Art and Art History (Honours Bachelor of Arts)

Overview of Critical Performance & Learning Outcomes in AAH Studio

Critical Performance

By the end of their program, students will have demonstrated the ability to:

• Develop a body of independently conceived and research-driven artworks/design projects that reflect an awareness of historical and contemporary art practices relevant to the student's research interests.
• Recognize and be able to articulate the elements that have contributed to a successful artwork or project.
• Work independently and/or collaboratively with self-directed goals, a schedule and fixed completion date.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of their program, students will have demonstrated the ability to:

• Follow current health and safety practices in the studio and when handling materials and equipment.
• Further develop the technical and conceptual skills acquired in previous years.
• Use specific tools, technology, techniques and media to achieve personal artistic or creative goals.
• Articulate a critical awareness of the values associated with their choice of imagery, formal elements or methods of construction.
• Apply research in the development of a resolved artwork applicable to professional-level studio practice.
• Use a critical vocabulary in one-on-one exchange with the professor and in critiques that reflects on the discipline as well as on broader interdisciplinary and cultural contexts.
• Write clear artist statements.
• Identify the artistic intentions of the work of other students.
• Engage in critiques to critically assess their own work as well as the work of their peers.
• Speak on historical and contemporary art practices that relate to their own research interests.
• Document their artwork or design projects.
• Understand the conceptual basis of a broad range of contemporary work within the discipline.
• Demonstrate an awareness of contemporary art issues related to uniqueness, authorship and originality.
• Create and present a coherent body of work that could be exhibited, presented publicly or published.

Successful students will demonstrate:

• Evidence of advanced facility with tools and techniques.
• Evidence of creativity, judgement and originality in order to achieve technical and conceptual resolution of self-directed and project-based work.
• Ability to articulate their artistic or creative intentions in the critique setting and in one-on-one exchanges with the professor.
• Willingness to independently investigate relevant historical and contemporary sources and issues, and to apply this research to their artwork and other course projects.
• Commitment to seeing their artwork through to a thoughtful and convincing point of resolution.
• Willingness to participate in critiques, and consider and respond to criticism of one's own artwork and the work of peers.
• Effective use of good critical judgement and clear language in all written assignments.