Field Trip #2 Reaction

Field Trip #2: The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

Topic: “Design in Our Lives”

DUE: 10/14

Whether or not we consciously consider it, art infiltrates our lives on a daily basis. Design influences everything around us from the products we use, to the clothes we wear, to the food we eat, to the spaces we inhabit. The Museum of Modern Art has a special interest in the field of design. They have an entire floor of their museum and a stand-alone design store to prove it!

For our second field trip, we will go to the exhibit “Talk to Me” on the third floor of the MoMA. This exhibit features an eclectic sampling of contemporary artists and designers who blur the lines between the two fields. Some of the objects are made for real world utility (like the MTA card vending machine in the gallery…which actually works!), and some of the objects are…well…less practical (you must see the artificial “Menstruation Machine” to believe it). The study of functionality in design is called Ergonomics. It may help to research this topic before writing your response.

For your paper, you must write about four different works from this exhibit. Two of the works must have “high functionality” and two works must have “low functionality.” Since there is no such thing as “perfect design,” your opinion about an object’s functionality will be somewhat subjective. In your writing, compare and contrast the varying degrees of utility that you assign to your objects. How do you define these categories? What do your “high functionality” objects have in common? What makes the “high functionality” objects so user-friendly? What do your “low functionality” objects have in common? How could you alter these objects to make them more ergonomic? Also, consider whether an object needs to be highly functional to be good design. Are art and design always two separate ideas? If not, where do they meet?

Your writing needs to be 250 words. Post the writing on your Blogger page under the title, “Design in Our Lives Reaction”, and label the post “Field Trip 2”.

At the end of your post, cite the four artworks that you choose in the following format. This information is generally available on the wall near the artwork:

Artist’s Full Name (this may be the name of a design firm or a collective)

“Title of Work” (write this in quotations)*

Year Completed

*When referencing the work in the body of your writing, also be sure to write the titles in quotations.

Project #2: Culinary Design Blog

Due: 10-14

To prepare for our next lecture on the Design Principles, you will take-on the role of culinary designers! Whether you consider yourself a true foodie, or your meals are just a means to survival, food is a topic that is central to our daily lives. There is a long history of fine artists who have worked with the subject of food in their own work. Review my Food Art blog on our course site to whet your appetites.

For this project you will use Blogger to contribute to a community recipe book. You have been made an author on the site http://art-food-yum.blogspot.com/ . This means that you have permission to post directly to the site.

To begin, pick a recipe that you feel defines your culinary life. This may be a family recipe that has been passed down through the generations, it may be a selection from your favorite cookbook, or it may be a recipe that you invented yourself. Write a paragraph describing the recipe & how it relates to you. You may discuss the occasions that you have used this recipe (holidays, entertaining guests, Monday’s lunch, etc…), as well as potential food or beverage pairings that you would suggest. If you have chosen a recipe from a cookbook, you must still come up with your own description…do not copy one from the book. Along with the descriptive paragraph, you will also include an ingredients list and cooking instructions. These need to be clear, concise and easy to follow.

The next step is to prepare and document your recipe. What fun is a recipe if it doesn’t get made? This is when you will need your digital camera handy. As you prepare the dish, I want you to take a series of 4-5 photographs. The first 3-4 should document the cooking process (what you consider crucial moments in the recipe), and the final image should be a documentation of the finished dish. You can either take the photos yourself, as you cook, or you may ask someone else to help. Try to make an appealing presentation for your final image. As the designer, you don’t want to just document the dish…you want to make it look good! Things to consider: Where is the best light in your home for the image? Should you present it on certain dishware or with certain place settings? Should you use any garnish or table props?

If you do not have access to a good quality digital camera, you may take your images with a film camera, and have the photo-lab make you a digital image cd. You may also scan your printed photos on campus using a scanner in the library or in the B-333 lab. As with the written description, your images must be original.

Finally, name your blog with the name of your recipe, and add the label “food art 1105” along with any other labels that relate to your post.

Layout Order: First, your written statement, next, the ingredients list and cooking instructions, then the 4-5 images. When you upload your images, set the image size to “medium.”

Materials:

-camera (digital or otherwise)

-favorite recipes

-food for cooking

-access to our Blogger site, http://art-food-yum.blogspot.com

Field Trip #1 Reaction

Hi guys, here are the guidelines from Blackboard for your first Field Trip Reaction. This is due next class, 9/28:

This past weekend was a very meaningful event for Americans and especially for New Yorkers. The tenth anniversary of September 11^th 2001 marked a milestone for the citizens of this country, and has set a trajectory to begin the healing process. One common misconception about the contemporary art world is that artists are somehow removed from the events of our everyday lives. This could not be further from the truth. Artists live in the same world as everyone else, and their work is always a response to the environment in which they live. For our first class field trip, we will go to two different shows in Long Island City which deal with the events of September 11^th and the world that those events have created. The first show is on campus and the second show is at MoMA PS1. While you are at these exhibits, you will be expected to take notes. Especially, take care to write down the name, title and date information for works that interest you. This will be an important part of your writing reaction.

For your reaction, you need to write a one-page essay (250 words). I will ask you to begin with your personal perspective. How have the events of September 11^th affected your life? How have they changed the world in which you live? What elements of this change have been positive? What elements have been negative?

Next, you will select three works of art that you have encountered at either show. At least two works need to come from the show at PS1. Trust your instincts and pick work that immediately jumps out at you. What do these works of art share with your own perspective? How do they differ from your perspective? Some of the works were made before the events of September 11^th, so keep your eye on the dates listed for the work that you choose. Does your knowledge of the date that the work was made change your understanding of the work?

The format for the reaction should be as follows: an introduction paragraph about your personal experience, three body paragraphs (one for each artwork you choose), and a short conclusion (this should sum up your ideas, or discuss how your ideas may have changed over the course of the writing). Post the writing on your Blogger page under the title, “Art and World Events Reaction”, and label the post as “Field Trip 1”.

At the end of your post, cite the three artworks that you choose in the following format. This information is generally available on the wall near the artwork:

Artist’s Full Name

“Title of Work” (write this in quotations)*

Year Completed

*When referencing the work in the body of your writing, also be sure to write the titles in quotations.

Post #1: Good Art/Bad Art

For your first blog post, you will consider the topic of Good Art vs. Bad Art. To begin, watch the video below.

One of the greatest qualities of art is that everybody is entitled to their own opinion. We are all individuals who come from unique backgrounds and experiences. So, why should we agree on what makes one thing “good” and another thing “bad”? For this prompt, tell us your opinion about what makes good art good and bad art bad. There are no right or wrong opinions. All that I require is that you present a thoughtful analysis of why you appreciate a certain type of art and not another.

The writing should be at least two paragraphs in length. One paragraph devoted to good art, one paragraph devoted to bad art. After your writing, upload two works of art that best describe your two viewpoints. Google Images is a great search engine for finding work: http://images.google.com

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a searchable image database: http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/

And so does the Museum of Modern Art: http://moma.org/explore/collection/index

If you still have a hard time finding examples to talk about, feel free to use works of art that I discuss in the lecture videos (just be sure to describe them in your own words!). To upload your images, follow the instructions in the “Adding Images and Links to Your Blog Posts” document.

Before you publish your post, title it "Good Art Bad Art" and write “good art bad art” into the Labels field.

Welcome!

Hello, and welcome to the class blog site for Intro to Art, HUA101.1105! You will each create and maintain your own Blogger sites, but you will link them to this class site in order to share your work with me and your classmates. I look forward to seeing your work this semester!
-Prof. Richter