debate over what constitutes art

You will consider the debate over what constitutes art, and choose one work of art to illustrate your arguments.

Instructions

Paris, Walter. In Monument Park. 1874. Watercolor and pencil on paper. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C.

When you see a painting, sculpture, or other work of art, how do you react? If you feel an immediate personal connection, and you like it, is it art? What other personal criteria must it meet? In this discussion, we will explore our own personal definitions of what “art is” and what “art is not.”

Using the Art Research Guide, image source web links, or by going directly to the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Collections Database Search Page, find one example of a work of art you like and one example of a work that you do not believe should be considered art at all. Save images of the works on your computer, then write a response to the following question:

What Is Art? Consider the criteria, qualities, and properties a work must meet, in your opinion, to be considered art. Include five requirements the work must meet to be considered “real” art. Also, in your post, embed a downsized image of your chosen “work of art” with a caption that identifies the artist, the title of the work, the medium used, and the date it was completed. For proper citation purposes, identify the museum or other collection you found the work in. Explain why this work fits your personal definition of art.

After posting your initial response, read your peers’ posts and respond to at least TWO of them. Do you agree or disagree with the other students? Choose one student and compare your lists of criteria. Explain why you agree or disagree with their criteria and choice by referring directly to the work’s characteristics and how it does or does not fit your personal criteria. Also, defend your position against those who disagree with your choice and explain why you believe their choices have not fulfilled the correct definition of a work of art for you.

Requirements

To receive full credit students must do the following:

· Write 1 substantive original response* to all parts of the question before the initial posting deadline.** * Responses should be a minimum of 200 words.  ** See the course schedule for due dates.

· Include an image that refers to your post, properly cited references and resources in MLA format.

· Photographic references should be labeled to include artist name, title, date, and media (when available).

· Downsize all images to 500 px or less before embedding them into your post.

· Refer to the Discussion Rubric for more specifics on how the content of your posts will be evaluated to determine your discussion grade.