what art is and the underlying assumptions of beauty

This week���s assignment builds on last week���s questions. Last week, we explored the questions ���what is art?��� and ���what is beauty?��� This week we will continue exploring these questions by adding a third: ���what is the status and function of art in society today?���
Objective:

This week���s assignment focuses on helping you achieve Learning Outcome 1:

Explain what art is and the underlying assumptions of beauty���� and aesthetic���� judgments that are made when defining what art is.

Other Learning Outcomes that this assignment works toward include:

5) Explain the role of art as a communication medium and as a reflection of a society.

7) Explain and discuss the relevance of art to everyday life and to society in general.

Assignment background and instructions:

What is the status and function of art in society today? This assignment explores different answers to the question as posed by different artists from diverse backgrounds living and working today. For this assignment, you will

Read the articles, webpages, and radio interview representing a broad spectrum of ideas about art and beauty (see below).

As you read, think about how each author defines art and/or beauty, its purpose, and its role in society today.

Return to your post in last week���s forum. Review any teacher or peer feedback.

In a new post directly below the last comment on your original post, compose a two-paragraph essay building on and refining the ideas you���ve already developed. Answer the following questions:

What statements about their art do each of the three artists studied this week make? Be sure to summarize the key theses of each of the three artists in your response.

Choosing one artist whose work we���ve explored either this week or in the first week, explain which philosophical notion(s) of beauty outlined in the article from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy you think this artist���s statements best approximate. Be as specific as possible and explain using concrete examples and direct quotes from the readings. Does the artist���s definitions of art and beauty deviate from those of your chosen philosopher? Be sure to consider teacher and peer feedback to your previous post in composing your response.

Optional: Introduce the course to a contemporary artist whose work you find fits your personal definition of art and/or beauty.

Tip 1: Some artists might not directly answer the questions we are asking here, but rather offer answers that are implied. Read and listen carefully to their ideas about art, what it does, how it���s made, and what it means to them and their viewers, and you will have a good idea of how they might answer some of the questions outlined above.

Tip 2: Please review ALL of the material and feel free to explore the additional links to background information. Some names or concepts may be unfamiliar to you, but that is OK. The point of this assignment is to understand different perspectives on art and compare these perspective to one another and to your own ideas about art.

Tip 3: Be sure to answer ALL parts of the question thoroughly.

Grading rubric:

5 points=Essay answers all parts of the question thoroughly and exhibits close and critical engagement with assigned readings by calling on concrete details to illustrate the essay���s thesis.

4 points= Essay answers most parts of the question thoroughly and shows a detailed engagement with key concepts from assigned texts.

3 point= Essay answers some of the questions and exhibits a general engagement with topics addressed in some of the texts.

2 points= Essay is incomplete or shows little attention to concepts addressed in required readings.

0-1 points= Essay does not address questions or is plagiarized (0).

Required readings and videos:

���Across the Spectrum of Taste: In Conversation with Chris Oh��� http://www.artinamericamagazine.com/news-features/interviews/across-the-spectrum-of-taste-in-conversation-with-chris-oh/ . See also the artist���s website: http://www.chrisoh.com/

��� Mi Tierra: Lauren Etchells interviews Susa Cortez about her new installation in the Frank-Ratchye Project Space��� https://rootdivisiontalk.wordpress.com/2017/01/20/mi-tiera-lauren-etchells-interviews-susa-cortez-about-her-new-installation-in-the-frank-ratchye-project-space/ Seealso the artist���s website http://susacor5.wixsite.com/susanacortez/about1-c1orc

���Sculptor Turns Rain, Ice And Trees Into ‘Ephemeral Works’��� http://www.npr.org/2015/10/08/446731282/sculptor-turns-rain-ice-and-trees-into-ephemeral-works Transcript of radio interview available here: http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=446731282

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