{"id":428623,"date":"2018-10-06T03:21:32","date_gmt":"2018-10-06T03:21:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/acemystudy.com\/museum-visit-journal\/"},"modified":"2018-10-24T08:45:43","modified_gmt":"2018-10-24T08:45:43","slug":"museum-visit-journal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.benedictsol.com\/blogs\/museum-visit-journal\/","title":{"rendered":"Museum Visit Journal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Museum Visit Journal <\/strong><\/p>\n

This is your chance to write a short paper (3-4 pages or 750-1,000 words) on a visit<\/p>\n

to a museum of your choice. Once you are there, you will choose one art object to be the<\/p>\n

focus of your journal entry. Your object can be from any cultural period, not just one that<\/p>\n

we are discussing in class.<\/p>\n

Take these instructions and your \u201cHow do we talk about art?\u201d handout with you on<\/p>\n

your visit. Use these questions in any order when looking at the collection. If you\u2019re able to<\/p>\n

write a few notes near each question or record your thoughts on a device while you\u2019re at<\/p>\n

the museum, you\u2019ll have the beginnings of your journal entry ready to work on at home.<\/p>\n

Your journal will be graded on the quality of your \u201cclose looking,\u201d on what you see<\/p>\n

at the museum, and how you contextualize your object though your own observations.<\/p>\n

1) Your Museum Experience<\/p>\n

\uf0b7 Start observing closely from the moment you see the museum as you walk up to it<\/p>\n

from the street. How does the museum or gallery building relate to its surroundings?<\/p>\n

Is it similar, different, larger or smaller than the urban fabric around it? How is the<\/p>\n

exterior marked or decorated?<\/p>\n

\uf0b7 What is the entrance lobby to the museum like? How does it shape the beginning of<\/p>\n

your visit? Who else is there? What is the general atmosphere?<\/p>\n

\uf0b7 After walking through several galleries, can you tell how the art is organized? How are<\/p>\n

the 3D and 2D art works displayed? Are objects grouped by date, theme or artist?<\/p>\n

\uf0b7 How would you describe the environment? Think about wall color, lighting, interior<\/p>\n

arrangement and circulation flow.<\/p>\n

2) First Impressions: After exploring the exhibits, find an object that attracts you in<\/p>\n

some way.<\/p>\n

\uf0b7 What do you see? This is an important question to ask yourself before you read the<\/p>\n

object label. Your first impressions might change once you have read about the work,<\/p>\n

and the connections or changes you make between your initial impressions and later<\/p>\n

conclusions can form an interesting part of your journal entry.<\/p>\n

3) Form: After selecting an artwork, consider how the elements and principles of<\/p>\n

design were used by the artist.<\/p>\n

\uf0b7 What design decisions did the artist make to create this work? For instance, how big is<\/p>\n

the work? How does the size affect your reaction to the work?<\/p>\n

\uf0b7 What do you think is the material of the work? What are the textures and the quality<\/p>\n

of the surface of the work? Use adjectives in your analysis, such as shiny or dull, hard<\/p>\n

or flexible, rough or smooth.<\/p>\n

\uf0b7 How does the artist use line, color, light and shadow? What about the composition? Is<\/p>\n

it balanced, asymmetrical, unified or dynamic?<\/p>\n

4) Context of the Art Work<\/p>\n

\uf0b7 Hopefully your object has a label. Look for the artist\u2019s name, the materials used in<\/p>\n

creating the work, and when and where the piece was made.<\/p>\n

\uf0b7 Identify the subject matter, as best you can. Describe all of the components depicted.<\/p>\n

Is this artwork expressing an idea or telling a story? If so, what is it?<\/p>\n

\uf0b7 Is the subject, as best as you can discern, based on an idea, concept or emotion? Do<\/p>\n

you think that this art object has religious or political meaning, either to the artist or<\/p>\n

to the audience?<\/p>\n

\uf0b7 What do you think the artist was trying to say about his or her subject?<\/p>\n

\uf0b7 Is this work popular? Do other people stop and look at it? What are some of the<\/p>\n

reactions you overhear?<\/p>\n

5) Context of the Art Work in the Gallery<\/p>\n

\uf0b7 Look again at where this work is exhibited. Note what other works are near it and<\/p>\n

decide if your chosen work relates to its surroundings. Why do you think the curator<\/p>\n

placed the object where it is?<\/p>\n

\uf0b7 Does this gallery have a theme? A unifying idea or rationale for the group of artworks<\/p>\n

displayed?<\/p>\n

\uf0b7 Because you have looked closely at your art work, do other objects in the gallery now<\/p>\n

seem more appealing or interesting? Is there any connection between the them?<\/p>\n

\uf0b7 Can you discern groupings of artworks in the exhibit space?<\/p>\n

Writing the Paper<\/p>\n

Take your notes, assimilate them, and then write about your experience in a strong and<\/p>\n

clear voice.<\/p>\n

Your journal entry should include 1) an image of your object, 2) an image of the exterior of<\/p>\n

the museum, preferably a selfie, and 3) your 700-to-1000-word paper that is saved in a 12-<\/p>\n

point font and double-spaced.<\/p>\n