Representations of the Body in Art
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Representations of the Body in Art
Artistic representations of the human body have been a timeless source of inspiration, reflecting cultural aesthetics, societal norms, and individual creativity. This assignment challenges you to delve into the diverse ways the body has been portrayed in art, both historically and in contemporary contexts. Through thorough research and creative reflection, you will not only analyze various approaches to body representation but also envision your own artistic interpretation.
The final project will be presented as a well-researched PowerPoint presentation. Scholarly research is an important component of this project.
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Select a Focus/Theme and Find Artworks
Choose a theme that centers around the representation of the human body in art. This theme should offer a unique angle through which you can explore how the body has been depicted, symbolized, and communicated in diverse artistic contexts.
Below are some theme ideas. You do not have to select from this list, but feel free to use these themes as a starting point, or come up with your own. Remember, try to choose a theme that aligns with your interests and the artworks you plan to analyze.
Anatomy and Scientific Inquiry: Analyze how artists have engaged with anatomical accuracy and scientific understanding of the body, reflecting advancements in medical knowledge.
Beauty and Aesthetics: Explore the concept of beauty as represented through the human body and how cultural ideals have shaped artistic portrayals of physical attractiveness.
Body in Photography and Digital Art: Analyze how digital media and photography have influenced the representation of the body in art.
Human Body in Religious Context: Analyze the representation of the body in religious art, highlighting the significance of religious beliefs and rituals in shaping these depictions.
Movement and Gesture: Explore how artists capture the dynamics of the human body in motion, conveying emotion and narrative through gestures and poses.
Mythology and Folklore: Investigate how art uses the human body to portray mythological narratives and folklore, emphasizing cultural stories and beliefs.
Nature and Ancestral Connection: Examining how artworks use the body to depict a profound connection with nature and ancestors, often seen in indigenous art.
Nature and the Human Form: Investigate how artists integrate the human body with natural elements, blurring the boundaries between human and environment.
Renaissance and the Body: Explore how the Renaissance period revolutionized the portrayal of the human body.
Resilience and Strength: Analyze how artists can portray the body as a symbol of resilience, strength, and endurance in the face of historical and contemporary challenges.
Social Hierarchies: Investigate how the portrayal of the body in art reflects social hierarchies, status, and the dynamics of power.
Surrealism and Abstraction: Investigate how the body is transformed and abstracted in surreal and abstract art, giving rise to new interpretations.
Symbolism in Eastern Art: Exploring how the human body is used as a vehicle to convey spiritual and metaphysical ideas in Eastern art forms such as Indian, Chinese, or Japanese art.
Textiles and Body Adornments: Explore the depiction of the body through textiles, clothing, and body adornments in non-Western cultures.
The Body in Ancient Art: Explore the significance of the human body in ancient art forms such as cave paintings, Egyptian sculpture, Greek and Roman statuary, and ancient African, Indian or Chinese art.
The Body in Modern Art – Body as a Medium: Examine how the body became a medium of artistic expression in modern art, with a special focus on performance art and body art movements.
Where can you find artworks that fit your theme? Consider using your textbook as a starting point. The Google Arts and Culture websiteLinks to an external site. is also a good place to find artworks to research as it contains pieces from over 2000 museums and archives. Remember, an internet search can start you off, but you want to move onto scholarly articles for your presentation. Museum resources are acceptable.
Gather Scholarly Sources and Research
Utilize at least five scholarly sources that align with your chosen theme. Keep in mind that you will be focusing your research around a minimum of five artists/artworks. Use your textbook and course material for inspiration. Avoid simple Internet searches and Wikipedia entries.
Effective primary sources include:
Artist’s statements
Interviews with the artist
Manuscripts, correspondence, and reviews written at the time that exhibitions of the artist’s work were held
Artists’ own accounts of their life and work: autobiographies, memoirs, and oral histories recorded later
Effective secondary sources include interpretations and analyses of primary sources by someone else, such as:
Reference books (dictionaries of art, encyclopedias)
Books by scholars
Scholarly journal articles
Book reviews
Museum websites*
* The Internet is a rich source of information, but you need to be very careful to evaluate the legitimacy of the sites. In general, websites are unreliable if it is unclear who wrote the information or what contributors’ qualifications are. Many of the great museums around the world have their own websites, however, which are excellent and trustworthy sources of fascinating information. These websites are generally considered secondary sources, but may include primary source information, too.
Once you have done your research, you need to pull it all together to present a coherent interpretation of the artwork that shows that you understand the content and context. This interpretation should include your own opinion, carefully developed by considering your research findings. The strongest interpretations of an artwork combine the viewer’s formal analysis, factual evidence from primary and secondary sources, and support from the work of specialists who know about the topics being covered.
Source: DeWitte, Debra J., et al. Gateways to Art: Understanding the Visual Arts. 2018.
Library Resources: A good place to start is at the USF Library.Links to an external site. There you will find library databases related to art and art history. You can also find that information on the University of South Florida library research guide for Art & Art History.Links to an external site.
Presentation: Artwork Analysis
Create a PowerPoint (PPT) Presentation using the following guidelines to present your research.
You may choose to use other presentation applications other than PPT, such as Google Slides, or Canva.comLinks to an external site., but if you do, you must save and submit your final work as a text-based PDF document in order to receive credit.
Slide 1: Title Slide
Your title slide should include a captivating title that reflects your chosen theme.
Also include your name and date.
Slide 2: Defining the Theme
Write a concise explanation of your chosen theme. Introduce the artists and their cultural contexts.
Provide an explanation of how this theme offers a unique perspective on body representation in art.
Slides 3-12: Artwork Analysis
Present and analyze at least five artworks by at least five different artists that exemplify your chosen theme.Use your textbook and course material for ideas on where to start.
Your chosen artworks should have two dedicated slides each as follows:An image slide which includes a high quality image of the artwork and its basic identifying information (artist name, title, date, medium, dimensions, and location if known). You may include detail images or alternative views.
A separate slide where you discuss in a researched statement how the artwork reflects your theme and contributes to the discourse of body representation in art. Also consider how the artist’s choice of materials and/or processes may be relevant or meaningful.
Remember, you will do the above for each artwork, so this section should be 10 slides (5 image slides and 5 researched statement slides).
Slide 13: Comparative Analysis
In a separate written statement (300 words minimum) you will compare and contrast the artists in terms of their interpretation of the theme. Identify common threads and variations in their approaches. Support your claims with research and informed examples/ideas, and draw upon concepts, terms, and approaches learned in class.
Presentation (cont.): Artwork Proposal
Slide 14 (or more slides as needed): Artwork Proposal
After conducting your research, you will now get a chance to think creatively and propose an imagined artwork where you envision your own representation of the body. This could be a self-portrait, but it does not have to be.
Do not worry if you are not artistically inclined! You are not expected to create an actual finished art piece; it is merely a proposal.
Concepts: Describe the concepts and theme of your envisioned work. What emotions or messages are important to convey?
Inspiration: Share what inspired your idea. Did the research influence your concept? Keep in mind that your artwork proposal does not have to relate directly to the artists or theme you chose for the main part of your research project. However, in your statement, you should make thoughtful connections to your artists and/or theme, whether this be through comparison or contrast.
Details: What materials/medium would you use? Consider and explain the scale, location, style, and subject matter. Be specific and as vividly descriptive as possible, demonstrating an understanding of course concepts. Would it be figurative or would you represent the body (yourself if a self-portrait) through other ways?
Visual Representation: Include any simple sketches, diagram, images, or visuals that may aid in the depiction of your proposed artwork. If you don’t want to sketch, you could include found images or a digital collage that may assist in helping to visualize your idea.
A fun part of this proposal is that since you are not actually expected to complete the work, you are not constricted by location, scale, or cost of materials!
Presentation (cont.): Works Cited
Final Slide: Works Cited (References)
On the final slide, include a properly formatted full reference list.
See the University’s library guide for Citing Sources. Links to an external site.
Remember to use in-text citations on the content slides.
Formatting GuidelinesIt is recommended to create your presentation in PowerPoint and submit a PPT file or a PDF.You may choose a different application such as Google Slides or Canva, but remember, if you use something other than PPT to complete your presentation, it must be saved and submitted as a PDF document – other file types are NOT accepted.
Organize your slide presentation according to the instructions.
Use clear and complete sentences throughout your presentation. Proofread before submission. You must use correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
Your file may be large, so give yourself plenty of time to upload the assignment to avoid delays. The syllabus late policy applies.