Write a 5-6 page essay addressing one of the works in the Liza Ryan exhibition currently on view at the Cooley Gallery in which you provide what could be considered a strong interpretation, one in which the question of your agency as viewer is raised and integrated into your analysis. With this in mind, try to base your interpretation of concrete visiual evidence from the work and any available contextual information you deem appropraite. Due at 5 pm on Friday, February 27; hard copies to Lisa's and Rob's offices and email PDF version to both professors (click here)
We will upload your papers to the course webpage (we will do the same for your final project). We then ask you to read 3 of your classmates' papers and consider how their approach to this assignment complements and contrasts from yours. We will discuss your findings in class on Monday, March 2.
This assignment involves a careful examination of contemporary work by Chinese visual artists on the city. Following the critical discussions in one or two of the texts we have read this semester, write a 4-6 page paper (12 font- double spaced) that examines how the artist is interacting with, representing and shaping urban space through visual media. Include visual descriptions of the piece as much as you see it necessary (include, as well, an image of the work itself).
Due Monday, April 20 by 5 pm; email PDF file to Lisa and Rob , and drop off one hard copy at Rob's and Lisa's offices; we will discuss the papers on April 27 (please read three of your colleagues papers, downloadable from the course website, in preparation for discussion on the final day of conference).
Late assignment policy: Late assignments will be accepted, but will be reduced two grades and will not receive any comments. The final date to submit an assignment is the last day of class.
Note: If you are not in conference the day papers are returned (please review attendance policy below), you will be able to pick them up in the mailboxes outside Rob's or Lisa's office (Lib 320, 321).
All students are expected to do the weekly readings and participate regularly and rigorously in the conference discussion. If you miss a conference, you will be responsible to turn in summaries of texts that were discussed on the day of your absence (these summaries will not be returned to you until the end of the semester). More than three unexcused absences will result in no credit for the course. Acceptable excuses are illness and serious emergencies.
500,000 images, mainly European and American
This survey book, on reserve, can be used in conjunction with this digital database to search for images dating from neolithic China through today.
Style guide, handy abbreviated guide to using the Chicago style
Chicago Style Guide (15th edition) expanded guide
Web sources on Imperial Chinese Visual Culture
Late Neolithic period (ca. 5000-2000 BCE) through Qing dynasty (1644-1911)
Web sources on China Art Now
Republican era (1912-1949), Maoist China (1949-1976), and China Now (1976-today)
Museums (digital databases of museum collections)
Remember that materials on the web must be evaluated as critically as any other texts we consider in this course. See the UCLA library guidelines on thinking critically about the web as a starting point.