Virtual Exhibit Introduction

Summary

The video introduces a Virtual Exhibit Project, a major graded assignment where students curate their own art exhibit, selecting 5-8 artworks around a theme related to their class curriculum. The project is multi-step, involving brainstorming, research, and critique. Students must avoid using unreliable sources like Pinterest and are encouraged to explore library databases. A mini-exhibit using three objects is an early requirement, and peer feedback helps refine the final exhibit. The format can vary, from a website to a simple Word document or PowerPoint. Creativity and fun are emphasized, with flexibility in presentation style.

Takeaways

• 🎨 The Virtual Exhibit Project is a multi-step assignment worth about 20% of the course grade, involving curating a group of artwork based on a theme of interest.
• 🖼️ Students must choose a topic relevant to the course's curriculum, focusing on art or architecture from the cultures and periods studied in class.
• 📚 Research beyond simple Google searches is required, with a focus on using library databases and credible sources to support the exhibit theme.
• ⚠️ Students should avoid selecting objects from Pinterest due to unreliable information and instead use museum collections or library resources.
• ✍️ The project involves creating an exhibit theme, selecting 5-8 artworks, and writing thematic labels for the chosen objects.
• 🖊️ Students will first complete a 'Mini Exhibit' with three objects, which will be posted for peer critique and feedback.
• 👥 After receiving peer feedback, students will revise their exhibits and submit the final version for grading.
• 💡 Creativity is encouraged in the presentation of the exhibit, with options ranging from websites to PowerPoint presentations or even PDF documents.
• ✅ A peer review process is integrated, where students will critique two other exhibits, and comments will help improve their final submission.
• 📅 The first step, called 'Initial Thoughts,' is due soon and requires students to submit a 250-word description of their potential topic and identify one central artwork.

Q & A

What is the Virtual Exhibit Project and how much is it worth?

The Virtual Exhibit Project is a large, multi-step project where students curate an exhibit of artwork by the same artist or within the same theme. It is worth about one-fifth of the student's overall grade.

What is the first step in the Virtual Exhibit Project?

The first step is to pick a topic related to the course curriculum, brainstorm ideas, and begin researching to confirm the chosen theme.

Can students choose any artist or artwork for the project?

No, students must select art or architecture that pertains to the curriculum of the class, which covers specific cultures and historical periods.

How many artworks need to be included in the final exhibit?

Students need to include five to eight artworks in their final exhibit, all centered around their chosen theme.

What should students avoid when selecting exhibit objects?

Students should avoid selecting objects from Pinterest due to the unreliable information often associated with the images. They are encouraged to use library research guides and museum collections.

What is the purpose of the 'Mini Exhibit' in the project?

The Mini Exhibit involves selecting three objects, writing thematic labels, and presenting them in a smaller version of the final exhibit. This helps students practice and refine their ideas before the final submission.

What happens after students submit their Mini Exhibit?

After submitting the Mini Exhibit, students will critique two other classmates' Mini Exhibits as part of the peer feedback process.

How can students make their Virtual Exhibit more creative?

Students are encouraged to be creative in how they present their exhibits. They can use different platforms like websites, PDFs, PowerPoints, or slides. The project allows flexibility in presentation style.

Are there any examples of previous student exhibits available?

Yes, there are examples of previous student exhibits provided in the module, including exhibits made using platforms like Carrd, Artsteps, Prezi, and more.

What should be included in the first assignment of the project?

For the first assignment, students need to describe their potential topic in under 250 words and identify one central artwork that may be key to their exhibit.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Overview of the Virtual Exhibit Project

The Virtual Exhibit Project is a multi-step assignment, constituting 20% of the final grade. Students will curate an exhibit featuring artworks from a single artist, all connected by a central theme. The project has multiple graded stages, providing opportunities for feedback and includes peer critiques. To begin, students can access the module, which is divided into sections on curating and posting the exhibit. The first task is to create an exhibit theme, select 5-8 artworks, write thematic labels, and arrange the exhibit in a virtual gallery. It’s important to select a topic related to the class curriculum, allowing for creativity in selecting art or architecture from the covered periods and cultures.

05:05

🖼️ Selecting and Researching Your Exhibit Theme

The first step involves brainstorming a topic related to the course material, such as a cultural or artistic theme. Students must pick topics related to the class curriculum (ancient art, for example), avoiding unrelated subjects like Monet. The project offers flexibility in terms of objects, allowing students to curate even monumental ancient works virtually. Research is essential and requires the use of library databases rather than a simple online search. Students are advised to use specific library guides and avoid using unverified sources like Pinterest to find artwork.

10:06

📚 The Mini Exhibit and Peer Critique Process

Once students have chosen their objects and done research, they will create a Mini Exhibit, featuring three of their selected objects. They will write thematic labels for these pieces and post the exhibit online. The next step involves reviewing classmates' exhibits and providing peer critiques, which will help improve their own projects. After receiving feedback, students will revise and perfect their virtual exhibits for final submission. The final version will be posted on a discussion board and submitted for grading. This step allows students to refine their projects with the help of their peers' perspectives.

💡 Inspiration from Previous Student Exhibits

Students who feel overwhelmed by the project are encouraged to look at examples of past student exhibits to better understand the expectations and possibilities. These exhibits vary greatly, from detailed websites to simple Word documents and PowerPoint presentations. The instructor provides links to past student work for inspiration. Some students have creatively used platforms like Carrd, Artsteps, and Prezi, while others have opted for more traditional formats like PDFs or PowerPoints. The key is to take ownership of the project and enjoy the process.

✍️ Initial Steps: Topic and Central Artwork Selection

The first step of the project requires students to submit a brief description (under 250 words) of their potential topic along with a selected central artwork. This initial phase helps lay the foundation for the exhibit, but it is expected that topics and artworks may evolve as research progresses. The assignment is graded with a rubric, and students should begin their research early, keeping track of their sources for future reference. The instructor reassures students that shifts in topic are normal and a part of the research process.

Keywords

💡Virtual Exhibit Project

The Virtual Exhibit Project is the main focus of the video. It is a large, multi-step assignment where students curate their own exhibit using a set of artworks related to a common theme or cultural aspect. The project encourages creativity and research, as students select 5 to 8 artworks, develop labels, and present them in a virtual gallery. The project is worth about one-fifth of the semester grade.

💡Curating

Curating refers to the process of selecting, organizing, and presenting artworks for the Virtual Exhibit. In this project, students act as curators, choosing artworks around a specific theme, writing thematic and artwork labels, and arranging the artworks in a virtual gallery. This allows students to explore and learn more about art within the course's scope.

💡Theme

The theme is the central idea or subject of the exhibit that connects all the selected artworks. Students are encouraged to choose a theme that aligns with the cultures or periods covered in class. They can explore a question, a cultural aspect, an ancient technique, or a work of architecture. The theme gives coherence to the exhibit, tying all artworks together.

💡Art or Architecture

Art or architecture are the primary types of objects that students can choose for their exhibit. The artworks or architectural pieces must be from cultures or periods relevant to the course curriculum. This includes monumental structures or ancient artwork, offering students the flexibility to choose grand pieces without real-world constraints like insurance or logistics.

💡Library Research

Library research is an essential component of the project. After selecting a theme, students are required to use library databases and research guides to find relevant scholarly sources and artworks. This research goes beyond simple internet searches, emphasizing the importance of academic rigor in the project.

💡Mini Exhibit

The Mini Exhibit is a smaller version of the final project where students present three selected objects along with thematic labels. It serves as a mid-point checkpoint for students to receive feedback and improve their final exhibit. The Mini Exhibit is posted on a discussion board, allowing peers to provide critiques and comments.

💡Peer Comments

Peer comments are the feedback that students give and receive on each other’s Mini Exhibits. After posting their Mini Exhibit, students must critique two exhibits from their classmates. These comments help improve the final exhibit by offering new perspectives or suggestions for refinement.

💡Presentation

Presentation refers to how the final exhibit is displayed. Students can choose from a variety of formats, such as websites, PDFs, PowerPoint slides, or online gallery platforms like Carrd or Artsteps. The choice of presentation style is flexible, allowing students to be as creative or straightforward as they want in their project execution.

💡Student Examples

Student examples are past Virtual Exhibit projects shared by the instructor to help current students understand what a successful exhibit looks like. These examples offer inspiration and practical ideas for organizing and presenting their own exhibits. By looking at how previous students have structured their work, current students can better visualize the project's requirements.

💡Grading Rubric

The grading rubric is a tool used to assess each step of the Virtual Exhibit Project. Each task, from initial topic selection to the final exhibit, has a rubric that students can consult to understand how they will be graded. It ensures that students meet all required elements of the project, providing clear expectations and helping them align their work with the project’s criteria.

Highlights

The Virtual Exhibit Project is a multi-step project worth about a fifth of the student's grade.

The project involves curating an exhibit of 5 to 8 artworks around a theme that pertains to the class curriculum.

Students are required to select a theme that is connected to the art or architecture covered in the course.

Research for the project goes beyond simple online searches and involves using library databases.

No more than two objects in the exhibit may come from the class study guide or textbook.

Students must avoid using sources like Pinterest for object selection due to unreliable information.

The project includes a 'Mini Exhibit' where students present three of their selected objects with thematic labels.

Students will critique two of their classmates' exhibits as part of the project.

The final virtual exhibit will be shared with both classmates and the instructor for grading.

Students are encouraged to be creative in how they present their exhibits, using formats like websites, PowerPoints, or Word documents.

Examples of previous students’ work, such as exhibits on Mannerism and Caravaggio, are available for inspiration.

Students are advised to keep track of all the sources they read to avoid losing important information.

The first step of the project, 'Initial Thoughts,' involves selecting a potential topic and central object for the exhibit.

The project allows for flexibility, with students' topics and objects likely evolving as they conduct more research.

The final submission for the first step should be a 250-word description of the topic and one artwork.

Transcripts

Hi guys! Let's talk about your Virtual Exhibit  Project. At this point in the semester you have  

completed your Museum Visit Paper, you know how  to use your study guide in the exams, and so now  

it's time to turn your attention to this large,  multi-step project that's worth about a fifth  

of your grade. It's your opportunity to look  at a group of artwork, all by the same artist,  

all in the same theme, a topic, a cultural aspect  that's of interest to you. And it is a multi-step,  

so I know that you're on the right path. And it's  a graded multi-step, so you get feedback as you  

go. And there's also a component where you will  look at your other classmates Virtual Exhibits  

and write a critique. So let's look at the  instructions. Go to the module area of your course  

and find the Virtual Exhibit Project module.  Here you see it. It's got three headers:  

Introduction to the Virtual Exhibit Project,  curating the steps, and then finally posting  

your Virtual Exhibit. We start right at the  top with the introduction. You'll see this  

page. "Welcome!" it says. "You will be curating  your own exhibit." It reads, "This project is  

your opportunity to venture beyond our study  guides and discover more art from the cultures  

that we cover in this class. You will create an  exhibit theme, identify five to eight artworks,  

develop thematic and artwork labels, and then  install your exhibit in a virtual gallery."  

So the first step is to pick a topic. This is a  brainstorming part and I'd like you to consider a  

few things here. Most importantly, you do need to  select something that pertains to the curriculum  

of our class. If this is an ancient art class,  unfortunately you cannot do a Virtual Exhibit  

on Monet, for instance. So right here in the box  I've emphasized that your project must concern art  

or architecture from the cultures or  relative periods that we cover in class.  

Now there is a way to make this more  interdisciplinary and we'll get to that when we  

look at what objects you can select. But for this  stage, you need to pick something that is related  

to our curriculum. Oh! And it can be art  or architecture. The beautiful thing about  

this project is that you're not constrained, as a  real museum curator would be, to have maybe small  

objects, cheaply shipped in with loan agreements  and insurance papers. You can choose anything you  

want. You can assemble massive monuments from  the ancient world in your exhibit if you like.  

So you'll pick a topic, and here I've suggested  that you can explore a question, you can explore  

a subject or an ancient technique or a work of  architecture. Now after you brainstorm a topic,  

you're going to do some research. You're going to  do more research than simply Googling the topic.  

This entails going to your library and looking  in the library databases. This is definitely a  

skill you'll need if you transfer, especially  in the social sciences or the humanities.  

So this is in Step Two, what's called the  Theme. At our libraries we have a research  

guide specifically for this topic for our  class. So this one you see is for Ohlone.  

I teach elsewhere and so there will also be  specific guides at individual colleges. So  

after you have brainstormed a topic, read about  it a little bit, confirm that that's the topic  

that you want to do. Then you get to select  the art in the next step, the Exhibit Objects.  

Again you'll probably use your library research  guide and I tell you different places where you  

can find really good objects. There are a  lot of links in our research guide directly  

to the collections of major museums, so you  can use those links. You can also use some  

other places that I suggested. Actually you can  find any object online that you wish, um, but  

there's a tip and then there's  a guideline. Here I say that  

no more than two objects may be from your study  guide or your textbook. But my real tip is:  

Don't select objects from Pinterest. There  are so many wonderful images there, I know,  

but the information is horrible. You will fall  in love with an object and then you will not be  

able to find out anything about that object  and you will be heartbroken. So my biggest  

recommendation at this stage of the game is  not to look on Pinterest. Sorry about that.  

So now you've got a topic, you've done some  research, you've selected your objects,  

um, then we do what I call a Mini Exhibit. You  take three of your objects, you write a thematic  

label, you put it all together in this Mini  Exhibit or what I also call the Three-Object Post.  

Now again there are more instructions for each of  these steps. This is just the introduction, just  

the overview. I've decided to remind you that you  have to write this exhibit yourself. So be careful  

cutting and pasting, because I will find out  about it and it will make your work for naught.  

After you posted a Mini Exhibit, then you get to  look around and see other people's Mini Exhibits,  

and then you will critique two of them. You see,  the Mini Exhibit will be posted on a discussion  

board, and then you'll be able to find out if  other people have a similar or the same topic.  

If so, chances are you'll want to see what  kind of research they've done, what objects  

they've selected. You might want to review their  exhibit. So that's in Step Five: Peer Comments.  

Finally, after you get your critiques, your peer  comments, back, you'll go and you'll perfect,  

um well, you'll just make your virtual exhibit  much better. And then you will post it as the  

final version, again on a discussion board,  so everyone will see it, and then also you'll  

send it directly to me for grading. So that's  the Introduction to the Virtual Exhibit. Now I  

know that this seems like a freaky large project  and so sometimes students get a little...scared.  

So let me tell you the best thing I think is to go  and look at Student Examples of Virtual Exhibits.  

You can do as much or as little  with the presentation of this,  

but I find that when students  look at other Virtual Exhibits,  

all of these instructions kindof' click into  place and so they have a good idea of what they're  

doing. So here I want to tell you that I've gotten  permission from various students to offer their  

exhibits to you and that you can really make this  project your own. So here is one on Mannerism.  

This link is still active, so you can look at  it. Because ultimately for your Virtual Exhibit  

you can do something amazing like build a  website, but you don't have to. You can also  

treat this more as a straightforward research  paper and simply do everything in a word doc. So  

it's really up to you, the choice is yours, where  you take this exhibit in this presentation stage.  

So here are some examples of student exhibits.  They've used Carrd and Artsteps and Prezi. You can  

click on and explore some of these. Here's a very  amusing one all about Caravaggio that someone did  

two years ago. Here are students that have used  pdfs, word docs and saved it as a pdf, or used  

Powerpoints. You can simply make a slide deck for  this project too. So [this is] to really give you  

a sense of how they well worked with their objects  and the different topics that are possible.  

This, I think, is a great installation: Someone  plastered their selected images on either side of  

this, um, building with this, um, statement.  He said, "I'd like to have the paintings to  

be exhibited on a graffiti wall, as painting on  public property is a classic way to get people's  

attention." So true. So I say to you that this is  your project. Be creative, learn something new,  

but have fun with it, please. And I challenge you  to create an exhibit that you would like to visit.  

So if you're watching this video and looking at  the Introduction to the Virtual Exhibit Project,  

um, you're probably aware that the first step  is due in a couple of days or maybe within the  

week. So here are those instructions, Your Step  One: Initial Thoughts. It's worth 20 points.  

I'd like you to consider potential topics or  ideas, what idea would you want to explore,  

what artwork or group of art objects would you  like to learn more about, what is a point about  

art that you wish to make. Now I don't give you  these questions such that you have to answer them.  

They're just ways to begin thinking about your  topic. Okay? So I do recommend that you go ahead  

and begin reading about whatever topic that you're  interested in, just to see what's out there.  

I also recommend that you keep track of everything  that you read because you don't want in four weeks  

to think, "Oh, that was the perfect quote.  Now I understand it. I wonder where it was,"  

and then try to find it. Just keep track  of everything that you read now whether  

you think it's relevant or not, and trust me,  later, you'll be glad you've got that list.  

And then when you get a potential topic, I  also want in this assignment for you to select  

a potential central object, an actual  thing, an artwork or a work of architecture,  

a monument that may be central to your exhibit.  Okay? Now this artwork might change and in fact  

your topic might change, and I kindof' expect that  in the next steps, that the more you read about  

your topic, it might narrow, it might shift, it  might completely change. And that's really kindof'  

a good thing. So just know that I'm aware of that.  But remember, this is in that box, your project must  

concern art or architecture from the cultures  or relative periods that we cover in this class.

So finally, specifically what I want you  to submit in this First Step is describe  

your potential topic under 250 words and identify  one artwork that may be central to your exhibit.  

All of these steps, as I've said, are graded  and they all have rubrics. So you might want  

to check out the rubric too. So there you have  it. That is your Introduction to our Virtual  

Exhibit Project. If you have questions, you know  how to get in touch with me. All right, take care!