Can anyone "grade" my AWA essay for GRE? 0-6 scale
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08 Nov 2013, 12:47
Prompt:
In order for any work of art—for example, a film, a novel, a poem, or a song—to have merit, it must be understandable to most people.
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.
Response:
As art becomes more controversial and abstruse to the common eye, the more confusion it gains by the viewer. However, art says a lot of about our current culture and environment, as it works as a response to these things. As a society, we should appreciate this communication by artists and strive to learn and teach not only what the art has to say for itself, but what the artist is saying as well. Part of what makes art so vital to society is the education and history surrounding it.
Across the globe, more and more museums are adapting a set of pedagogical tools that inform the public about not only the art that belongs to the museum itself, but also art education in general. Museum directors are starting to realize that they have a responsibility to educate their public in more innovative ways each day. That is why part of museum funding goes toward the education departments in these art spaces. The Frye Art Museum in Seattle has a remarkable education department that educates interested students from Seattle University to participate in a gallery guide training internship. To do so, though it is not required to be an art or art history major, it is vital that each guide learns about the art work of the permanent collection and current exhibitions in the museum, so that they can then inform the public of these works of art. The teaching methodology behind this training is to allow the public to decide what their original thoughts, feelings, and interpretations are about this work, and discussing together (with additional information about each artwork and artist) the possibilities of interpretation behind each work. Resolutely, this shows that each work of art, whether it is a painting by Henri Matisse or a light sculpture by Dan Flavin, causes a reaction of some kind which can be discussed properly if given the opportunity.
Additionally, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has an expansive education department with an abundant array of opportunities for anyone who sets foot in the door. They have a number of internships and fellowships for interested students to come and learn how to teach the museum public about, for example, Modern European Art, concentrating on painters Modigliani and Rene Magritte. This allows an experiential and hands-on type of education that these students may not be able to attain if it weren’t for a museum environment like the Met. These internships and fellowship programs would not be possible without the initial educations themselves; that is, the curators and directors with a high level educational degree (such as a BA or PhD) in areas of art and art history, or even perhaps museumology (a newer program for equal Graduate level degree). These curators and directors pass their knowledge down so that the process can continue, and in doing so, these works of art, whether they be around for decades or days, can live on and have a voice that needs to be heard.
Without these faithful educators and students dedicated to art in some way (whether it be walking in a museum to attend a guided tour or going to Doctoral school for Art History), the conversation of art would diminish and the ability to comprehend art in the way it was intended would be lost. Society is lucky to have not only these artists and works of art, but the art directors and educators that persist in the assurance that these messages of art are heard. This cycle is what truly gives art its importance and cultural vigor, and it is an integral hope to wish and work toward its continual growth and success.