Investigation

Artist Tommy Kane

Memory in art

1. What is visual memory?

2. In what way do the artists or artworks (below) express a memory? Does the memory express truth?

3. What types of historical memory do you encounter during your normal daily routine in Buenos Aires?

Artists

Shimon Attie
Luba Artists in the DRC
Jacob Lawrence
Illustration from the Shanama (Ferdowsi)
Native American drawings from Fort Marian
Madrid Codex (historic books)
Bayeux Tapestry
Peter Paul Rubans (Medici series)
Diego Valezquez (Surrender of Breda)

Investigation task - Art 1 memory

Words to use to compare and contrast

COMPARE: same, similar, similarly, in the same way, the same as, both, like, in common, as well, also

CONTRAST: differ, different, difference, however, but, although, even though, while, on the other hand

Investigation task

Through this investigation, the goal is to better understand how artists create meaning in their work. By looking for similarities and difference between artworks, you will refine your understanding of how artists communicate the concept of memory and how memory changes over time through their formal choices, imagery selection and use of media.

Start by selecting two artworks by different artists (working with any media) who are making artwork about the theme of memory. Pick artists that are creating memory artworks with the same type of memory, similar intention, or similar voice (humorous, shocking, fading etc) as you plan to communicate about your memory.

Using the brain frame format, compare and contrast their work, looking closely at the world of the artist, the meaning, the formal qualities and your judgement.

Task Example

Memory Investigation C block

C Block

Memory Investigation E block

E Block

Free digital options for creating your brain frame

https://www.ayoa.com/homepage-full/

https://miro.com/

Lucidchart.com

https://www.mindmup.com/

https://coggle.it/

Footnotes

This investigation task requires you to use footnotes. Let's review how to use footnotes.

Chicago style footnotes example

The artist that I have chosen to investigate is named Susan Rothenberg. Through her large acrylic paintings featuring emblematic, life-sized images of horses, largely monochromatic, she established her reputation in the New York art world in the early 1970s (1). Her artwork often refers to her memories. "Rothenberg's horse in Untitled, is a fragile image, perhaps alluding to a memory or the idea of a horse (wild and free but also tamable for human need) rather than a specific creature or narrative" (2).

Using REFME, I selected Chicago style and followed the prompts to get these citations for my bibliography. My bibliography will look like this:

(1) Booker, Margaret (2018). "Rothenberg, Susan". Grove Art Online.

(2) Rothenberg, Susan. 2020. "Susan Rothenberg Paintings, Bio, Ideas". The Art Story. https://www.theartstory.org/artist/rothenberg-susan/.