Art is not a mirror to reflect reality, but a hammer with which to shape it. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

ARTHI 3231: The Global Contemporary: Art Responds to Crisis Fall 2019 Midterm Exam: 25% This midterm exam is an open book/note, take-home exam. It is being distributed through Canvas and in class on October 10. You must upload your submission to Canvas by 11:59pm on Sunday, October 20. Unless you have received prior approval, exams submitted after 11:59pm will be late. Late exams are penalized 5 points for each day late. Key requirements: REQUIRED LENGTH: 3 to 5-page (9001500 words); this word count is for the body of the paper only, not including footnotes. SOURCES: Other than assigned readings, you should not need to consult any outside sources. When using those texts, they must be properly cited (see the syllabus for full and correct citations). CONTENT: The paper MUST include 1. A well-defined, clear thesis 2. Footnotes, properly formatted using The Chicago Manual of Style 3. You can include illustrations if you like, but it is not necessary. However, be sure to use the artworks proper title (in italics) and the artists name (if available). FORMATTING: o Times New Roman, 12 pt. font o Standard 1 inch margins o Double-spaced o Name and page number on each page Answer the following question: Bertolt Brecht once wrote: Art is not a mirror to reflect reality, but a hammer with which to shape it. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Drawing on our readings and class conversations, write an essay that compares and contrasts the strategies of three artists discussed or read about in class to support your claim. In your essay, you might consider what strategies your selected artists have developed to intervene in and/or critique the world around them. Does their work imagine alternative worlds or modes of resistance, does it memorialize victims of violence, or does it merely re-present the conditions of the world? How do artworks shape our worldview and what is the relationship between aesthetics and politics? Strategy: Give some thought to your choice of examples. Did you choose good examples that allow you to write a thoughtful response? Try to focus on one artwork from each artist to focus on, and be sure to describe and engage with the object. If you are unsure how to answer, go back to the readings, to your notes, and to the power points that are on Canvas. Because this is open book exam, spelling, grammar, and the clarity of your answer matter. If you expect to do well, you should proofread your answer . . . and then proofread again! Things to Keep in Mind Plagiarism is a serious offense. In order to avoid this, be sure to observe the following guidelines: If you are quoting, make it clear you are quoting. If you are paraphrasing an argument from a text, make it clear that this is what you are doing. Use the Chicago-Style to footnote in both cases. What is Plagiarism? Plagiarism means using another person’s thoughts, ideas, or written works (whether in whole or in part) and passing them off as your own. Whether you intended to plagiarize or not, if you use someone else’s work without acknowledging this through a proper citation, you are essentially stealing their work. When to Cite It doesn’t matter where you got the information you’re using (books, journals or newspaper articles, websites, interviews, etc.)it needs to be cited. “Common knowledge” does not need to have a citation. Common knowledge refers to facts and ideas that the majority of members of a community or academic discipline can be expected to know. You can assume its common knowledge if it appears undocumented in five or more reliable sources. When in doubt, cite it! If youre not sure whether or not a fact is common knowledge, cite it! Some Writing Tips: In general, simple clear writing is best! Be as direct as possible: avoid phrases like it is told to be, it is said to have been, it is believed, or is known to be Avoid using the first or second person Do not (dont) use contractions Avoid using past perfect and past perfective progressive verb forms (ex: trees were waving, I had been running). Only use for continuous actions in the past. Do not end sentences with prepositions (of, at, with, etc.) Avoid passive voice (ex: Demoiselles dAvignon was painted by Picasso in 1907. Instead try: Picasso painted Demoiselled dAvignon in 1907.) Be careful with subject verb agreement Pay attention to pronoun/antecedent agreement: that cannot refer to people (use who or whom) Avoid passive or weak verbs (i.e. is; are; gives; shows). Try to craft a more descriptive language (performs; stages; exercises; exhibits; illustrates; demonstrates; achieves; manifests) Italicize titles of artworks Proofread and read out loud! How to cite sources: Art History uses the Chicago Manual of Style: https://writingaboutart.org/pages/appendix3.html Please use artists included in the files attached below, they are the required readings and artists that we had to learn about this semester.