For this 7 page or 2000 word assignment, you will analyze three self-written journal entries that you have completed throughout the semester. These entries focus on sculptures located on the USC campus. Your goal is to create a coherent argument that connects these sculptures to contemporary art in Los Angeles and demonstrates USC’s efforts to incorporate art on campus.
To accomplish this task, follow these steps:
Read through your three journal entries and identify the sculptures that you have written about.
Research the background of each sculpture, including the artist’s inspiration, the date of creation, and any relevant historical context.
Analyze the artistic styles and themes present in the sculptures, and relate them to contemporary art movements in Los Angeles.
Explore USC’s initiatives and goals for incorporating art on campus, and discuss how the chosen sculptures contribute to these efforts.
Organize your findings into a clear and well-structured argument, with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. In your introduction, provide an overview of the assignment and your thesis statement. In the body paragraphs, discuss each sculpture individually, connecting it to contemporary art in LA and USC’s art initiatives. In the conclusion, summarize your main points and restate your thesis.
Be sure to cite any sources you use in your research, using a consistent citation style (e.g., APA, MLA).
Bring in 3 written sources from class
Figure art vs abstract what is the continued relevance of contemporary art
What makes a monument tie it to LA more broadly
Make a claim and prove it
thesis
Advice for essay:
– Must have a strong and specific thesis statement about some aspect of art in Los Angeles
• “Theis” means position: can you agree/disagree with your thesis statement?
• Don’t assume your reader knows about the topic: introduce and describe your chosen examples briefly
– Be specific, give examples, use images to help support your thesis
– You can use first person, but don’t “narrate” your experience or be too subjective
– Must have a title, an introduction, body paragraphs (more than 3!!), and a conclusion
• Don’t overgeneralize – draw on relevant sources for support
– Avoid overly complicated language, pay attention to structure, organization of ide
– Review formatting instructions; edit and proofread!
Ex Sample thesis: Judy Baca’s The Great Wall of Los Angeles, Chris Burden’s Urban Light, and Audrey Chan’s Will Power Allegory all strive to unite the Los Angeles community with one another and with the space of the city through their site-specific design, their use of symbolism, and their encouragement of viewer interaction.
Journals:
Crouching Rather ( Journal 7) Fisher Museum
This sculpture caught my eye when looking for something to write about the first thing I took notice of was the location. This sculpture is in the back of the museum next to the street. I believe this was on purpose so everyone driving by could admire its beauty. I felt like this sculpture was from a different country like it belonged in Italy. When approaching the sculpture you first see it from behind and notice naked women from behind in a pool of water which I believe has a deeper meaning in just that. I then circled to the front of the sculpture to get a better understanding and I took a moment to appreciate the beauty in this artwork. I enjoyed the detail that came with it then I noticed the tablets with writing that introduced the artist and the name. The art piece has 4 fountains that come out of the pool of water which adds a sense of hearing to the piece and the sound of the fountains is peaceful and relaxing.
One of the main things that popped out was the use of the material in this piece, It is carefully crafted with bronze I wonder how long it took to get this done. This might be a given but I now notice that the name of the Crouching Rather sculpture is actually a reference to the physical position of the women. Los Angeles is a great place to have this sculpture because of its growing appreciation for commentary Art.
2. Evelia de pie
For this weeks art journal I came across a piece of art while walking to a class that I found interesting. At first glance i was hard to tell what it was I think this was because I was a little distance away and the sun was beamin directly onto it. When getting closer I realized that it was a beautiful women. This piece of art is thought provoking as it makes the viewer wonder why the lady is in the stance that she is in and the beauty of the matured women body.
The sculpture is located on USC campus by the theatre on campus you cannot miss it while walkin to the theatre. It location highlights the importance of USC appreciating modern art alpong with other art pieces that are on campus. This sculpture is very detailed and a reminder of the beauty of the women form. I will no longer be able to walk around this area without admiring this piece of work and for that I am grateful.
The sculpture is on top of a grass field standing on a cement base that will keep it stable. There is a informational slit made of stone with knowledge of the sculpture. The sculpture us standing around 6 feet tall and it looks like the lady was going to take a step forward. The lady looks like she is determined to do something thats the detailed imputed and the medium. The creator of this sculpture is francisico zuniga, and it was made in 1975. The sculpture deeper meaning to me is confidences and determination as the lady is structured like that.
3. John mckay
For this journal entry I decided to pick another statue that is close to me and what I do here at the university of california. This statue is located on campus in front of the athletic building that is names after John mckay. This is a tribute to the legendary football coach who won many games and broke many recorded records while being a coach here between 1960 to 1975 at USC. This coach brought and won four national championships to USC while coaching this is a really big accomplishment.
The statue seems to be made of bronze and was crafted by Rick Terry. In the statue The coach is standing tall with a confident expression on his face, the expression is credited to the confidence the coach had during his years as a coach. Standing next to the statue I can come to a estimate that the statue is 9 feet tall. It stands on a concrete base that has a plate that records the coaches accomplishments.
Personal thoughts:
Being in sports and especially being a former university athlete at the university of california I highly respect this statue and what / who it stands for. John Mckay did much for the community and changed lives of many young men and when you make that big of a difference to so many people you will be remembered for a very long time and I believe that is the purpose of this statue. This statue can serve as a reminder of the strong legacy that this school has and the amount of work that had been put into this program.
NO AI
class resources (must choose three)
Greenberg, “Modernist Painting
Rosenberg, from “The American Action Painters”
– Alternative Formats
Pollock, “Answers to a Questionnaire” and “Two Statements”
– Alternative Formats
Newman, “The Sublime is Now”
– Alternative Formats
Greenberg, “Modernist Painting”
– Alternative Formats
Cockcroft, “Abstract Expressionism: Weapon of the Cold War”
– Alternative Formats
Mehretu, “Politicized Landscapes”
Hatoum, “Nothing is a Finished Project”
Hatoum, “I Never Know What I Will End Up Making”
Firstenberg and Ligon, “Neo-Archival and Textual Modes of Production”
– Alternative Formats
