Introduction:
Building on the knowledge, skills and processes of previous courses, and the core approaches explored in the Master Studio in 3rd and 4th Semester, this course focusses on creating a body of artworks that are developed for longer and are of increased personal significance to the student. These works will be developed further in the 6th Semester as part of the student's end of year show portfolio.
Course structure and content:
Students will be encouraged to make the stylistic qualities and compositional methods of second year more personally expressive through greater freedom in subject matter and other aspects. The teacher will help the student to negotiate the possibilities and pitfalls of the greater freedom, in order to arrive at approach that is likely to push the student to the edge of their ability, but not beyond it. Students will use methods for exploring possible subjects, approaches to the scale and media, and compositional devices. The class will have weekly group critiques about the works being developed, with the teacher guiding discussion about the strengths and weaknesses of the work under discussion. At the end of Semester 5, the works under development will be assessed by a panel of the teaching staff, and the student will proceed to Semester 6 only if the staff agree that sufficient quality is being achieved, and the student's ability to comment/ explain their work is sufficiently sophisticated. Failure to pass this assessment will result in the student being required to be reassessed prior to the beginning of Semester 6, requiring the student to continue to work during the break between Semester 5 and 6.
Learning objectives:
After completion of the course, students will: *Have increased their capacity to understand their own aesthetic inclinations and expressive interests; *Have developed greater autonomy around the conception and development of artwork that is personally significant; *Demonstrate a developing artistic point of view and an ability to produce a cohesive body of work both stylistically and conceptually; *Have the ability to intelligently discuss and evaluate the formal elements, the techniques used and the conceptual ideas in their own paintings as well as their classmates in critiques.