Uncategorized | February 28, 2004

For our first assignment in Art Appreciation, we were to learn about an art movement and, in the course of our eight minute presentation, discuss what the movement was all about, analyzing three works of art within the movement. Before we began our presentations, we were encouraged to give our name, our year in school, and our major. I’m not being biased when I say the English majors showed the rest of the class how it’s done.

On the whole, the English majors had exceptional organizational skills. Their presentations began with a clear thesis and the topics were all closely related to the thesis and linked with smooth transitional phrases.

When it came time to analyze the art, the English majors suggested possible meaning behind the work and the work’s place in society. While some students simply used the vocabulary from the class to describe the pieces, the English majors tended to be more insightful, wondering what a whole dead shark floating in a glass case of formaldehyde really means in a metaphorical sense.

The English majors rocked our presentations because we have been trained to see things differently. We have been trained to look for what’s under the surface. In a more global sense, we have been trained to identify and understand artistic expression.

As another English major finished her presentation, I looked at our teacher’s satisfied nod and half smile. Then and there, it occurred to me that I will be acing Art Appreciation because I’m an English major.

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