Spring 2005 -- Writing Assignment
Description
There are two major themes in this course. The first and most obvious is reflected in the course title -- The End of Art. The other has to do with "art writing" (criticism, etc.) before and after "the end of art".
The writing assignments will allow you to pursue one of these themes. The options are:
1. Write a philosophical analysis and critique of Danto's argument for the end of art. The final paper, due at the end of the semester, should be 12-15 pages in length and should take into account some of the secondary literature on Danto's thesis.
As preparation for the final paper, I would like to see
- a brief abstract of Danto's argument,
- the argument you intend to make,
- a preliminary bibliography, and
- a midterm draft of the paper.
2. Write a critical essay on the nature of art writing after the end of art. The final paper, due at the end of the semester, should be approximately 15 pages and must survey the work of at least eight currently active critics, curators, and/or art historians. Some of the questions you may want to consider include the following: How would you characterize their work? What problems do they face as critical writers during a period of widespread cultural pluralism? How does it differ from the problems faced, and approaches taken, by modernists such as Meyer Schapiro, Clement Greenberg, Harold Rosenberg, Michael Fried, and others? How would you assess the value of their individual approaches? What criteria do you think one should apply to the evaluation of works of art today? And what criteria to the evaluation of contemporary art writing?
In preparation for the final paper, I would like to see
- a brief abstract of your approach,
- a list of the writers whose work you intend to examine,
- a preliminary bibliography, and
- a midterm draft of the paper.
Deadlines
I'll work with each of you individually on each stage of the project. We'll schedule appointments outside of class to review your progress and to discuss problems, strategies, and arguments. The schedule for various components is as follows:
7 March: Choose the option you plan to take and confirm with me by email.
28 March: One page abstracts are due.
18 April: Preliminary bibliography and midterm draft is due.
16 May: Final papers due.
Be sure to review these guidelines before beginning work on your essay.
You are responsible for all of the material in this handout and will be evaluated according to the criteria discussed in it. It is essential that you read it carefully.
You should also review the policy on academic honesty and let me know if you have questions about it.
Final papers are due on or before 6:00 PM 16 May 2005.
All papers must be typed on a computer and run through a spell-checker. You will be evaluated on the form and content of your papers, so pay close attention to both appearance and grammar. All papers must be double-spaced with one-inch margins with full bibliography and the appropriate endnotes or footnotes (as you prefer). If you need additional instructions or guidelines, see me.