Exhibition or Illustrated Book Review
Brief: Select an exhibition of contemporary art or illustration and write a review of it. Alternatively, write a review of an illustrated book or graphic novel. The work should be by an artist or illustrator practising in the 21st Century. In a review you can write creatively and also give your opinions about the work but it is important to support your arguments with evidence or examples, and to show that you have done background research. Please include images of the work you are discussing.
APA referencing should be used for all your sources of information and images.
The review should be approximately 1,000 words excluding the list of references.
Please also submit 1,000 words (or equivalent in drawings diagrams) of relevant research notes. This should be made up of blog posts which contain any of the following: summaries of texts you have read (written in your own words); scans of reviews by others that you have annotated or analyzed; quotations (with references); plans, diagrams or mind maps showing the development of your writing; commentaries you have written on related exhibitions, artworks or illustrations.
Assessment criteria:
• Ability to evaluate works of contemporary art or illustration, and to plan and communicate a coherent and creative response to them.
• Ability to use research methods, texts and cultural resources effectively and apply these to focused enquiry.
• Knowledge and understanding of the traditions, issues and criticism informing contemporary practices in art and illustration.
Tips for writing a review
There is a lot of flexibility in writing a review, but the following are points to consider. You may not be able to address all of these points. It is fine to express your opinion but make sure it is an informed opinion (i.e. it shows evidence of background research) and is based on your careful observation of the artwork.
If you are writing about an exhibition:
– You will probably find it easier to write about a single artist’s work rather than a group show.
– In the first paragraph make sure you include introductory information about the artist (e.g. nationality, the media he or she works in or the nature of their work).
– Include the basic details of the exhibition (location, dates, title) plus a full reference in the ‘References’ list at the bottom of your review.
– Try to set the tone for your review in the opening paragraph, to give the reader an indication of your view of it.
– In the next paragraphs describe some of the work in the exhibition focusing on one or two specific artworks.
– Try to use adjectives and descriptions that will help the reader to build up a vivid picture of the artworks. Think of this form of writing as a creative process.
– As you describe the work, try to analyze how it achieves its effect and whether it is successful.
– What materials and processes are used?
– What do you think the work is about?
– How do you think viewers might respond to the work?
– You may find it helpful to compare and contrast two artworks.
– Is there a range of work or is it all of the same type?
– Consider how the work is displayed and whether it fits in with or disrupt its architectural context.
– Does the design of the exhibition support the artworks or detract from them?
– How is the work selected and ordered (e.g. chronological or by theme)?
– Consider how the work in this exhibition compares with examples of work elsewhere by the same artist.
– Is there any significant biographical information about the artist that helps us to understand the work in this exhibition?
– Can you make any comparisons with other contemporary art exhibitions that have explored similar themes?
– Are there historical examples of exhibitions or artworks that help us to understand this work?
– What art historical traditions does it fit into or arise from?
– What have other reviewers or critics said about this artist, and do you agree with them?
– Conclude by making an overall evaluation of the exhibition.
If you are writing about an illustrated book:
– You will probably find it easier to write about a single artist’s work rather than a publication that has work by a number of illustrators.
– In the first paragraph make sure you include introductory information about the artist (e.g. the media he or she works in or the nature of their work).
– Include the basic details of the publication (date, title) plus a full reference in the ‘References’ list at the bottom of your review.
– Try to set the tone for your review in the opening paragraph, to give the reader an indication of your view of the book.
– In the next paragraphs describe some of the illustrations focusing on one or two specific examples.
– Try to use adjectives and descriptions that will help the reader to build up a vivid picture of the artworks. Think of this form of writing as a creative process.
– As you describe the work, try to analyze how it achieves its effect and whether it is successful.
– What techniques are used?
– Is the illustration informative, narrative, decorative?
– How do you think viewers might respond to the work?
– You may find it helpful to compare and contrast two illustrations.
– Is there a range of work or is it all of the same type?
– Consider how the book itself is designed.
– What is its purpose and target audience or readership?
– How do the illustrations appear in relation to the text?
– Does the design of the book support the illustrations or detract from them?
– How is the narrative structure of the book or its informational content conveyed through the illustrations?
– Consider how the work in this book compares with examples of work elsewhere by the same illustrator.
– Has their work appeared in contexts other than book illustration?
– Is there any significant biographical information about the artist that helps us to understand this work?
– Can you make any comparisons with other illustrated books that have explored similar themes?
– Are there historical examples of illustration that help us to understand this work?
– What art historical or graphic traditions does it fit into or arise from?
– Have other reviewers or critics written about this illustrator, and if so do you agree with them?
– Conclude by making an overall evaluation of the exhibition.