BFA, Final Semester

BFA /BAFA Exhibition Notes, Final Semester
Prepared by Dennis DeHart for BFA/ BAFA Photography, 2016

Questions to consider for your exhibition and artist statement:

-What is it you are photographing and why?

-Why are these photographs important to you?

-Tell us about your process?

-How and why are you making the decisions you are with both the images you choose to
take, and the prints/objects/art you are making?

-What is the concept behind the work?

-Discuss the formal, design, and aesthetic decisions you have made with the photographs?

-Tell us about some of the artist/photographers that have influenced you?

-Tell us about how place/environment/space has informed your work?

-How do your family, friends, and /or community fit within this project?

-Why are these photographs considered ART?

-Discuss why you are personally interested in photography? What is it about photography that inspires, motivates you?

-What is the context of your images? Are they Documents? Art Objects in themselves? Appropriation?  Virtually oriented?

-Tell us about your process? How did you come to make this work? What is the role of craft? Your ideas? Experiential doing? 

-How do the photographs interface, interact, and dialogue with other ART processes and mediums?

-What are the historical aspects of your work?  What other artist (historically/contemporary) have employed similar strategies? How does your work contextualize within the history of photography.

-Should this work be extended into on-line contexts such as a website and virtual spaces?


To Do List for Exhibition:

-Establish the date for your BFA Show

-Edit and decide on Target of 20 prints ranging from 8x10-24x30. This is a starting point in terms of editing, selecting, and organizing images. You may also opt to do a multi-media installation which combines images, 3-d objects, design, video, and the like. This is the subjective aspect of your exhibition and open to different possibilities. Ultimately, intentionality is key to a successful semester and exhibition

-Show Card with dates, location, etc. Also, prepare a Press Release. Decide on places to send. School Paper? Hometown paper? On-Line? Art Publications?

-Decide on how you want to present the work. Framing? Magnets? Flush Mount. Combo? How to rig installation components? Mount video projectors? Lighting? Multi-media component. Slide show? Video? Installation?

-Exhibit Design. Get specs of space. Come up with a few design ideas by week 10.

-Think about food for the opening? Is there something special you would like for the opening including for a example a DJ? Performance?

-Prepare artist statement.


Timeline:

The timelines will be somewhat dependent on when your exhibition is scheduled during the semester. These is a very general timeline and will dependent on multiple factors.

Weeks 1-4: Have committee formed. (2 faculty). Date for exhibition in place. Refining, editing, shooting and organizing work.

Weeks 5-8: Have met with committee 1-2 times. Rough draft of written thesis/artist statement. Installation/exhibition designs prepared. In full production of editing, printing, and preparing exhibition. Submit press release to local media outlets.

Weeks 9-12: In full production of editing, printing, and preparing exhibition. You exhibition may fall within these dates.  Schedule defense with committee. Complete artist statement. Show posters/cards completed. Opening logistics completed. Document (installation) photos of exhibit.

Weeks 13-16: In full production of editing, printing, and preparing exhibition. You exhibition may fall within these dates.  Schedule defense with committee. Complete artist statement. Show posters/cards completed. Opening logistics completed.


Learning Outcomes / Rubric: BFA/BAFA Studio final semester

Included below is a breakdown of the rubric used in evaluating your final BFA/BAFA semester and exhibition. Please consider each aspect of the rubric and ask yourself how you are meeting the criteria. Consult with your committee and ask how you may strengthen areas that may be weaker. Consider your final semester holistically and how each aspect supports and strengthens the other.

Innovation: Displays range of innovative and creative approaches to art making.

Process: Understands the relationship between process and end product and methods to accomplish the end product.

Discipline: Demonstrates disciplined approach to his/her own working methods.

Communication: Displays ability to communicate ideas and concepts effectively through production of his/her work.

Skill: Displays needed technical skills relative to areas of concentration/interest.

Direction: Exhibits ability to discuss his/her own artistic production, goals, and direction.

Historical Context: Demonstrates knowledge of art history, influence of artists/art movements on his/her work.

Critical Evaluation: Shows ability to critique/analyze works of art and use appropriate art vocabulary.

Receptivity: Demonstrates openness to suggestions/ideas made by faculty.

Professionalism: Displays professionalism in the presentation of the art and him/herself.