Week 4

 The Essay form: Scholarly, Catalogue & Response essays


Types of essays:

- Argumentative essay (rhetorical mode, persuasion) - show that your position is stronger

- Thesis, antithesis, synthesis

- Exploration essay (theory, concepts, practice)

- Descriptive essay > Ekphrasis (written description, poetic of a work of art or design)

- Narrative essay - storytelling (idea of time, events and a temporal element)


Reviews - Descriptive & Critique (A textual description on non-linguistic text)


Exercise 1:

Find an old essay and highlight what is:



- Descriptive, narrative, argumentative, expository (research proposal)

I was unable to locate an essay of my own as I have come back after 3 years and there was no back up of my old high school essays so Arthi was happy for me to use hers!

What trend do I see?

Overall there was a descriptive and expository trend throughout the essay. There are links to a narrative when talking about the meaning of the temples/details within them.

The only argumentative point I can uncover is that of what the atmosphere of the temple is/should be.


Catalogue Essays

> Interpretive focus on expanding

It consists of:

> Context - biography/background

                - contemporary alliances & shared concerns

                - contemporary practice landscape

> Personal perspective

> Theory - as a way of expanding interpretation/understand practice

It is not about making something up but finding the clearest way to describe and explain.


Overall:

- Biographical/personal

- Historical & context

- Theoretical framing/influences/insight

- Connections to art/design


Response Essays

> A writerly response. 

The author claims their own subjectivity and engages with the work. It's like a personal response triggered by the work. 

- description, narrative, points of connection


Exercise 2

Write a response essay on the 'Quicken' exhibition by Caroline & Jane




I was engulfed upon arrival of the exhibition by this bright red cloud on the main piece of work. In an instance I could feel something eerie was to come about. As I walked further into the white space and looked closer I could make sense of what the whole exhibition is about. There were clear linkages between the artists' own response and stories that then correlated with the artwork. 

It truly made me feel uncomfortable when looking at each work of art up close and connecting it to the relevant paragraph. Was it the zoom up of the chicken looking skin? Was it the double direction of the hands and concrete? It was intriguing to be in someone else mind/memories and how they perceived and then projected their experiences. 

I could relate to some of the work as I have also felt similar ways at different points in my life. In a way it evoked my own little snippets of fear, experiences and perspectives. 


Exercise 3

Analyse a traditional catalogue essay


http://akrylic.com/2008/09/sign-language-a-brief-explanation-of-the-work-of-ryan-mcginness/


This essay begins with looking to the past, what our ancestors were doing then comparing that to the world we live in now and how it is tech centric. Simultaneously this is what Ryan's work is about. The endless layers of information, communication. The essay itself is relatable and easy to understand. Further along the author begins to use more descriptive language and then informs us of Ryan's biography. As I look back to what was discussed in class in regards to a catalogue essay this ticks all the boxes. 

The essay itself has its own structure and each paragraph then touches base on a new key point/aspect of the work. 


Exercise 4

Write a plan for a catalogue essay (4-6 images)





> This catalogue essay would be set up with an introduction of the culture, religion and the stories/fairytales told to us as kids. These are all artworks done by myself throughout my journey and the different experiences of emotions and questions I've had. 

> The underlying concept overall is love and other emotions accompanied by it such as loss and grief. As an individual, I've always been overly intrigued by emotions and how they play a huge part in our journey and experiences. I used to love the idea of love but as years have gone on, it has become a very confusing concept. Lines have been blurred, an idea I once had, has completely evolved to something else through my experiences. There is love in unity, devotion, thoughts and memories. Some are more overpowering than others.

> All of the works are done with acrylic paint. Each piece plays with the colour gold which ties them all in together.In our culture gold is very prominent which defines wealth & luxury. Just like emotions these pieces are layered with so many brush strokes that can be peeled back to uncover more (all these canvases have been spray painted with a gold/bronze base).   

> As the concept of love has become blurred and de-constructed, I have also lost the inspiration that once was to paint such things. For myself this feels like I painted these many moons ago and have lost the connection I once remember I had while painting these. 


Structure:

Context - history 

Bibliography & personal perspective

Theoretical, influences & practice

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