Being a Critic of the Arts Everyday, we act as critics, i.e., deciding which film to see or which channel to watch. Much of the time, experience guides us through the aesthetic judgments we make. Left on our own, however, we can go only so far. As Martin and Jacobus (1997) argue, in studying the essentials of criticism and in learning how to put them into practice, we develop our capacities as critics (p. 48). 1. introduction We all resist taking on the critic's role because we value the participatory experience. Losing ourselves in a "good" film is one thing, and thinking about it critically is another. If we were to choose, we would probably prefer the former. After all, we might argue that art should be enjoyed. By the same token, we know that "good" critics help us appreciate the complexities and the subtleties of works of art. In sharing their insight into the uniqueness of a work, say, they help us appreciate what's going on. In this way, in fact, they help us become critics. 2. the critical response Usually, the initial response is an emotional one: this can be described as the pre-critical response. What interests us as would-be critics is the critical or reflective response that follows. This reflection can intensify our appreciation of the work in question, i.e., sharpen our perception of its form and increase our understanding of its content. What is problematic for all critics is expressing in the very different medium of conceptual prose that unique, untranslatable quality that pervades a work of art in the medium of music, painting, and so on. As Martin and Jacobus argue, we can distinguish three kinds of criticism or critical activities, which go into the actual writing: a. Descriptive Here, the... ... middle of paper ... ...ork of this individual. The booklets available in cinemas, which draw attention to new releases, fall into this category. * the WORK, we can say that she is engaged in ACADEMIC CRITICISM. Many of the research essays we write at university ask us to engage in this sort of critical activity. * the AUDIENCE, she is engaged in REVIEWING, i.e., sharing her insight into the artistic merits of a work with readers who might be described as enthusiastic amateurs. Of course, these distinctions are by no means hard and fast. Nevertheless, our objective is to express our responses in prose that is clear as well as direct. Works Cited Greene, Theodore. The Arts and the Art of Criticism. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1940. Martin, F.D., and Lee Jacobus. The Humanities through the Arts. 5th edn. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1997.
In the piece “Cinema/Ideology/Criticism,” Jean Luc-Comolli and Jean Narboni define the critic's job as the discernment of “which films, books and magazines allow the ideology a free, unhampered passage, transmit it with crystal clarity, serve as its chosen language” and which films “attempt to make it turn back and reflect itself, intercept it, make it visible by revealing its mechanisms, by blocking them” (753). Through their examination, seven film categories are outlined. Clue falls into the “E” category, which is defined as “films which seem at first sight to belong firmly within the ideology and to be completely under its sway, but which turn out to be so only in an ambiguous manner” (75...
In his essay, “It’s Just a Movie: A Teaching Essay for Introductory Media Classes”, Greg M. Smith argues that analyzing a film does not ruin, but enhances a movie-viewing experience; he supports his argument with supporting evidence. He addresses the careful planning required for movies. Messages are not meant to be telegrams. Audiences read into movies to understand basic plotlines. Viewers should examine works rather than society’s explanations. Each piece contributes to Smith’s argument, movies are worth scrutinizing.
Nichols, John. ""Counbtering Censorship: Edgar Dale and the Film appreciation movement (critical essay)."." Cinema Jouranl. Fall 2006.
What does the work consist of? Who authored it, and how? What is it based on, and how does it relate? What is it, and what will become of it? The answers to these questions, collectively, form an important response to a bigger question: What is art? What does it mean to describe a piece as “a work of art”?
People can have many different opinions depending on a topic, but what is truly difficult is getting a complete level of understanding from every opinion, or understanding the point of view of each opinion. Even accepting the points of view can be difficult for some people, who believe that their opinions are right. Luckily, people can learn about the other person’s frame of reference, and at the very least understand the topic or the person a little better. This particular topic is art, which is known for its multiple possible perceptions or its many different messages that it can send a person or group of people. In this way, people can learn more about the thought processes and feelings of others. Unfortunately, with differing opinions,
1) An Introduction to Humanities, Resource Book 3. The Open University 1998 5th ed; The Bath Press, 2001
Sporre, Dennis J. The Creative Impulse: An Introduction to the Arts. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1996. 310-378.
Humanities 1301 (Introduction to Humanities) is a literature course which links student between their lives and the works of human creativity and ideas. This is done through participation in art work, research, reading literature, providing peer review and summary of the selected books, watching cultivating video, visiting museum, monuments, and architectural building. Students are also exposed to several cultures around the world to which they are asked to comment. Their work are expressed through presentations, exposé, written memos, peer review, book summary, oral presentation, and journal articles. The purpose of this writing prompt is to review all portions of course number CRN 92776, Spring 2016, delivered by Dr. Laurel Lacroix, PhD, in Houston Community College, Stafford Campus, on Wednesdays from 14:00 to 15:30.
Before analysing selected art works in more detail it will be worth introducing a few different definitions and hypothesis of aesthetics in art based on theories of well-known critical thinkers.
Experience in the Humanities. New York: McGraw Hill, 2014. (MPN) Virgil, Aeneid, Trans. Robert Fitzgerald.
By educating herself she was able to form her own opinion and no longer be ignorant to the problem of how women are judge by their appearance in Western cultures. By posing the rhetorical question “what is more liberating” (Ridley 448), she is able to get her readers to see what she has discovered. Cisneros also learned that despite the fact that she did not take the path that her father desired, he was still proud of all of her accomplishments. After reading her work for the first time her father asked “where can I get more copies” (Cisneros 369), showing her that he wanted to show others and brag about his only daughters accomplishments. Tan shifts tones throughout the paper but ends with a straightforward tone saying “there are still plenty of other books on the shelf. Choose what you like” (Tan 4), she explains that as a reader an individual has the right to form their own opinion of her writing but if they do not like it they do not have to read it because she writes for her own pleasure and no one else’s. All of the women took separate approaches to dealing with their issues but all of these resolutions allowed them to see the positive side of the
In Hollywood today, most films can be categorized according to the genre system. There are action films, horror flicks, Westerns, comedies and the likes. On a broader scope, films are often separated into two categories: Hollywood films, and independent or foreign ‘art house’ films. Yet, this outlook, albeit superficial, was how many viewed films. Celebrity-packed blockbusters filled with action and drama, with the use of seamless top-of-the-line digital editing and special effects were considered ‘Hollywood films’. Films where unconventional themes like existentialism or paranoia, often with excessive violence or sex or a combination of both, with obvious attempts to displace its audiences from the film were often attributed with the generic label of ‘foreign’ or ‘art house’ cinema.
Anyone who views films for either enjoyment or critique has set expectations for a given film. Genera by far has the most to do with audience expectations and demands of viewers. Based on genera, expectation are set fourth for a film. For example, horror movies are expected to be scary and draw in an audience. Comedy on the other hand is meant to be funny and relatable to viewers. Both genera’s of film are designed to entertain an audience in one way or another. Yet the question at hand is what makes a good film? Why should viewers be enamored with one film and not another?
Arts Literacy is contented and abilities information about the arts. Knowledge depends on persons, tools, contented, products, artistic thinking, materials and skills. Arts are integrally multimodal and hence interface frequently through literate preparation in education and teaching contexts. The arts for the determination of this volume contain five art forms: Visual Arts, Dance, Media Arts Drama, and Music. Art takes a lot of forms. It is fine teachers inside the classroom abilities to involve students in the lot of systems of arts, however the meaning base on the teacher’s constant individual growing in arts literacy.(Georgina Barton, 2014)
Sayre, Henry M., Discovering the Humanities: Culture, Continuity & Change. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2010. Print.