Yesterday we had our assessment for the first semester, presenting our practical and sketchbook work. Unusually, I became very nervous and half-way through trailed off and stuttered "What do you want me to talk about now?" It wasn't because I've never done a presentation or discussed my work, but because I have discussed it so many times with those tutors I know they know what it's about. I'd rather be presenting to an external assessor so I can go through the whole concept without boring myself (and them) to tears.
General theme of assessments: When you tell people you are an art student and you're feeling under some pressure with making, writing and sticking bits of paper into a sketchbook, they ask "So what do you have to do, exactly? Exams is it?" Well, no. "So no exams? Practical tests?" Er, well sort of. "So you get up at 10am, go into university, play with some mud, and complain about it?" Part of me (the cynic) wants to say "Yes, mwhaahhaa!" and the other normally corrects them saying "It's actually really hard work, like, we've got to do a 5,000 essay, ok?" (which is nothing). I find assessments fairly stressful because it's a crucial point in both your module and your life. To be considered as an intelligent and serious artist or craftsman, you have to explain your work, talk about it, discuss it and verbalise all those little internal whimsies you wanted to put in the work. In ceramics especially, if you don't talk, you're just a potter. Even in the world of visual and tactile arts, it is still the linguistic that reigns supreme.
Many artists and craftsmen feel that they shouldn't have to explain their work, and I often feel the same about mine. Either it connects, or it doesn't. The visual presence of an object or artwork, and the following emotional or conceptual response in the mind of the viewer, is the dominant aspect of art and craft. Discursive theories and all the rest are important in understanding motives, themes, contemplating the work as a more-than-just-aesthetic experience, but the aesthetic experience should come first.
So maybe the assessment should go like this: tutors contemplate work for 15 minutes. Then with sketchbooks for 15 minutes. Then finally, student comes in and asks their opinion. Compare opinions for 15 minutes. All go down the pub.
