Contextual Studies Assignment 4

CONTEXTUAL STUDIES ASSIGNMENT 4: REFLECTIONS ON FORMATIVE FEEDBACK

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This was written feedback

I was given lots of positive feedback, notably my decision to concentrate on Minor White as the artist for the case study, and my decision to drop John Blakemore.

See the constructive feedback given which needs action:

I noted in my A4 Learning log that I now included in my Chapter 3, images of White’s work to articulate how he uses affect in his work; this I have done to help my readers to synthesise both the information on visual methodologies I present in my dissertation and how it can be applied to interpreting meaning in images. I have used a semiotic toolkit and knowledge of symbols White uses to pick apart some of his images – In my dissertation I am applying methods I researched in my literature review. I have described some of what is denoted and connotated in the images, however I note that my tutor suggests that I add further description on what is denoted in them, to enable viewers to give readers space to ask questions.

REFLECTIVE LEARNING LOG : Show what I’ve learnt- not a description of process

DISSERTATION

General advice:

Use PEEL: Paint/Explain/Link back to research question. I’m obviously I’m still not getting there – intro to all terms with clear definitions supported not lead by references and theories.

USE REFERENCES TO UNDERPIN OWN POINTS and to clarify research methods or difficult themes – So do some “reverse engineering”

Also:

  • Ensure writing makes sense to a reader coming to it cold
  • Some places are quite dense.
  • There are some short paragraphs that would be better linked to create flow paragraphs that need linking
  • Try using an academic phrasebook
  • Check that it all makes sense to another reader.
  • Expand where critical terms need explain to a general reader
  • Ensure I reference practitioners I mention.

Content:

  • Expand on ‘Context as determinant of meaning’
  • Reread Clarkson on codes and Bate (2009) p 34 on codes and rhetoric
  • Add more on objective photographers eg. Blossfeldt, Evans, Rineke Dijkstra
  • On sequencing images add Colborg reading
  • Describe images – Denotation into connotationsee Barrett formulansubject+medium+form+context (what’s it about)

Reference:

Bate, D. (2009) Photography: The Key Concepts. New York: Berg publishers.

Colberg, J. (February 26 2018) Towards a Photobook Taxonomy. At: https://cphmag.com/photobook-taxonomy/ (Accessed 31/10/2021).

CONTEXTUAL STUDIES ASSIGNMENT 4: REVISED LEARNING LOG ENTRY

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NICOLA SOUTH PH6CTS-4

Student number:514516

Following the submission of my CS assignment 4 to my tutor, I worked on the feedback given which I tried to take all into account:

  • I tried to use PEEL as advised by tutor but I still need to develop this.
  • I’ve added temporary working subtitles for paragraphs

I added some further reading, including:

Barrett, T. (1986) ‘A Theoretical Construct for Interpreting Photographs’ In: Studies in Art Education 27 (2) pp.52–60.

Bunnell, P. (1991) ‘Minor White’s photographic sequence rural cathedrals. Areading’ In: Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society Published By: American Philosophical Society 135 (4) pp.557–568.

Brower, M. (2018) ‘Photography, Curation, Affect’ In: Journal of Visual Culture 17 (2) pp.177–197.

Clarkson, G. (2014) ‘Photographic codes’ In: OCA (ed.) Photography 2: Documentary fact or fiction. Barnsley: Open College of the Arts. pp.81–85.

Killip, C. (2023) Life in Pictures: Chris Killip. At: https://www.frieze.com/article/life-pictures-chris-killip (Accessed 24/03/2023).

Oring, S. (2023) Minor White Some Excerpts From Minor White’s Memorable Fancies. At: https://archive.org/details/minor-white-some-excerpts-from-minor-whites-memorable-fancies/page/n1/mode/2up (Accessed 09/04/2023).

Portland Art Museum (2018) LECTURE: Todd Cronan, PH.D. – From Expression to Creation: Minor White’s Theater. At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBwJG1-XHug (Accessed 06/04/2023).

The only reading that I didn’t find directly useful was the Killip article, though I enjoyed it having visited an exhibition of his work at the photographer’s gallery.

I then revised my assignment 3 drafts of the introduction and Chapter 1.

  • Before beginning the draft of the remaining chapters I reviewed all tutor feedback for CS and reread many articles.
  • I have submitted almost 3,000 words to my tutor for the remaining chapters of my dissertation.

I changed my dissertation title described in my learning log at: https://nkssite6.photo.blog/category/contextual-studies/c-s-assignments/cs-ass4-learning-log/

After reading and preparing evidence for chapter three – Affect and effect in the work of Minor White and John Blakemore, I decided to restrict my dissertation to the work of Minor White. This partly because I had plenty to evidence my theme in the work of Minor White alone. But more so as after deeper research on both I felt Blakemore’s work didn’t exemplify my theme in such a rich manner.

Blakemore’s work does often explore a theme over time, returning to one subject over a period. He does use some work as a metaphor for his own emotions, such as Wounds of trees (1971) after his marriage break up, and he does include some symbolism, and talks of layers of meaning. Though he does use sequencing to underline meaning, this is not as much as White did.

Overall I felt the main thrust of his work is a contemplation of nature and his relationship with it, but less so about the “something else”, an equivalence to a feeling that a subject evokes that White works into. And it is the affect in the something else, that is in Whites work that interest me and exemplifies my research more fully.

Structure

I have added contents and illustrations tables pages as suggested in the coursebook.

CONTEXTUAL STUDIES ASSIGNMENT FOUR: REFLECTIONS ON LEARNING OUTCOMES

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LO1 undertaken research and study demonstrating comprehensive knowledge of your area of specialisation and built a theoretical framework for your creative practice.

Q: Have I researched and studied my specialisation and demonstrated a comprehensive knowledge?

I have evidenced a wide and deep range of reading in my remaining chapter drafts.

Q: Have I built a theoretical framework for my creative practice?

I have advanced from the literature review and assignment 3 (Introduction and 1st chapter) to interrogating and interrelating academic arguments and evidencing against them, from more simply sharing them.

LO2 synthesised and articulated your critical, contextual and conceptual knowledge and understanding into a coherent critique of advanced academic standard.

Q: Have I pulled together research and written using evidence?

This is evidenced in my remaining chapters and I have used PEEL (Point, Example, Explain, Link) to do so as suggested by my Tutor in the last feedback.

Q: Have I referred to my BOW contextualising practise and theory?

I haven’t directly referred as I don’t believe this is necessary, however my BOW practice directly relates to my essay topic, stimulates my CS research and broadens my understanding. I have included artist’s images and articulated using visual methodologies described in Chapter one how White expresses himself and what is connotated.

Q: Have I evidenced in writing my concept thoroughly and how broader concepts have fed into this?

Broad concepts run throughout these chapters as they do in my introduction and Chapter 1 previously submitted. I have reviewed my work as a whole to ensure that these concepts are consistently referred to throughout the work. It is to the required academic standard.

LO3 applied your own criteria of judgement, reviewed, criticised and taken responsibility for your own work with minimum guidance.

Q: Have I reviewed, judged, and critiqued myself? I have reflected as I have worked and have done so here also.

LO4 selected and applied information management skills and used appropriate technology in the production of an accomplished critique with minimal supervision.

Q: Have I used information management skills and technology?

I have used some online sources and referencing mechanisms as well as reference data bases such as paperpile. I have used IT skills to present my work.

Q: Have I produced a good critique myself?  This technical aspect has achieved independently.

Reference:

Alexander, J. (2013) Contextual Studies. Barnsley: Open College of the Arts.

CONTEXTUAL STUDIES ASSIGNMENT FOUR: LEARNING LOG

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Following the submission of my CS assignment 3 to my tutor, I worked on the feedback given which I tried to take all into account:

  • I tried to use PEEL as advised by tutor but I still need to develop this.
  • I’ve added temporary working subtitles for paragraphs

I added some further reading including:

Barrett, T. (1986) ‘A Theoretical Construct for Interpreting Photographs’ In: Studies in Art Education 27 (2) pp.52–60.

Bunnell, P. (1991) ‘Minor White’s photographic sequence rural cathedrals. Areading’ In: Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society Published By: American Philosophical Society 135 (4) pp.557–568.

Brower, M. (2018) ‘Photography, Curation, Affect’ In: Journal of Visual Culture 17 (2) pp.177–197.

Clarkson, G. (2014) ‘Photographic codes’ In: OCA (ed.) Photography 2: Documentary fact or fiction. Barnsley: Open College of the Arts. pp.81–85.

Killip, C. (2023) Life in Pictures: Chris Killip. At: https://www.frieze.com/article/life-pictures-chris-killip (Accessed 24/03/2023).

Oring, S. (2023) Minor White Some Excerpts From Minor White’s Memorable Fancies. At: https://archive.org/details/minor-white-some-excerpts-from-minor-whites-memorable-fancies/page/n1/mode/2up (Accessed 09/04/2023).

Portland Art Museum (2018) LECTURE: Todd Cronan, PH.D. – From Expression to Creation: Minor White’s Theater. At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBwJG1-XHug (Accessed 06/04/2023).

The only reading that I didn’t find directly useful was the Killip article, though I enjoyed it having visited an exhibition of his work at the photographer’s gallery.

I then revised my assignment 3 drafts of the introduction and Chapter one:

  • Before beginning the draft of the remaining chapters I reviewed all tutor feedback for CS and reread many articles.
  • I have submitted almost 3,00 words to my tutor for the remaining chapters of my dissertation.

I changed my dissertation title:

After reading and preparing evidence for chapter three – Affect and effect in the work of Minor White and John Blakemore, I decided to restrict my dissertation to the work of Minor White. This partly because I had plenty to evidence my theme in the work of Minor White alone. But more so as after deeper research on both I felt Blakemore’s work didn’t exemplify my theme in such a rich manner.

Blakemore’s work does often explore a theme over time, returning to one subject over a period. He does use some work as a metaphor for his own emotions, such as Wounds of trees (1971) after his marriage break up, and he does include some symbolism, and talks of layers of meaning. Though he does use sequencing to underline meaning, this is not as much as White did.

Overall I felt the main thrust of his work is a contemplation of nature and his relationship with it, but less so about the “something else”, an equivalence to a feeling that a subject evokes that White works into. And it is the affect in the something else, that is in Whites work that interest me and exemplifies my research more fully.

Content

I have applied relevant research on visual methodologies to my dissertation by expanding on images added to the literature review of Minor White’s work, and articulated how semiotics and knowledge of context and symbolism can expose expression and affect in his images

Structure

I have added contents and illustrations tables pages as suggested in the coursebook.

Assignment 4 Remaining Chapters (Draft)

Submit the remaining draft manuscript for your extended written project, (chapter 2 onwards) observing the following submission guidelines:

● 2-3,000 words in length or equivalent alternative. This includes quotations, but excludes footnotes and bibliography. Please do not submit work that is above the allowed word limit as this will impact on the available time tutors have to spend reviewing work. Check with your tutor on appropriate word count, for example you might submit a fully developed 2,000 words, or 3,000 words that still needs some editing.

● Please note that your draft is not a ‘rough’ draft – the very first draft that you have done – but a completed first draft. Edit carefully to ensure that your draft meets the word count, and that you have answered your research question. It is helpful to break this longer assignment into 1 – 3 separate chapters of c.1,000 – 1,500 words each with a conclusion.

Reference: Alexander, J et al. (2020) Contextual Studies. Barnsley: Open College of the Arts