Advanced Art - Photo

OVERVIEW OF THEME

SUMMARY

Each of the quarter themes offer a conceptual focus within which students of different media maintain a conversation about their goals and challenges. More specific project ideas will develop out of classroom discussion and personal investigation within each theme. Moreover, project ideas develop out of exploration of materials. Development of students' art and ideas are anchored in study of art history and contemporary artists.

Using the concept of representation in art, students explore works that create the illusion of reality but implies more than what is visually there, thus making a statement. Teaching emphasizes how to create 'realistic' works of art and using chosen media with expertise.

Central inquiry questions:

Why is building skill in ‘representing’ important?
What is the relationship between craftsmanship and impact of resulting work?
When we ‘represent in art,’ what function does that serve in the culture?
What are a variety of ways artists have made powerful representations?

ASSIGNMENTS:

All students will have 3 weeks to prepare a variety of works to address the concepts and questions taught with regard to making representational art. They will have to investigate various process and materials in order to make a mini-portfolio on this theme. The types of works and quantity will be arrived at through class discussion of the central issues in representational art-making.

PHOTO - WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO "REPRESENT" IN PHOTOGRAPHY, WHEN EVERY SHOT IS A SLICE OF THE REAL WORLD? For this unit, you must study a 'tradition' (portrait, landscape, still life, or 'street') and show what you understand about good photography in that tradition. What makes a good portrait? Landscape? Still Life? Answer with your studies, sketchbook, and final unit project.

Artists/Movements/Topics studied: Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, Edward Weston, Arturo Herrera, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Lee Freidlander, Shirin Nesat

Possible Project Types: Still Life, Figure/Portrait, Landscape & Nature, Veristic Surrealism

STUDIES, PRACTICE, LABS

STREET

Henri Cartier Bresson - The Decisive Moment

THE ORIGINAL STREET PHOTOGRAPHER

MAKE SKETCHBOOK SPREAD ABOUT BRESSON AFTER WATCHING VIDEO. PRINT PICTURES FROM ONLINE IF POSSIBLE AND SHOW ME WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED. WHAT IMPACTED YOU MOST ABOUT HIS WORK?