagogy. The Banking Model describes that teachers have the higher power in the classroom and the student is responsible for taking in what they are taught. The students are the recieving objects and this model controls their thinking, restricting any creative ways of learning that they have. Friere, with this concept, wanted to create a better world than just a better environment to learn in. It is supposed to encourage individuals to affect change thats more balanced where teachers are equal to students. Students are able to state what they need too and improve their ways of learning. 

These concepts matter to me because they tie into my learning, especially as a student. Formal analysis helped me learn how to analyze artwork and I definitley see that I have improved through learning its concepts. Critical Pedagogy is important to me because as a student, I like to create my own learning environment and I learn best through readings and teaching myself. The fact that teachers and students can be equal in the classroom makes classes less intimidating and students will be able to participate without feeling belittled or incompetent . 

-Sn

Unit 1 Summary

Unit 1 was about the pedagogy and power, banking model, and formal analysis. The Banking Model is described as teachers simply passing on an idea to the students. The teachers talk and lecture while the students are quiet and receive the information. I have experienced this type of model many times in high school. Some teachers I had would not care to listen to anything the students had to say. They would think everything that they said was correct. I think this model has more negative aspects rather than positive. You might be able to learn something but it’s not the most effective and long-term method of teaching. I think its very important for teachers to engage and encourage their students to speak up in class. This helps a lot of students learn better. The pedagogical approach to any subject must be important when you want someone to learn. For example, if you’re teaching drawing you shouldn’t just put a fruits basket in front of the students and expect them to know how to draw. You would have to teach them the basics first.

Another thing we learned is formal analysis. Formal analysis is not only describing the art but also showing and understanding what the artist is trying to convey, visually. Everybody has different ways of looking at things so our own interpretation of art will have a play in what we think it means. When focusing on formal analysis, there are some characteristics we use: color, line, space and mass, scale. We also look at the composition of the art. Composition means how the artist combines all these factors in their work of art. We also use the historical context of an artwork. It relates to the things that happen during the time the art was made. It serves to give us a better understanding of the art and show why the artist decided to make this artwork.

It’s very interesting that you can learn so much about an artwork from its historical background. I never knew how to analyze an artwork before but after learning some basics on formal analysis it has become easier. When looking at the Titian Venus of Urbino, I noticed that a lot of warmer colors were used as opposed to cool or neutral colors. Colors like pink and red were used a lot. Another technique that was cool was looking at the way the artist catches your eye from the direction of lines. They guide your eyes intentionally from left to right. I personally thought that was interesting and cool how an artist can make you do that. Also, learning of the historical background of the painting really put it into a perspective of why the art was made.

Summary of Unit 1

Throughout Unit 1 we spoke about Formal Analysis.  We discussed the physical look of a piece of art and searched for the clues of a deeper understanding.  Formal Analysis is actually taking a piece and looking at the physical color, line, shape, material, etc.  We took the knowledge about the formal analysis and was able to decipher a whole new meaning to the piece.

We also discussed that because of formal analysis two painters might draw the same muse but the outcome of the two pieces of art would be completely different.  Each artist places items and lines into their works of art for a specific reason.

In the “Standard of Ur” there is a specific reason for each scratch.  Nothing is just a coincidence, everything is shown because the artist wants it to be.  The king is larger on purpose, and the outfits are different on purpose.  We see this and see the deeper meaning because of formal analysis.

Many works of art cause change and enlightenment in the world.  Some are obvious within the art and some you need to have an understanding about art and the reasons behind it.

Unit 1: Art History Summary

 

Throughout this past month in Art History, the class focus has been strictly direct to the topics of Formal Analysis and Critical Pedagogy. This two concepts are necessary if we want to understand what we see when we look at art and the way we are able to analyze, critique, judge and interpret a work of art. Formal Analysis is describing a work of art and looking for every detail in a work of art; this is to help us analyze the choices an artist has made to create art. When looking at a work of art we must focus our attention every element that is made out of. These elements consist of color, line, scale, composition, space, texture, material and historical context. The last characteristic has more to do with Contextual Analysis which is the outside research about a work of art and although the concept is important we mainly focused on Formal Analysis. This technique helps us, the viewer, to come up with a decent interpretation about a work of art and why it was made the way it was by the artist.

In class we also discussed Critical Pedagogy which is a concept created by Paolo Friere, a Brazilian educational theorist. Friere criticized the education system and the way students and teacher interacted. Friere was against the Banking Model which mainly represents the way that students learn; students brains are empty containers that are filled by the wise and knowledgeable teacher. In this kind of classroom the teacher is in charge and the student is to only sit in class not having opinions about that they are being taught. This prevent the students form making critical thinking about literature. In order to end that system, Friere came up with Critical Pedagogy which is the idea that students and teachers are equal when it comes to learning. The interaction of both teacher to student and student to teacher makes the classroom more balanced. In this way of teaching where the students have an opinion, the goal is to make the students do critical thinking about what they are being taught. In the greater good, critical pedagogy is to help students be more human and not machines when it comes to learning.

In class both of this concepts came together when we would have an opinion about a work of art that the professor put before our eyes. For example we were asked to pay attention to the elements the artist chose in The Standard of Ur. During this activity we discussed how the work of art was hallow, made out of different materials from around the world, and mainly had registers that created a story. In my cases I was able to think critically because my opinions about the work of art were backed up by physical evidence that I gathered using Formal Analysis. From now on I am more aware about what to look for when looking at art. Furthermore I am more conscious about formal analysis when I look at advertisements on the subway.

Unit 1: Art History Summary

      Throughout this unit we learned about what is the meaning of art, formal analysis, banking model, power and pedagogy. Why art is important? What is our ideas and opinion when we are talking about art? How did art influence in society? In my perspective, I think art is a way for people to express their emotional feelings. You may feel a connection with, being creative and having great imagination. Now, a formal analysis is when you look and describe a piece of an artwork. Trying to look into every detail that would help us analyze of a work of art. Therefore, we use the elements to describe the artwork. The color, line, space, mass, and scale are all made up the elements called the composition. The color is the first step where people take to look and identify the most because this is where it stands out. For example: if a painting that has all the ugly color it would definitely not going to look nice. We can also determine as a primary and secondary colors. Now, if it was all the bright pretty color, it obviously would look nice.

   The banking model is when we connected the ideas to pedagogy and power. The banking models help us establish about how the students limits the rights of being collaboratively and working together. Paulo Freire, who was a famous Brazilian educator who supports the idea of Pedagogy. He explained the wrong method of how the students are leaning. The banking model is describing as a negative way student being educated every day and has received many criticisms. Future more, he also talks about when the teachers directly fill the minds of the students with information and the students accept it without any questioning.

     Therefore, the students have no freedom in learning and do not gain any knowledge. Students usually memorize the information before taking an exam, but have not fully understood the concept of learning it. This is what we called a critical pedagogy which is idea that students and teachers are able to balance between the works among themselves. I do agree with this idea because it’s not fair to the students not able to socialize and without asking questions. This is not a way for the students to fully learn and understand the concept.

Unit : 1 Art History Summary

In this unit, we learned about topics such as banking model, power and pedagogy and formal analysis. We learned about the banking model and connected to pedagogy and power. The banking model is a concept introduced by Paulo Freire, who supports the idea that education should be a more collaboratively where students and teachers work together, instead of the teacher giving lectures and students just recording it. This empowers the teachers, provide them with authority, and disempower students as it limits them from challenging themselves, asking questions, and think creatively.  In this unit, we focused mainly on formal analysis, which is a way to understand an artwork by examining its use of artistic techniques and characteristics to define its meaning. We also looked at some artwork such as “Venus of Urbino” which we analyzed using the components on formal analysis. While examining this art, we looked at the elements such as the line, value (light and dark in a design), shapes, composition, scale, forms, space and mass, color, and texture. We also looked at other artworks including Manet, Olympia, and Yasumasa Morimura, portrait (futago) and compared them using formal analysis method.

 

Art History Summary Unit 1

During this unit we learned about formal analysis, banking model, power and pedagogy. During this unit formal analysis was majority of what this unit emphasized on.  Formal Analysis is when you visually describe the element in a work of art. When writing a formal analysis for a piece of work it is best to decipher the piece of art. Having background information such as the time of place the piece was made in can a give a historical insight. While analyzing the painting try to ask yourself who is the center of the piece? Is the artist trying to focus on one person/object or is it a bunch of things that the artist wants you to focus on? This is called the CENTRAL FOCUS. Although you may not have answers asking a bunch of questions that will help you understand the piece of art and will help your imagination run wild. Evaluate the art work. What is this art work? While analyzing the work of art always keep in mind to SHOW not tell. Show the class where exactly are there soft lines or where in the art there are structured lines. By doing this your formal analysis will consist of depth.We learned throughout the unit in order to understand truly what’s occurring in the piece of work we first have to find out what is the central focus of the art work. Once that is figured out we then look at formal properties. Formal properties consist of contrast, size/scale, composition (is it chalk work? oil painting? water colors?) position, material, and illusionism (how “realistic” (mimesis) does an art work look, line, and color). The second part of a formal analysis is finding the answers to the questions you have asked earlier. Where does this take place? Who was the painting made for? Was it a commissioned painting?  What is the message of the painting? Answering and including all of this in your formal analysis will help you understand the elements of the art work and how the art work came to be. Understanding formal analysis helped us analyze the art piece  “Venus of Urbino.” The Venus of Urbino is an oil painting by the Italian painter Titian this piece consisted of saturated tones.  In class we discussed how the female’s body had soft lines and how the dog and the female’s body consisted of the same tones.  While in the background of the painting there are straight columns, which contrasts with the soft lines. When we continued to the next topic in the unit we learned that the banking model is the form of teaching where teachers have minimal communication with students when teaching a lesson.  Instead of communicating, teachers would often lecture and “deposit” information into the student’s head. This would happen through memorizing, repeating, and reciting.  Freire explained that this method of teaching is flawed because students are not taught how to process information which, leads them to not fully understand what they are learning. This empowers the teacher and disempowers the student.  Each student learns in a different and unique way which The Banking Model eradicates. Students who are not able to process what the teacher taught using The Banking Model were often lost and left behind in the education system because of the authority the teacher held over the student. To me this personally is the worst type of teaching. Being a visual learner it is very hard to grasp information when its all in a lecture form.

 

Formal Analysis

Formal Analysis is interpreting what the artist is trying to say visually  through the color, scale, lines, space and mass. It’s an explanation of visual structure, in which certain visual elements have been arranged and the function within a composition.

 Color has three main characteristics. The hue colors such as red, green, blue, etc. The value, in terms of  how light or dark it is.  And the intensity, how bright or dull it is. Colors can be described as warm colors which are red, yellow or cool (blue, gray), depending on which end of the color spectrum they fall.

Shape and form define objects in space. Shapes have two dimensions, height and width are usually defined by lines. Forms exist in three dimensions, with height, width, and depth. The scale of the piece can also be important as the size of the piece can emphasize or deemphasize certain elements in the piece. These elements of art are components or parts of a work of art that can be isolated and defined. They are the building blocks used to create and analysis a work of art.