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HUM 1150 ART AS EXPRESSION

Assessment 2

Art as Expression

Interpret a work of art and describe the features of the art that give it meaning and expressive power. Consider how your own cultural biases and perspectives shape your reaction to and interpretation of this artwork.

Look at situations from all angles, and you will become more open.

Dalai Lama, spiritual leader

Have you ever had a problem, such as a leaky faucet, an issue with a family member, or a school assignment, that you just couldnt solve? You might have tried and tried to come up with an answer, growing more frustrated as time went on. Perhaps, you then asked someone else for help, and they immediately came up with the perfect solution. Baffled, you may have thought to yourself, How did they do that? The answer is often that the other person simply looked at the problem differently. And many times, a different point of view is exactly what you need to find a solution.

In this assessment, you will further develop your problem-solving skills by exploring how different people and cultures approach making decisions and resolving conflicts. By looking at a single problem from multiple perspectives, you will find more creative solutions to complex issues at home, school, and work. You will also continue to improve your self- and social-awareness skills as you explore how your perspective may be biased and how that bias affects the way you process information.

Most of my important lessons about life have come from recognizing how others from a different culture view things.

Edgar H. Schein, organizational psychologist

If youve ever wondered why people from different cultures think and do things differently than you, heres your chance to satisfy your curiosity about customs, traditions, religious beliefs, and more. While you work through this assessment, youll strengthen your problem-solving and self- and social-awareness skills by exploring cultural similarities and differences, which will allow you to understand where other people are coming from. Exploring and thinking critically about how friends, peers, colleagues, and even strangers from different backgrounds view the world can make you more empathetic and understanding. And applying this empathy and understanding will ultimately help you build the successful, collaborative relationships that are critical to your personal and professional success. Youll continue to cultivate your problem-solving skills as you compare and contrast cultures around the world and develop critical thinking strategies to understand the perspectives and behaviors of others. Youll also strengthen your self- and social-awareness skills by exploring how your personal and cultural experiences influence your opinions and choices.

The universe is made of stories, not atoms.

Muriel Rukeyser, poet

Storytelling transcends all cultures, time periods, and geographic regions. Thats why the ancient Greeks built huge amphitheaters and why you find yourself saying Just one more episode! as you devour the new season of your favorite TV show. So its not surprising that understanding the stories we tell is a critical part of the study of humanities.

In all of this, you will further develop your problem-solving skills by exploring stories from different cultures. By learning about common storytelling themes and values (and their differences and similarities), you will discover more ways to think critically about perspectives.

References

BrainyQuote. (n.d.). Dalai Lama quotes.

Goodreads. (n.d.). Edgar H. Schein quotes.

Wikiquote. (n.d.). Muriel Rukeyser.

This assessment will look more closely at the means of expression.

There is a tradition of artistic interpretation that stresses expression as the main goal of artworks. Whether its a painting, a film, a novel, a play, music, or a piece of sculpture, artwork can give expression to ideas and emotions that can be difficult to express in ordinary words. Weve seen that artworks convey aspects of culture and family tradition. But they can also express and communicate religious ideas and feelings, or political struggles. And a work of art can express the personal experiences and inner life of the artist who created it. A work of art can do all of this in a way that connects the viewer or audience to the artist. Some see this type of connection as the closest we can get to experiencing the inner life of another person.

For example, to get an idea of the means artworks have available for expression, consider how a representational painting conveys much more than whats directly represented (for example, a human figure or mountainscape). A painter can use color, line, shading, and composition (arrangement of forms) to express ideas and emotions about whats depicted in the painting.

For this assessment, first, choose an artwork to analyze as a means of expression. You should choose an artwork different from the one you selected for Assessment 1. You may select an artwork of your preference or any artwork from the text. Remember, a work of art can take a variety of forms, include a painting, a poem, a film, a piece of music, a story, or a sculpture.

Once you select your work of art, write 23 pages in which you complete the following:

  • Describe what is depicted in the selected work of art.
    • Identify the artist (or artists), when the art was created or published, and the form the art takes (music, painting, short story, etc.).
    • If the work depicts a subject or event (like representational paintings, sculptures, stories, or films do), describe what is depicted.
    • If the artwork is nonrepresentational (like an abstract painting or sculpture, music, or architecture), you can simply say that it is nonrepresentational.
  • Explain two or three things that the artwork expresses, beyond whatever is directly depicted in the work.
    • Focus on your own reaction to and interpretation of the artwork.
    • What ideas, moods, emotions, hopes, aspirations, or states of mind do you think the artist is trying to express? If the artwork is representational, perhaps the artist is expressing certain feelings about whats depicted (such as grief, anger, or joy). If the artwork is nonrepresentational, describe the feelings or memories the piece evokes.
  • Describe at least three features of the work that have expressive power.
    • Here you can focus on qualities specific to the selected art (color, line, shape, composition, light and shading, sound, and so forth). These are the aspects of the work that do the job of communicating to the viewer or listener something that can’t easily be expressed in ordinary language.
  • Explain how your cultural perspective shapes your interpretation of the art.
    • Describe any cultural biases that may influence this explanation.
  • Write in a well-organized and concise manner that adheres to the rules of grammar, usage, mechanics, citations, and formatting.

Your submission should meet the following requirements:

  • Length: 23 pages of text, in addition to a title page and reference page.
  • Written communication: Written communication should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
  • Formatting: Format your submission in APA style, with a title page, double spacing, and a reference page.
  • Citations: You will need to use at least one source to identify the author and date of creation or publication. For example, if you are using artwork from the suggested textbook (), then that should be cited. Citing additional sources is not necessary or required. Properly cite sources according to APA rules. Review for more information on how to cite your sources.

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:

  • Competency 1: Analyze personal cultural bias.
    • Explain how cultural perspective shapes the interpretation of the art.
  • Competency 3: Analyze cultural differences and similarities of people globally.
    • Explain two or three things that the artwork expresses.
  • Competency 4: Analyze the role of culture and artistic expression in human thought and behavior.
    • Describe what is depicted in a selected work of art.
    • Describe at least three features of the work that have expressive power.
  • Competency 5: Address the assignment purpose in a well-organized text, incorporating appropriate evidence and tone in grammatically sound sentences.
    • Write in a well-organized and concise manner that adheres to the rules of grammar, usage, mechanics, citations, and formatting
    • Use the resources linked below to help complete this assessment.

      Our Global WorkplaceIn Italy, it is common for businesspeople to be outgoing and talkative. In Japan, businesspeople are more likely to be quiet and reserved. So its easy to imagine a meeting where an Italian executive perceives her Japanese counterpart as uninterested, while the Japanese executive feels that the Italian businesswoman is being rude (Schalkx, 2018).In our global workplace, situations like this often arise due to something called cultural bias. Cultural bias is how people interpret and judge what they see, based on standards from their own culture. In the imaginary scenario above, the cultural bias of both professionals affects the way they interpret the behavior of their counterparts. Our biases also affect the way we interpret other types of information and how we solve problems.By understanding our own biases and the biases of others, we can look at a problem from all angles. That leads us to solutions that work best for everyone because were better able to understand how our decisions affect different people.

      Reflecting on Your Biases

      You will continue to strengthen your self- and social-awareness skills with techniques that will help you objectively look at biases you may have. While most people dont consider themselves biased, we all have biasesthey are a product of our cultural backgrounds. The important thing is to be aware of these biases and understand how they affect the way we think.Reflecting on your biases will also advance your problem-solving skills because understanding how you look at the world will help you incorporate other perspectives into the way you approach conflicts and make difficult decisions. By first looking inward and thinking about how your biases affect the way you solve problems, youll be in a better position to look outward and incorporate new ideas into your approach.Lets return to the example of the Italian and Japanese executives to see these skills in action.Imagine that both executives work for Bello, a company based in Italy. Bello sells mens grooming products, and the company is trying to market its products in Japan for the first time. While their ad campaign has worked very well in Italy, it hasnt been connecting with the Japanese market. Giulia, the Italian executive, has been tasked with trying to figure out why that is. After her unproductive meeting with Botan, her Japanese counterpart, Giulia decides she can solve the problem on her own.Later that day, she reviews the marketing campaign again, but she remains unsure why it isnt performing well in Japan. She decides that to solve this problem, she needs to look at it from a Japanese perspective, and she cant do it alone. She calls another meeting with Botan.When they meet again, they acknowledge their cultural bias and how it affected their first interaction. Giulia says that she felt Botans quiet demeanor meant he wasnt interested in working with her. Botan says that he felt Giulias outspoken nature meant she didnt value his opinion. They both apologize and agree to start over.Botan explains that the ads Bello has been showing in Japan, which feature a man shaving while a woman is taking a bath, are considered disrespectful in Japanese culture. He believes that ads focused on a man shaving by himself will have a greater impact. Giulia agrees to try Botans idea. Once the new campaign is released in Japan, theres no mistaking the results: Bello is a hit!By using their self- and social-awareness skills, Giulia and Botan were able to recognize their biases and work through them. Then, they were able to use their problem-solving skills to think critically about what was causing the issue with their ad campaign and how they could solve it.You can use these same skills as you study different cultures in this course; interact with others at home, work, and school; and approach difficult decisions in your life and career.

      • .
        • Chapter 4: Beating Bias.
          • This chapter discusses ways to recognize cultural bias and how to counteract bias for better decision-making outcomes. Before you read the chapter, read or listen to these stories. Chapter 4 will refer to these artifacts.
            • The AESOP for Children. (n.d.). Read.gov.
            • Fables of Aesop. (2020).
            • Silko, L. M. (1967). . Genius.
            • Adichie, C. N. (2015). Matter.
            • Arrowmi. (2019, February 14). YouTube.
      • Ross, H. J. (2020). . Rowman & Littlefield.
        • Chapter 1, “If You Are Human, You Are Biased,” pages 16.
          • Ross provides a discussion on bias and provides insights on why humans have bias without us realizing it.
      • .
        • Learn 10 simple techniques you can use to beat your biases, grow your self-awareness, and better understand yourself. Beating bias starts with understanding where that bias comes from and working toward having a more objective (or unbiased) point of view. Discover 10 ways to grow your self- and social-awareness skills to better understand and break through your biases. You may be surprised how a little self-reflection can create big changes in both how you see the world, and how others see you.

      Reference

      Schalkx, E. (2018). How to overcome cultural biases while collaborating?Collabwith.

      Imagine that an employee transfers to your team from the companys branch in Beijing, China. Right away, you notice that she doesnt maintain eye contact during video conferences. At first, you wonder if shes being evasive or ignoring you. But when you do a little research, you discover that prolonged eye contact is considered disrespectful in East Asian cultures. After you adjust your gaze when talking to her, she becomes more comfortable and open with you during meetings (Chan, 2012).Now more than ever, modern workplaces bring people from all sorts of backgrounds together to pursue careers and shared goals. There are countless advantages to working in a multicultural environment: You can enjoy the friendship of amazing coworkers, expand your worldview, and learn new and useful approaches to work and life. But because each culture has its ways of communicating and doing business, it can take extra effort to avoid misunderstandings. You should be willing to change your behavior, as in the example above, instead of simply expecting others to observe your cultural norms.No matter what personal and professional opportunities you pursue, understanding different cultures, customs, and traditions is critical to successfully navigating your world.In Chapter 5 of Exploring Cultures, youll read memorable stories from around the world, which will give you a window into the beliefs, values, and traditions of different cultures. As you read them, consider how opening your mind to other ways of seeing the world can enrich your life.Because workplaces can also have their own cultures and traditions, be sure to check out the tips below to strengthen your problem-solving and self- and social-awareness skills and successfully navigate the differences you may encounter in workplace environments and teams throughout your career.

      • Find common connections: Some topics such as food, family, and sports tend to transcend cultural boundaries. Take time to find out what your co-workers interests are and how they overlap with yours.
      • Customize your communication: Understanding how different companies and teams communicate will smooth interactions. For instance, some teams might prefer to chat over messaging apps, while others prefer e-mail. At some workplaces, using gifs or memes might be encouraged, while others might stick to traditional forms of communication.
      • Check your bias: When you notice something about other people that makes you feel uncomfortable, look inward first. Consider how your biases are a product of your cultural background. Then, look outward for new ideas for working with particular teams or team members.

      Above all, remember that respect is important in every cultureespecially the workplace. Show respect for your colleagues, just as youd like to be respected in return. Working in a multicultural environment gives you an abundance of opportunities for learning and growth.

      • .
        • Chapter 5: Culture, Customs, and Traditions.
          • This chapter focuses on how the way we look at the world is connected with our traditions, customs, and beliefs. Before you read the chapter, view or listen to the following artifacts. Chapter 5 will refer to these artifacts.
            • Sihab Nye, N. (2008). . Poets.org.
            • Grandmas Project. (2018, February 21). | . YouTube.
            • Tan, A. (1987). . CommonLit.

      Reference

      Chan, J. (2012). What to do and how to behave in China: 18 practical tips. Asia Marketing and Management (AMM).

      • .
        • Today, the United States is consumed by division. Can people with different perspectives ever find common ground? Justine Lee set out to answer this question by starting the organization Make American Dinner Again, which gets people with disparate perspectives together and puts the hardest conversations front and center. In this media, youll see strangers with vastly different perspectives use the power of dialogue to bridge divides and build understanding.
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