Embedded Files
What is included in the IA?
What is included in the IA?
SL
• A curatorial rationale that does not exceed 400 words.
• 4–7 artworks (individual photos)
• Exhibition texts (stating the title, medium, and size of the artwork as well as an outline of intentions and/or reference to sources of inspiration) for each exhibited artwork.
• 2 exhibition photographs: only the selected artworks submitted for assessment should appear in the exhibition photographs.
HL
• A curatorial rationale that does not exceed 700 words.
• 8-11 artworks (individual photos)
• Exhibition texts (stating the title, medium, and size of the artwork as well as an outline of intentions and/or reference to sources of inspiration) for each exhibited artwork.
• 2 exhibition photographs: only the selected artworks submitted for assessment should appear in the exhibition photographs.
The exhibition photographs provide an understanding of the context of the exhibition and the size and scope of the works. While the photographs will not be used to assess individual artworks, they may give the moderator insight into how a student has considered the overall experience of the viewer in their exhibition.
You should show clear and uninterrupted views of your exhibition, without inclusion of any people including yourself, giving the moderator the opportunity to get an idea of the whole display, including scale, arrangement, presentation, color and impact. The two photos should not include the work of other candidates.
Whatever the chosen means of capturing each individual artwork, students are permitted to submit up to two additional individual photographs in support of each submitted artwork. These additional supporting photographs or screenshots are intended to enable students to provide an enhanced sense of scale or specific detail to the submitted artwork. Ensure that each photo best represents the technique and composition. Make sure that nothing else is in the photo other than your artwork.
These additional photographs are optional. This option should be used only when candidates find that one image is insufficient and more photographs are needed to document a single artwork. In the majority of cases this should not be necessary. Photographs of 2D objects should be taken prior to any mounting or framing (to avoid glare or problems with seeing the work clearly).
A two-dimensional artwork, for example, might be best captured through a still photograph, while a three-dimensional artwork might be best captured through a short video recording.
Lens-based, electronic or screen-based artwork such as animation, however, might call for more unusual file types. Please note that time-based submissions such as these are limited to a maximum duration of five minutes.
How is my IA marked?
How is my IA marked?
How do I write an exhibition text?
How do I write an exhibition text?
How do I write a curatorial rationale?
How do I write a curatorial rationale?
FINISHING YOUR CURATORIAL RATIONALE
A well-written curatorial rationale is your chance to guide the way your audience perceives your exhibition. It represents an opportunity to communicate directly with viewers, and helps them recognize your intent, purpose, understand your point of view, generate intrigue and curiosity about the body of work they are about to experience.
If you haven't already, read the rubric above. There are three main things the IB is looking for in your IA curatorial rationale:
An explanation of what makes this body of work cohesive. What concepts, issues or ideas have been explored? Is this work social, personal or physical (function) or a combination? What experiences contributed to the making of the work? Why did you personally make this work (your purpose)? Which artists influenced you (be specific of about how) and what materials and techniques you used and how these media relate to your ideas.
An explanation of your selection of work for the exhibition. This implies that you should ONLY exhibit your strongest work. By saying what you have selected, you should say specifically why you have chosen to take specific pieces out. Your overall mark is only as high as the lowest piece for each criterion, so be selective about which pieces will be included in the exhibition. It will work in your favor to include fewer, more complete pieces that show your conceptual depth and technical competency than to include more artworks.
* 2021 and 2022 - SL students must include 4-6 and HL 7-10 artworks.
An explanation and justification for the arrangement of the pieces in the space made available to you for your exhibition. Explain the space to start and then explain why you placed the works in a particular order, configuration and style. If there is a particular work that was especially instrumental in the way you perceived your exhibition, it might be interesting to describe that work in greater depth to draw the audience into your thought process. Is there a piece that helps the audience make sense of the others? Is this a narrative, chronological, sub-themed or stylistically organized exhibition?
HL students, go a step further and explain your considerations about the flow of the audience, lighting, artwork height, proximity, and placement of exhibition texts and rationale? What is the relationship you intend to create with your audience and what curatorial decisions have you made to contribute to that specific response? Did you do anything special behind the artwork or to set the tone of the viewing space?
TIPS
TIPS
2 Rationales
2 Rationales
Consider the style of the statement. There are two audiences for your exhibition: your school community and the IB. You want to avoid using the kind of art-world jargon that might alienate a general audience but still be specific enough when articulating your vision to engage the teacher and moderator. If there is a specific art term that is central to the main idea of your exhibition, be sure to define it within your statement. You can have two statements; one for the exhibition and one for the IA submission. Perhaps your exhibition statement can exclude the contents of your third paragraph.
Consider the style of the statement. There are two audiences for your exhibition: your school community and the IB. You want to avoid using the kind of art-world jargon that might alienate a general audience but still be specific enough when articulating your vision to engage the teacher and moderator. If there is a specific art term that is central to the main idea of your exhibition, be sure to define it within your statement. You can have two statements; one for the exhibition and one for the IA submission. Perhaps your exhibition statement can exclude the contents of your third paragraph.
* Less is more. While the word limits for SL ad HL are 400 and 700 words respectively, most curatorial statements written for exhibitions in galleries are between 300 and 500 words.
* Less is more. While the word limits for SL ad HL are 400 and 700 words respectively, most curatorial statements written for exhibitions in galleries are between 300 and 500 words.
Tone
Tone
Your rationale should be written in an informative and persuasive tone, but because you are writing about your own work, personal pronouns (I, my and so on) are appropriate.
Your rationale should be written in an informative and persuasive tone, but because you are writing about your own work, personal pronouns (I, my and so on) are appropriate.
Also, in terms of tense, I recommend writing in the present tense throughout the statement.
Also, in terms of tense, I recommend writing in the present tense throughout the statement.
Honesty
Honesty
Be realistic, frank and honest about your work. Statements that do not reflect the work that is presented cannot score highly against the marking criteria.
Be realistic, frank and honest about your work. Statements that do not reflect the work that is presented cannot score highly against the marking criteria.
Example Curatorial Rationales
Example Curatorial Rationales
Visual Arts May 2020 - subject reports.pdfIA subject report 2020
IA subject report 2020
The subject report is a great resource to learn what the head examiners have noted about the most recent visual arts submissions, worldwide. This subject report includes all 3 components of the course: Internal assessment, comparative study and process portfolio.
Exhibition text takeaways from page 4:
Exhibition text takeaways from page 4:
Exhibition photograph takeaways page 4:
Exhibition photograph takeaways page 4:
Visiting the IB exhibition as a junior
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