My dissertation was entitled ‘An Analysis of the Concept of Truth and Authenticity in Existential Art’; I received my feedback this week. The work was marked by two tutors, Dr Tracey Warr and Dr Stelios Manganis, it was also reviewed by an external examiner.
From my feedback I have yet again established that I need not attempt to cover such a vast array of subjects, concepts, terms etc. and that I need to avoid ‘patch writing’ in future. I didn’t allow the reader to ‘concentrate on a single line of investigation’, something that I find hard myself.
My mind seems to constantly store new and exciting information without ever going into detail about anything. I can be an endearing intellectual in conversation but it seems as though on paper, my thought pattern is bewildering. I feel proud that although I’m not a first-class honours student, I have written something described as being ‘overall an ambitious and very interesting essay’. I like that I introduce the reader to ‘challenging ideas’, that my work is ‘obviously a committed piece of research into the nature of art’ and that I ‘express subjective judgments’.
My subjective judgments on paper strengthen my personal definition of art in discussion and allow me to form more cohesive, objective opinions with regards to the theories, definitions and opinions of others. I was told originally that to question what art is, would be too broad a subject matter for the critical essay. In my feedback and thinking back on my research, it would have made more sense for me to stick to that idea rather than over complicating my work due to my interest in existentialism, truth and authenticity.
The module I am working on alongside my degree show project is called ‘Fine Art Evaluation’; next year this will become the ‘Art Writing’ module, a much more fitting title for the work expected of us. I am incredibly excited by the prospect of another written module as writing is something I often struggle with but enjoy whole heartedly.
I am reviewing a Performance Evening with Anya Liftig & Dr Tracey Warr as part of Roves and Roams on the seventh of February at OVADA, the event is now sold out:
http://anyaliftigevening.eventbrite.co.uk/?ebtv=C
