Art Critiques in the Educational World

What should be studied in college English classes? This question has been argued in most educational circles. Has the scope of English composition gone beyond the fringes of teaching? Some would argue that English classes today lack the substance and rigidness of the past; that reading and writing tend to tossed in a sea of un-relevant topics and off the wall assignments. However, what is college for? Beside the academic aspect, college is designed to be a place to venture out, to find yourself and challenge the ideals of your past. Why can’t these two things go hand in hand? Why can’t we learn and better ourselves at the same time?

As an assignment for EN 101, our class was asked to venture out of the class room to an art gallery, at Woods Hall. We were given the task to observe art, dissect every detail, and compare and contrast the central themes, techniques, and effectiveness of the artist. Isn’t this what English is? Aren’t we encouraged to practice the art of describing as well as comparing and contrasting? There are entire chapters in our English books dedicated to these skills. Why can’t we practice them in ways that interest us? Students in today’s world want to get out of the four constricting, institutional walls, known as a classroom. They want to feel challenged in writing assignments and hope that what they are writing might possible change their attitudes and test their beliefs. I feel that critiquing art can improve the necessary attributes of practicing detail as well as comparison and contrast in literary writing.

For example, while examining two of Jenny Fine’s pieces entitled, The Sisters and Mourning Old Sister, I learned how to critique art. I learned how to distinguish even the most subtle details and how to look at something and see more than the mere exterior. I became attached to these pieces as if they were my own creation. I wondered what the artist’s motive was, why she decided to depict these two scenes.

The Sisters, which is a tintype wet plate coliodion, is one of the first photos that caught my attention. The photo is not a completely black and white photo but it was shot with a very dark filter. It looks aged due to the deterioration of the corners. The photo depicts two girls of the same age and physical characteristics. They are both fairly young (probably nine or ten) and they are slender in physique. They are both leaning against what seems to be a white wall while standing on an exposed concrete floor. Their hands are gracefully folded in front of them. Their youthful faces cannot be seen because the photo stops at their shoulders, only their torso and legs are shown. As I gaze as the picture I tend to wonder if they are actual sisters or just very good friends. A good friend is like a sister.

The girl on the right is wearing a stark white dress that hits her legs just above the knee. Her petticoat seems to be playing hide and seek with the bottom of her dress. She is wearing white Mary Jane style shoes that seem to be soiled and well worn. The second girl is wearing a darker colored dress, maybe maroon or dark purple. Her dress differs in style from the first but is around the same length. This girl however, has her petticoat completely covered. Her dress seems fairly new as well as her shoes. She is wearing the same style shoes as the first girl, but hers are jet black and polished.

Even though at first glance these girls seem to be the same, after careful attention you see that they are actually very different. I’m assuming that they have extremely opposite personalities. The girl on the right is probably more adventurous by the look of her soiled shoes. It seems that she is not very concerned with her appearance because of the condition of her exposed petticoat. However, the second girl seems more reserved and willing to obey instructions. This is due to the appearance of her dress and her impeccably clean Mary Jane shoes.

Mourning Old Sister, however seems to be a much darker photo than the first. Like The Sisters, the photo is not black and white, but is shot with a very dark filter. This picture depicts two women standing the same way as the girls in the first piece of work. They stand side by side and have their hands folded in their lap just like the first. This time, however, they are not leaning; they are standing flat on their feet. They wear the same outfit a neck high, three quarter length sleeve, to the ground black dress. They are standing in the middle of a grassy meadow with woods in the distant background.

After careful attention to the photo, one can notice that there is actually only one woman, not two. The photo is, in fact, a reflection. At first glance I thought that the photo depicted a grown up version of the sisters in the first piece of art, however, first glances are deceiving. I loved how this photo illustrated that first impressions are not always true. This piece still puzzles me in some way. I wonder why Fine decided to reflect the image of one woman to make the illusion of two. She might possibly be hinting that the death of one sister is not the end of their relationship that they are the same. Even though one “sister” is gone they are still alive in each other.

After comparing two of Fine’s pieces rather decrepitly, I feel that I have strengthened my descriptive writing techniques. I also find it easier to compare and contrast differing pieces. Through critiquing Mourning Old Sister I no longer look at a piece of art and accept it at first glance. Instead, I probe the deeper meaning of it, dissecting every detail and questioning the artist’s motives. I don’t feel that I could have practiced and learned these techniques by simply reading a chapter in a book. The experience of critiquing art has greatly expanding my writing style as well as my knowledge of art. English composition is more than just writing essays, it’s expanding our experience as a writer.