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Art Reviewing and Criticism

ENGL 119.301
instructor(s):
Wednesday 2-5:00

This is a workshop on writing about visual art. Most weeks there will be both a writing assignment and suggested reading. We will review Philadelphia area exhibitions, including shows at the Institute for Contemporary Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and galleries. We will also make some class visits to local art spaces. In the workshop, students will be able to try out different approaches to writing about art works, concentrating on various descriptive and critical approaches. The workshop will be useful to budding journalists and critics but also to visual art and art history students who are interested in honing their writing and analytical skills. We will also discuss editing and the role of the editor in creating the final written piece. And there will be plenty of opportunities for us to talk about a wide range of contemporary visual art.

 

About the image:
In the spring class, the students reviewed the important historical exhibit: "American Art and World War I" at the Pennsylvania Academy of Art. Himmel, a colorful abstract painting by Marsden Hartley from 1914, was featured there. In the fall semester, students will write about and discuss contemporary and historic artworks from Philadelphia's many art institutions.

fulfills requirements