Assignment: (Read “How to identify and object for your writing assignment” under “Research and writing tips.”
For this writing assignment you will be researching one work of art in the African collection of the University of Iowa Museum of Art on display in the Richey Ballroom in the Iowa Memorial Union. The objects you will write about can be found on the Art and Life in Africa website (http://africa.uima.uiowa.edu). Your task will be to write a formal analysis of the work of art and to thoroughly research it using books and articles found ONLINE. After consulting many sources you should be able to discuss carefully the object and the people who made it (see the list of questions to answer below).
Format:
● Title page: including the title of your paper, course number, Professor’s name, your name, and the date of submission.
● An essay no less than three pages, not including title page, endnotes, illustrations, and bibliography.
● Double spaced in 12 pt Times New Roman font
● 1-inch margins
● Numbered pages: bottom center
● Cited sources / endnotes using URL of your source. Use for all quotations and whenever
you paraphrase someone’s ideas or reference obscure facts. Unless you have completed research in Africa, the majority of your information will come from published sources that must be cited. Plagiarism is a serious form of academic fraud and appropriate steps will be taken with students who engage in this misconduct. Plagiarism detection software is used for materials submitted in this course.
● Illustrations: caption must include the name of the object, the name of the person or people that made it, country of origin, date if known, materials, where the object is located (University of Iowa Museum of Art), and which collection it belongs to (Stanley Collection, for example).
● Bibliography: use the online URL, but add author’s name, date of publication, journal name.
Formal Analysis:
Formal analysis is an important part of your paper. It is essential to show that you have carefully observed your object, and a thorough description and analysis will help you reach a better understanding of the work of art. This section of your paper should be one page in length. The questions listed below are intended to help you with this aspect of your paper. It is not a checklist of questions that must be answered in your analysis. Some will be pertinent to your topic; some will not. Part of the assignment is for you to figure out which are the most important. It is helpful, however, to begin by identifying the object and discussing the choice of materials. Then, analyze the work’s composition before you proceed with your discussion of other formal elements (volume, light, etc.).
Also, try to think in terms of cause and effect. For example, “the sculpture reflects light and captures shadow, causing the bright figures to stand out boldly against the dark
background. This sharp contrast between light and dark imparts high drama to the object’s appearance.”
A. Type of object: Are you looking at a tool, figure sculpture, article of clothing, painting, mask, or stool? If you are considering sculpture, is it low or high relief, a free-standing figure, a group of figures, a combination of the above?
B. Methods and Materials: How was the artwork created? Was it woven on a loom? Was it carved out of wood or stone (subtractive method)? Is it an object modeled from clay or wax, then cast in bronze (additive methods)? Were a variety of materials used? How does the method of creation affect the shape, scale, or design of the work? How does the choice of material affect the significance of the artwork?
C. Composition: Is the arrangement of forms symmetrical or asymmetrical? Is the basic form open or closed: does it have a simple, contained silhouette, or do parts thrust out in various directions? If the object is composed of a number of different figures or forms, how are these arranged in relation to each other?
D. Volume and Space: What forms are basic to the work? Are they geometric, such as cones, cubes, or pyramids, or irregular forms? Are they jagged or smooth? How are they organized? How do form and space interact? Does it create the illusion of space? Is it meant to be seen from one or multiple vantage points? How does the intended vantage point control the viewer’s understanding of the artwork?
E. Light, Surface, Texture, and Color: How does light affect the work? Are the forms and surfaces arranged so that a particular effect of light and shade will be attained? Is the surface polished or rough? How does this affect the play of light and the expressive qualities of the work? How are colors used in the artwork and what effect do they have?
F. Movement: Do the above factors add a sense of movement or stillness? Function and Context:
● How is the object used? How do formal attributes affect function?
● What is the context for the object? For example, is it used in initiation, war, royal
ceremony, or funerals? Does it address colonial encounters? All of the above? If so how?
Each paper should address the following questions:
What is it?
Who made it?
Where was it made?
When was it made?
Why was it made? (How was it used?)
What does it mean to the people who created it? What does it tell us about the people who made it?
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