Chapter 4: Deriving Meaning Flashcards
Formal analysis
integrated study of the elements and principles of art and the way they are used in a specific artwork.
composition
the arrangement of elements and the application of principles inn an artwork
content
the theme or message
subject matter
substance of a work of art
subtext
the underlying ideas or messages
metaphor
an image or element that is descriptive of something else
symbol
an image or element that stands for or represennts some other entity or concept
iconography
a system of symbols that allow artists and designers to refer to complex ideas
context
external conditions that surround a work of art (historical events, economic trends, contemporary cultural development, etc.
formalist criticism
emphasizes the analysis and critique of an artwork based on the compositional arrangement of its elements
ideological criticism
rooted in the writings of Karl Marx, deals with the political underpinnings of art
psychoanalytical criticism
holds that art should be studied as the product of individuals who are shaped by their pasts, their unconscious urges and their social histories
structuralism
in order to understand a work of art, one must study the structure of art an the complex interrelationship of all its parts
semiotics
study of signs in verbal or written communication
post-structuralism
a range of reactions against Structuralism, but it is not homogenous set of ideas
deconstruction
holds that from the inside, anny system looks natural and coherent but that it is, in fact, filled with unseen contradictions, myths, or stereotypes
feminist criticism
concerned with the oppression of groups in a given society, along with the oppression of their belief systems
visual culture
discuss all visual components of contemporary culture, including art, film, advertisements, the Internet, television, social media, and so on
relational aethestics
focuses on ways that art can augment human relationships in social spaces rather than emphasizing the collection of art objects
phenomenology
studying the human consciousness and experiences such as judgement and perception
