Web Dropin #4
Emily C.
Moser
SLM 521
April 2004
Freedom of Art
Is Modern Art Challenging or Offensive?
Introduction: It
is a lovely summer day and you and your friends take a road trip to visit the
National Gallery in D.C. When you arrive
you have to press your way through an angry crowd to get inside. Surprised, you wonder what the hubbub is
about. Then you get inside and see a
giant painting of St. Mary. Peering
closer, you realize the brushstrokes are composed of dung! Turning to your friends, you see that they
are standing by a real-life pig carcass suspended in formaldehyde! Are you offended? Are these works disgusting and inappropriate? Or, are they just self-expression and commentary
on society? But, have the artists gone
too far?
The meanings and
purposes of art have changed and developed throughout history. Or, have they? Defining art and its role in society is never
easy. Modern art is often ‘challenging’
to say the least. After reading and
discussing the two articles below, you will have to decide whether to love or
hate modern art…and defend your answer!
Instructions: Click on and read each of the following
articles. Jot down five good
points/comments made in each of the articles, both for and against your view
point.
Then be prepared to discuss these questions:
- Should self-expression have any
limits?
- What is modern art?
- How are art and religion related?
- How does funding impact art?
- Should government regulate art
exhibits?
“The Art of Controversy”
Read about the controversial art exhibit at the
Brooklyn Museum of Art and the sensational reactions to it. See how the city responds and how funding
impacts art.
Click here:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/july-dec99/art_10-8.html
“Art vs.
Religion: Whose Rights Will Come First?”
Read about
a controversial exhibit in
Click here:
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured_articles/20030903wednesday.html