The New School
Visual and Cultural Studies
Spring 2004 -- Midterm Assignment: Critical Analysis
Your assignment is to write a critical comparative analysis of one of the pairs of images listed below. It's important to both describe and interpret the images by applying some of the concepts that we've introduced in our readings and class discussions. Keep in mind that in this exercise, you're demonstrating what you've learned. So be sure that you make use of material that we've covered thus far.
1. When describing the images, be sure to account for their general formal properties, as well as their denotations.
2. When interpreting the images, be sure to explore the connotations and make some attempt to relate the meaning of the work to the social context in which is was created.
Be sure to review the handout on academic honesty before beginning work on your paper. Let me know if you have questions about it.
Option 1
> Edouard Manet, Bar at the Folies-Bergeres, 1881-82
> Mary Cassatt, Woman in Black at the Opera, 1879Option 2
> Diesel, Ad Campaign, Fall-Winter 1999
> Calvin Klein, Jeans, Ad Campaign, 1995
** Papers are due at the beginning of class on 17 March 2004 **
All papers must be typed on a computer and run through a spell-checker. You will be graded on the form and content of your paper, so pay close attention to both appearance and grammar. Your paper should be about 7-8 pages in length. All papers must be double-spaced with one-inch margins with the appropriate endnotes or footnotes (as you prefer). If you need additional instructions or guidelines, see me.