Qualities of successful bodies of work

Warm up activity

Why might we call the HSC practical submission in Visual Arts a body of work and not a major work?

Discuss and share ideas on a whiteboard, virtual whiteboard or in a shared online document before accessing the drop-down arrow for more information.

The NSW Visual Arts Stage 6 Syllabus states: 'Through the production of an individual work or series of works during the HSC course, students can demonstrate their application of knowledge, understanding and critical judgement acquired through experience. Works produced over time provide the possibility for students to establish their intentions as artists and to develop courses of action for their own practice.' It goes on to state that 'the selection of work for a body of work is made on the basis of the student’s demonstration of an understanding of artmaking practice. Work is selected to represent a coherent point of view and to indicate the student’s intentions as an artist. This selection should also provide evidence of the conceptual strength and meaning that exists between and within the works included in the body of work.' (pp. 31-32)

Consider some key ideas:

The body of work is about demonstrating what students know and can do in the practice of artmaking.
Artwork/s are created over the duration of the Year 12 course.
Over time, the kind of work that students usually submit has evolved to reflect contemporary trends and practice.
The selection of works for submission allows students to demonstrate critical judgement.
Works are curated to reflect a coherent point of view and communicate to audiences the student’s intentions, conceptual strength and meaning, and technical resolution.
The inclusion of more than one work can allow for meaning to be extended within and between works.
An individual work can be submitted but should show sustained investigation into materials and ideas.

Furthermore - think of a professional artist who is working over an extended period towards an exhibition. Artists often create several works developing their ideas, exploring layers of meaning and extending their understanding of techniques and materials over time. They will then exhibit several works in an exhibition to showcase their practice. The definition of 'body of work' refers to an artist's entire output over time (or a significant part of it) whereas a 'major work' is one important piece of work.

The examination question and marking guidelines

NESA states that marking guidelines are developed in the context of relevant syllabus outcomes and content. Marks are awarded by demonstrating achievement of the syllabus outcomes, reflecting the knowledge and skills demanded by the set question.

Teachers might also look at the more general information and advice from NESA concerning Principles for developing marking guidelines.

The HSC examination in Visual arts consists of a written examination in art criticism and art history and the submission of a body of work. Both are worth 50 marks.

2019 Examination

Task

Artmarking – Body of Work (50 marks)

'Students will submit a Body of Work as a compulsory part of the examination. In this Body of Work they should demonstrate their understanding of artmaking as a practice and represent their ideas and interests through their interpretation of subject matter and use of expressive forms. They should consider their own resolve in selecting works for examination with a view to representing a coherent point of view and in relation to the conceptual strength and meaning of works produced. The Body of Work must be conceived of, and executed, by the student under the supervision of the Visual Arts teacher.

The Body of Work must comply with the overall prescribed dimensions for HSC submitted artworks in Visual Arts Stage 6 in terms of overall limitations on size, weight, volume and duration as set out in Assessment and Reporting in Visual Arts Stage 6.'

(Accessed via NESA HSC Visual Arts Marking Guidelines)

Activity 1 - Key concepts

A) Work with a partner to create a summative list of the key words in the above HSC task. You might do this in a shared Google doc.

B) Highlight all words that relate to the conceptual focus of the body of work in yellow.

C) Highlight all words that relate to the materials and technical requirements of the body of work in pink.

Activity 2 - Limitations in size, weight, volume and duration.

NESA Visual arts body of work comparison of dimensions diagram

Read the general Assessment and Reporting Guidelines and examine the comparison of dimensions chart on the left.

Complete the Google form below to check your own understanding.

Discuss your responses with a peer and address any responses that were marked incorrect.

Comparison of Dimensions Diagram from NESA accessed on 06/05/2020. Copyright NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2003.

Activity 3 - Body of Work marking guidelines

You can have a detailed look at the NESA 2019 Visual Arts body of work marking guidelines . They are also pictured on the left.

Note that the assessment criteria include a focus on conceptual strength and meaning as well as material resolution.

Note for teachers

An option for this task is that students complete the activities in a synchronous manner on a google template that has already been set up with their names in a table. Students write only in the section of the table that has their name but can see each other's responses. Alternatively students can respond individually on documents that can be uploaded to a shared digital platform.

This is an image of the NESA HSC Visual Arts marking guidelines for the body of work accessed on 06/05/2020. Copyright NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2003.

A) In your own words, write an explanation of the two assessment criteria - conceptual strength and meaning and resolution. You must not use the following words in your explanation: concept, conceptual, strength, strong, meaning or resolution. Upon completion, share your responses with your class and discuss similarities and differences in your responses.

B) Carefully read at the NESA body of work marking guidelines pictured above. The marking guidelines for the body of work do not change.

Create a 2 x 4 table in an online document like the example below.
Then, compare the language used in the 41-50 band and the language used in the 31-40 band. Find two comments addressing the same criteria but worded slightly differently. You might highlight the differences.
Copy the different uses of language into your table in the boxes marked 'conceptual strength and meaning' and 'resolution/ material practice'. These boxes are blue in the example below.
Use a highlighter tool or choose coloured text to make clear the specific differences in language for each band.

Activity 4 - Discussing successful bodies of work

Now that you have a clear idea of the differences in the formal language used to assess works in the top two bands, use the collaborative learning strategy of 'think, pair, share' to consider the range of informal language that might used when investigating and discussing bodies of work.

Refer to the image below with a list of 16 words.

A) Contribute to a class collaborative glossary defining each of the 16 words below. You could use a shared Google Doc or any other online document to synchronously create a glossary quickly. If there are more than 16 students in the class some students might choose additional words from the NESA marking guidelines pictured above.

Think, pair, share routine

B) Think individually about the range of words in the image below and make a choice about which column you will put each word into on your table above.

Consider- Would these informal and non-official words work best when discussing works in the 41-50 band or the 31-40 band or not at all? Keep in mind that there is a big range in marks between 41-50 and 31-40.
Type the words in to the empty boxes on your table in the white area labelled 'other words' above. An option for this task would be to print this page and cut the words out and paste them into a hand drawn table.

C) When you have completed the table- share and discuss your ideas with a classmate. Why did you put some words in the 41-50 column and others in the 31-40 column? Are there any you wish to change now? Why?

D) Finally share your finished table with your class and discuss your choices. What are the qualities the class agree on for each column? Were there any words that caused debate? Why? Reflect on your learning with your teacher.

Activity 5 - Apply new understandings

Select an artwork from the ArtExpress exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW.
Look carefully at the work, read the title and student statement and check the expressive form.
Using several words from the 41-50 column of the table you have created in the task above. Imagine that you are a teacher writing a final report on this body of work. Sum up the student's practice by referring to both their conceptual and material practice and resolution. Write one paragraph.

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