PROJECT DESCRIPTION
A student must select a Miami-based artist and produce a research project about that artist. The project must be posted as a webpage on this website. The artist’s profile should include, but not be limited to biography, personal identity, cultural identity, subject of artwork, use of the formal elements, and exhibition history. If the artist is represented by a gallery, students must include mention of that.
The total word count must be a minimum of 2000 words.
ARTIST QUOTE
Start your project with an original quote from the artist that comes from your interview with them.
STUDENT BIO
Introduce yourself in a brief bio.
BIOGRAPHY
Interview the artist! This is required. Include quotes that you have obtained directly from the artist throughout your project. Provide biographical information about the artist (origin, education, cultural heritage,…). Mention key figures of personal importance-teachers, mentors, friends.
PERSONAL IDENTITY
Which personal experiences are important to the artist and how have they manifested themselves in the artist’s work? You should consider everything minor and major, controlled and uncontrolled. You can discuss something as minor as a childhood memory to something as significant as gender.
CULTURAL IDENTITY
How important is cultural and national identity to the artist? How does their culture influence their work? Place the work in a contemporary context. Does the artist identify with a particular artistic movement, region, or country? Place the artist’s work in a art historical context (direct and indirect influences)
SUBJECT OF ARTWORK
What is the artwork about? Why does the artist make the work they do and what issues to they engage? Are they successful or not? Why? How does the artist’s work relate to a broader social and cultural context?
FORMAL ELEMENTS OF ARTWORK
Examine line, shape, light, color, and texture as different elements to the overall composition. Discuss these elements with the artist to understand their formal creative process. You’ll be surprised at some of the answers! Some artists are extremely calculated and others totally spontaneous. Both approaches are fine!!
How do the formal elements relate to the content of the artist’s work?
EXHIBITION AND PROJECT HISTORY
Where has the artist exhibited their work? Galleries? Museums? Public Art? Others? Which experiences were most important to them and why?
STUDENT PERSPECTIVE
What was your experience working with the artist? What did you learn about art?
CITATIONS
Similar to a research paper, all sources must be cited in MLA format for all projects. If you utilize an existing film for inspiration or incorporate clips or pictures from someone else, you must cite those. Failure to do is plagiarism.
MLA Format (in-text citations required)
Bailly’s Guide to Image Rights & Usage
Miami in Miami 