Art history & visual studies
Week 13 is usually reserved for summarizing the term and wrapping things up.

There’s usually a section in the lecture to talk about storytelling and a consideration of the

importance of visual culture. The tutorial usually deals with controversial arts and why that

matters. Some of the key case-studies from those classes were already rolled into the discussion

for Week 11 – to develop the importance of reading what is visually put in front of you. This

was to provide a broader base for Assignment 8 (which is based on material usually covered in

the final class).

And since none of the leftover material is directly related to this week’s assignment (in the way

the last couple of weeks have been designed), I decided there’s no point in providing you with

“more” just for the sake of it.

So all I have to say here is thank you for taking the course; I hope you will find it useful in your

experience of the visual world. Thank you for your patience and cooperation through these

final, stressful weeks. I hope you all continue safe and well, and can enjoy the best of what the

world has to offer.

NOTE: In case you haven’t seen/looked at the latest update on the university website, the university is offering grading options to you this term. I’ve cut and paste some of that information here, but please see the update under the bright green COVID-19 button on uvic.ca webpages for the full details. ** Grading options for students this term March 27, 2020 – University of Victoria To help ensure academic quality and support our students’ success, as well as to alleviate stress during these unprecedented and challenging times, the university is offering grading options for students this term. Upon receipt and review of their final grades, a student may: 1. Keep the course grade as assigned by the instructor; 2. Keep the course but select a Pass/Fail option that would appear on their transcript (not counted toward GPA calculations); or 3. Drop the course without academic penalty. Advising resources are being developed to help students make informed choices about their grades. Information will be shared once it is available and students will be encouraged to access their faculty’s advising resources or the advising centre for guidance on what option is best for their academic goals. ** As per my comments on last week’s assignment, most of you are doing absolutely fine; and I’ve already given you some tools for contextualizing marks or grades within the circumstances. But I wanted to make sure everyone had seen this official proclamation from the university, because I’m sure some of you are still struggling in ways that I am not seeing unless you are contacting me or handing assignments in. Please follow the links above for program advice, as I do not know what your specific circumstances are. But in case you want a broad outline for why you’d want them: Option 1: if you’re happy with your grade or need the GPA calculations. You can contextualize the mark within the guidelines I gave last week if necessary on an application. Option 2: if your mark is at the low end of the grading system and that would negatively affect your GPA (perhaps in cases of probation or other registration concerns) Option 3: could essentially be used by anyone who isn’t happy with their grade; although if the course is a requirement you will have to take it over again. But if you’re struggling with getting many assignments in, sometimes cutting your losses and moving forward is your best path. If you want to consult with me about these options, please drop me an email.

AHVS 121 Winter 2020 Assignment 10 As per the course outline, this assignment is required for all students (i.e. it must count as one of your 8 total) Read back over the course learning outcomes; consider your progress against those measures. Think back over the course (consult your lecture and tutorial notes, etc. as necessary) and consider some of the larger course issues concerning ways of seeing in relation to your expectations for, and experiences of, your visual world. As always be analytical about your choices and develop the implications of your statements: -What work of art/visual culture (architecture, painting, multi-media piece, sculpture, etc.) stands out in your mind as the one you feel you’ve learned the most about, or now have a greater appreciation for? What is it that caught your attention? Why? -What is your favourite work from among those we’ve covered in the class? Why? -Thinking back on the semester, is there any art period/culture/style/object that you feel you can approach differently now, based on what you’ve learned in the last three months? Why? – Are you more confident in your ability to apply visual analysis to the images you encounter? Why or why not? – What about your ability to see meaning in the subtext of visual imagery? Consider the issues about art, power and society that we have encountered over the last weeks of the course. Is there anything that has enriched your approach to your visual world? Discuss. – Do you feel more comfortable talking about visual culture? Why or why not? – What about your writing? Have there been any benefits to this training? In particular, has your writing practice informed your visual approach? Why or why not? Taking those questions into account, provide a short, self-reflective analysis of what you have gained from your studies. Be positive. This course is a lot of work and you have encountered a great deal of material – here’s a place to give yourself a pat on the back for it. Note: we’re not looking for praise or criticism of the course – this is for you to consider your own development in knowledge and/or skill. You are learning how to take advantage of your own learning opportunities. What are you taking away with you? Write a brief analysis, minimum 750 words, due to me by email ddudley@uvic.ca Before Wednesday, April 8, 2020 at 3:30PM. Please see course outline for important details on how to format & submit assignments. If you have earlier papers still outstanding, send them in. If you aren’t sure how many you’ve done, check your sent email. I will not count up individual submissions for you. NO COURSE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER APRIL 8, 2020 at 3:30PM unless requested and/or endorsed by the instructor.