Critiquing Art
Artwork Critique & Analysis
What is a critique?
A critique is an informed discussion strategy using written or oral method to describe, analyze and better understand a piece of artwork. Most people have a negative feeling about the word “critique,” but a critique does not have to be negative. It can be quite positive at times as well. The foundation of a critique describes what the viewer is seeing and how it makes them feel, but to develop a deeper understanding, the critic needs to know why the artwork was made as well. To do that, the critic (you) need to do research first. Through research, you will be able to put together the story of the artwork and how it came to be. This can also help you better understand why that piece of artwork is historically or contemporary significant to the art world.
The IB Art Critique & Analysis
For your Comparative Study, you will need to talk about artwork in three different categories:
Identification and analysis of formal qualities
Analysis of the function & purpose
Evaluation of how culture affected the artwork (Artist Life / Art World / World Events)
Below we have laid out how to better tackle those topics and questions you should ask yourself.
Creating an IB Analysis & Critique of an Artwork
An image of the artwork needs to accompany the critique. The image should had the art information with it: Name of artist, Name of the artwork, the year it was created, the size of the artwork in centimeters, and the medium used to make the artwork.
A minimum of 2 cited works in MLA format need to accompany this critique as well. These might be the same sources from your research but mostly likely will be different. Make sure to add them to the bottom of the page.
- Identification and Analysis of Formal Qualities
Describe what you see without judgement. You need to imagine that no one but you can see this work and you need to give every detail about it. What objects or figures are in the work? Where are they located? Are there signs, symbols or patterns? What does the color say about the piece? For example: “there is a tall, dark tree on the right side of the painting. It is casting its shadow across the painting diagonally from bottom right to top left.”
Talk about how the artist has composed the piece of art. Composition is how artstist has laid out the peice of work across the canvas, screen, paper, or space. There are many different visual tricks or skills that an artist might use to create a piece of artwork that feels balanced, uniform or chaotic. Watch the video to the right to learn more about composistion.
Tell the reader what medium the art is made from. If it is a painting describe what it has been painted on. If it is a sculpture, describe all the different materials used. Describe how the artist used the medium in the work. For example: “The painter layered multiple colors of red and yellow oil paint to demonstrate texture but also to give greater value to the apple making the shadows darker and the highlights lighter .”
The analysis portion is a bit harder. You need to use a minimum of 2 elements and 1 principles of art to help the reader better understand what you are seeing. If the artwork was created after 1950, you need to include 1 postmodern principle of art. DO NOT just list the elements and principles used. You need to state them and describe how the artist used them. Example: "The violet and yellow colors used in the artwork help convey the artists feeling of calm and serenity. Through the repeating shapes of the petals on the flower, the viewer will find it easier to move through the painting, seeing the different details that artist has included. The artist used the hybridity of fabric and glass in this piece to demonstrate both softness and fragility of nature."
CLICK HERE - to view the Elements and Principles of Art
- Analysis of the Function & Purpose
This is where your research comes in. You need to understand WHY the artist made this work of art and what their intended motif (message or theme) was. You are going to be describing the intentions the artist made to create the artwork.
Why was the artwork made?
What is the theme or motif (repeated imagery) of the artwork? What is the artist trying to say through the work?
What signs, symbols, or imagery help you know what that motif is? (describe in detail) - watch video ---> to better understand
Who was the intended audience for the artwork?
If possible, who commissioned/paid for the artwork?
You are now going to talk about how the function, purpose and cultural significance has changed over time or (if the time difference is minimal) how different socio/political statuses, genders, sexualities, age nationalities, or religions view the artwork in contrast to its original intentions.
Change in Time
How many years has it been since the artwork was made?
How has time/culture change from then until now?
How has the audience change from when it was originally made to now?
Do these changes in time change the function and purpose of the piece? How & Why?
What role does this work of art play in today's culture & art history?
Change in Audience Demographic (if art piece is made recently)
Where is the art piece located today and is it different than where it was originally created?
(Choose the new demographic based on its location or a different one to answer the next few questions)
How is your chosen demographic different than the original intended audience?
How and why does this new demographic change the function, purpose, and cultural significance of the piece?
What role does this art piece play in this new demographic and how does this change from the original audience?
- Evaluation of How Culture Affected the Artwork
The second part of this section is to explain how the culture and world around the artist influenced the piece of artwork. For this section it is important for you to do a quick history search of what was happening in world or location of the artist when the piece of art was being made. You will break this up into 3 columns (see below)
Artist Life
Talk about how the artists personal life would have affected the artwork. This could be because of their gender, wealth, illnesses, family, personal history, tragedy, ect.
Where does the artist life show up in artwork or affected what they are saying in the artwork (function and purpose)?
Art World at the Time
Talk about what was happening in the art world at the time of the piece being made. What was the main style or movement? What shows, exhibits, or festivals happening? Who worked with or helped the artist that was well known? Who was buy, selling or commissioning art work at the time?
Where does the art world at the time affect how or why the art work was made? Where is is this seen in the art work itself?
World Events at the Time
Talk about what world, regional or local events that were taking place around the artist why they were making this piece of art. What were they?
How does this affect the piece of art work or not? Where might the viewer find parts of these events in the art works symbols, motif, theme, or series?