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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "EXP 1010"
COURSE NAME: "The Exhibition Review"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2018
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Karen Georgi
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: F 2:00-5:00 PM [Course meets on: September 28, October 19, October 26, November 2, and November 30]
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 15
CREDITS: 1
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course is designed to introduce students to exhibition review techniques and to practice them. It consists of visits to current exhibitions in Rome, where students will learn skills for analytical viewing and active engagement with art exhibitions. Exhibitions are increasingly numerous and spectacular features in the art-historical landscape. They give us first-hand contact with a vast array of artworks, and they often introduce us to unfamiliar works. But they are also difficult to negotiate. How do we take in the many, carefully orchestrated stimuli and keep a critical distance? How do we analyze the narrative that is being proposed? How do we focus? Exhibition reviews exist to help viewers with these questions.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

The material of the course is two-fold: Three current exhibitions will provide the laboratory for studying the ways in which the exhibition proposes an interpretation of the works it displays. Then, contemporary and historical examples of exhibition reviews make up the other major component of the course material. By analysing the range of strategies employed among the selected reviews (by art historians, art critics, and journalists) students will learn how to describe and evaluate the observations they have made about the exhibitions. The emphasis will be on learning to situate the exhibition in the relevant context—of the scholarship in the field, of other recent exhibitions of the same work, of significant art-historical debates, etc.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Students who conscientiously apply themselves will become conversant in the fundamental skills of exhibition analysis and review. They will have significant first-hand experience in the observation and assessment of display strategies. They will acquire proficiency in the important and marketable skill of exhibition review

TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberComments
Short Guide to Writing About ArtSylvan BarnetPearsonxxxx  
The Painter's EyeHenry JamesU Wisconsin Pressxxxx  
Painter of Modern Life and Other EssaysCharles BaudelairePhaidonxxxx  
Art WritingDavid CarrierU Massachusetts Pressxxxx  
Museum Skepticism: History of the Display of Art in PublicDavid CarrierDuke U Pressxxxx  
Art of Art History: A Critical AnthologyDonald PreziosiOxford U Pressxxxx  
Exhibiting Contradiction: Essays on the Art Museum in the United StatesAlan WallachU Massachusetts Pressxxxx  

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Short review assignments (three) 35
Complete final review 65

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Attendance is mandatory.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

Course Outline will be distributed in class.  

There will be five Friday meetings and the topics to be covered include:

1. Meeting on campus: How to approach the art exhibition. What is an exhibition review? What are its fundamental features? How do we analyse its narrative?

 2. Meeting on campus: Overview of differences between the forms of art writing. Comparative analysis of examples, taken from list below (or added to correspond to the particular exhibitions on display during the given semester)

3-5. Three museum meetings, at exhibitions TBA – depending on exhibitions currently running. --Each exhibition visit will begin with a discussion of the assigned reviews and the techniques they demonstrate, followed by the actual practice of review techniques, individual observation and note taking group discussions of their analyses.