Women in ArtThe reasons for the gender gap [among Wikipedia editors] are up for debate: suggestions include leisure inequality, how gender socialization shapes public comportment, and the contentious nature of Wikipedia's talk pages. The practical effect of this disparity, however, is not. Content is skewed by the lack of female participation. Many articles on notable women in history and art are absent on Wikipedia. This represents an alarming aporia in an increasingly important repository of shared knowledge.

-Wikipedia, accessed 1.29.15, s.v. “Meetup/ArtandFeminism”

When Shulamith Firestone wrote in 1970, “Feminism, when it truly achieves its goals, will crack through the most basic structures of our society,” she couldn’t have predicted she was referring to Wikipedia.

-Sarah Cowen, “Art-Minded Feminists Become Wikipedians for a Weekend,” Hyperallergic (12 March 2015)

WIKIPEDIA PROJECT IN 3 PARTS 1. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS…………………………………………………..…DUE --2. VISUAL ANALYSIS.……..………………………………………………………DUE --3. ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………….DUE --

The objective of this project is, aptly enough, threefold.

1 It aims to make you a more conscientious consumer of articles on Wikipedia by engaging you in the process of critical reading and editing. Wikipedia is, as stated on its home page, “a free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.” This is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it assumes a genuine leap of faith in a commitment to shared knowledge amassed via crowdsourcing. On the other hand, it risks inviting ignorance and bias at best, sabotage at worst not only in the population of content on Wikipedia’s articles, but also in the social exchange that occurs in the act and process of contributing content. In this research project, you will develop a greater sense of how to assess the rigor, accuracy, and legitimacy of a given Wikipedia article.

2 It aims to recruit you to the community of regular Wikipedia editors. As the study of the 2011 Wikipedia Editors Survey revealed, less than 13% of Wikipedia editors are women. Wikipedia needs you to add your voice, your experience, your intellect, and your integrity to this important source of shared knowledge.

3 It aims to embolden you to use your familiarity with the range and depth of scholarly writing on women in art in creating and editing biographical articles on significant women artists. In this act of solidarity and generosity, you will contribute to a more inclusive, and arguably richer, Wikipedia discourse that recognizes women not as minor players, but rather essential agents in the history of art.

1. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS………………………………………………….DUE --

In your comparative analysis of a pair from the list below, you will consider, select, and write about the noteworthy differences and similarities between the Wikipedia articles on these two artists, who share historical and/or personal connections. This task requires you to read carefully – repeatedly and over time – the two articles under consideration. Take notes, highlight key phrases and sections before you start writing. The objective of this comparison is to examine and evaluate the article’s structure, language, content, adherence to the “Rules for Editing,” and the “Talk Page.” I recommend that you organize your paper according to these five categories.

STRUCTURE*: How are the articles structured? Is it effective and sufficient to the task of surveying the artist’s life and career? Why and/or why not?

LANGUAGE*: What sort of language is used in each article? Is it formal and/or informal? Is it fairly descriptive or more metaphorical? What is described? What might metaphorical language recommend to the viewer? Does it enhance or detract from your understanding of the artist.

CONTENT*: Is there evidence of substantive research in each article? What aspects of the artists’ lives seem sufficiently explored? Are the references from books or articles? When were these articles published? Where are the apparent deficiencies in terms of content? Cross reference the sources by searching for these artists using the [your institution’s name] Library database; are there numerous books and articles on each artist? If so, are any of them referenced?

RULES for EDITING: Do the articles adhere to the “Ten Simple Rules for Editing Wikipedia”? Where and how does it adhere to these rules. Where does it fall short? Consult the Rules at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Ten_Simple_Rules_for_Editing_Wikipedia

TALK PAGE: Read the Talk Pages associated with each article. What does it reveal about the articles. Do you agree with what’s there? What is missing? What would you add? Before evaluating the Talk Page, review the guidelines at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Talk_page_guidelines

*With respect to the first three categories of analysis, compare the Wikipedia entries to the entries on these artists in the online resource Oxford Art Online. Consulting this database is intended to serve as a point of departure, not to add more comparisons for analysis! To access this database via [your institution’s name] Library website, use the [insert navigational instructions].

In your analysis of the Wikipedia pages according to the five criteria above, also include introductory and concluding paragraphs that engage your reader by offering her a through-line in your thinking. What – in your view – is at stake in this comparison? Where relevant, utilize what you’ve learned in the required readings for and discussions in class. Use parenthetical citation. No Works Cited or Bibliography necessary; this is not a research paper, but rather an analysis that will leverage your knowledge base and ability to think critically and constructively about the comparison.

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Pairs to choose from:Ana Mendieta and Carl Andre Sofonisba Anguissola and MichelangeloHarriet Powers and Rosa Bonheur Georgia O’Keeffe and Alfred StieglitzArtemisia Gentileschi and Agostino Tassi Judy Chicago and Miriam SchapiroFrida Kahlo and Diego Rivera Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun and Jacques

Louis David

Formatting Requirements 1.25” margins (L/R), DOUBLE-spaced, 12pt. Times New Roman font 4 pages in length, no more, no less Your full name in the document header

2. VISUAL ANALYSIS…………..…..……………………………………………..DUE --AssignmentIn 3-4 double-spaced pages, compose a formal analysis of an artwork by the artist, whose Wikipedia article you’ve chosen to create and/or revise. By [date], you will have selected the contemporary woman artist to whom you will devote your research and Wikipedia editing. For a list of artists to choose from, please consult the page titled “Biographies to Create/Expand” at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Meetup/ArtAndFeminism/Tasks.

Taking Notes: Describe and AnalyzeOnce you’ve decided on your artwork, start taking notes. Try to organize your notes from general to specific descriptive and analytical observations. Use the following questions to prompt observations. Of course, how you answer these questions depends on the nature of your artwork.

n.b. The excerpt from Sylvan Barnet’s A Short Guide to Writing About Art – namely, “Getting Ideas for Essays: Asking Questions to Get Answers” – will help you to ask more specific questions.

Questions to consider that will help you describe what any eye might see (remember to avoid inferences!):

How do the forms relate to each other and to the overall whole? What is the relationship between positive form and negative space? Do forms overlap? If it’s a picture, how do the overlapping forms create (or deny?) the

illusion of spatial depth? If you’re looking at a sculpture, consider its mass. How much space does it occupy? How does it interact with and “shape” the space around it?

Describe the quality of line. Are the lines thick or thin? Are they actual (does the artist actually draw a line) or implied through the touching of different forms? Does line help direct your eye throughout and/or around the artwork?

Describe the artist’s palette. Does he/she use warm (reds and yellows) colors or cool colors (blues and greens), or both? Is the color naturalistic or expressive?

How does color relate to texture? Does the artist create shadows by using different colors or by shading a single color from light to dark?

Describe the painting’s or the sculpture’s surface. Is the texture actual or implied? How does the artist’s technique, i.e. the way in which he made the artwork, effect his

lines, forms, and surfaces? Are the brushstrokes perceptible? Are they gestural? Are chisel marks discernable?

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What condition is the artwork in?

Questions to consider that will help you analyze what you see: How do the artwork’s formal properties affect you emotionally, intellectually, and

physically? How does the artwork’s form and materiality express its possible meaning(s)? In other

words, think about how your artwork’s formal properties (composition, line, color, etc.) work to make meaning.

o For example, what does the artist’s technique suggest about the meaning of the artwork? Does actual texture communicate anger or energy? Does a smooth surface suggest tranquility or control?

How does the artwork’s subject matter suggest meaning or a variety of meanings? Is the subject matter at odds with the way in which the artwork was made? Does the title contradict or coincide with the artwork’s formal properties?

o For example, consider a still life painted using gestural brushtrokes and saturated, primary colors. What would this apparent contradiction suggest about the artwork and, by extension, the artist?

SketchWhile you take notes, make a sketch of your artwork on an 8 1/2 x 11” or smaller sheet of paper. This process will not only encourage you to look more closely at the work, but it will also get you to think concretely about the elements of its design. (You will receive Extra Credit for handing in your sketch in addition to your essay.)

WritingOnce you’ve taken notes and created your sketch, start organizing your thoughts. Compose an outline that logically and/or intuitively guides the reader through your analysis. Once you set to writing, compose an introductory paragraph that engages the reader with an idea or aspect of the artwork that you will explore further in your visual analysis. For example: “This painting – in its composition, materials, colors, and subject – represents a near-perfect visualization of piety. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, piety is….” Additionally, in the first or second paragraph, indicate the most basic information about your artwork. What is its subject and title? By whom was it made? When was it made and from what materials? If available, what are its dimensions and where is the artwork located?

Structure and Voice/Voice and StructureYour formal analysis need be clearly written in complete sentences and paragraphs – no bullet points or sentence fragments. Limit your use of the writer’s “I” to the parts of your essay that are most important to your analysis. This will enhance your argument by clarifying and formalizing your voice in a way that avoids repetition and an overly conversational tone. Also, you may alternate between a passive and an active voice as well as present and past tense, provided they are logical and consistent with what you are describing. For example: “The naked woman in Alice Neel’s picture is painted in a way that invites the viewer to look closer.” Compare this to: “Alice Neel painted the naked woman…”

Your formal analysis will emerge out of whatever details or features you find most meaningful,

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based on your close description. However, try to avoid the conversational language and tone you might use if you were analyzing the artwork in real time. For example, do NOT write: “When I was searching for the artist’s work online, Bourgeois’ sculpture of Maman popped off the screen. The longer I looked, the more I saw the creepiness that completely blew me away…”

Illustration PageYour analysis will include – in addition to your text – an Illustration page. When you first introduce your artwork at the beginning of your paper, refer to the illustration at the end of the sentence. For example: “Diyani White Hawk’s Seeing of 2011 depicts an geometric composition centered on the form of a cross (Figure 1).” All references to artworks that you will illustrate in your paper MUST be indicated and cited in this way.

On your Illustrations page (or pages), provide a color reproduction of the artwork and a complete caption.

Figure 1 – Diyani White Hawk, Seeing, 2011. Oil on canvas

Grading RubricYour formal analysis will be graded according to the following five criteria worth 20 points each:

1. Are arguable assertions (analyses) about the artwork supported with ample evidence (description)? In other words, are analytical inferences supported with descriptive phrases and sentences?

2. Have you effectively addressed and engaged your audience? Imagine that you’re writing for a general audience; your prose style should be formal and your word choice precise.

3. Is each sentence clearly related to the sentence that precedes it and to the sentence that follows? Does the sequence of sentences develop a clear train of thought about the artwork? Do the sentences clearly articulate what is being observed or argued? Is the choice of words precise and clear?

4. Is each paragraph adequately developed? Should some paragraphs be deleted (are they repetitive?)? Should they be divided into two or more paragraphs? Should they be combined or put elsewhere?

n.b. This is about the size you should use for your illustration.

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5. Is the artwork introduced clearly and correctly? (i.e. the artist’s full name, the artwork’s full title (italicized), the date it was completed, its medium, and Figure #) Is the illustration of good quality and accurately labeled? Are the formatting guidelines followed (i.e. font, margins, spacing, paper length, name and page numbers)?

Formatting Requirements (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY) 1.25” margins (L/R), double-spaced, 12pt. Times New Roman font 3-4 pages in length, no more, no less Your full name in the document header

3. ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY…..……………………………………………..DUE --

This portion of the assignment is guided by the assumption that you should have a solid base of knowledge from which to draw in your edits to (or creation of) the page of your chosen artist. As soon as you’ve chosen your artist, begin assembling and reading books and/or articles on her. These texts will be published by respected presses (trade and/or university presses) and journals/news outlets that have established credentials (i.e. are ideally peer-reviewed and vetted).

>>If you are uncertain about the reliability of your source, please consult with [name of teaching assistant or library reference]and/or me.<<

By now, you’re probably asking yourself: what is an annotated bibliography? In this case, an annotated bibliography requires you to – first – cite the article or book you’re annotating. (Please use the bibliographic form that you are most comfortable with: Chicago, MLA, etc.) Second, write about 5-7 sentences that summarize the main argument(s) of the article or book and how it relates to your engagement with the artist’s Wikipedia article (as it currently exists or how you would like to create it). Think of these annotations as “warm ups” for the editing you will do on the artist’s Wikipedia page.

Let’s say you were interested in revising the article on the modern American painter Joan Mitchell. Here are a two annotated sources – a book and an article in an exhibition catalogue:

[SAMPLE] ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHYChadwick, Whitney. Women, Art, and Society. 5th edition. London: Thames & Hudson, 2012.

One way of thinking about Whitney Chadwick’s “seminal” text is as a kind of feminist corrective to Giorgio Vasari’s Lives of the Artists. Acknowledging the contributions of other feminist art historians to a discipline still very much indebted to Vasari’s model, she nonetheless recognizes “that critical issues of women’s historical production remain unanswered.”(p15) In her discussion of Joan Mitchell, Chadwick groups her with other women artists, whose work was similarly engaged with Abstract Expressionism. She tells her reader that Mitchell and several in her cohort – including Helen Frankenthaler and Grace Hartigan – were well received by critics and included in major museum and gallery shows. Key to her analysis, however, is the assertion that these artists were determined to discuss their work in ways not reducible to their gender.(p326) These insights will be appropriate in the existing “Work” section of the article. I will also add Chadwick’s book to the “Bibliography.”

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Nochlin, Linda. “Joan Mitchell: A Rage to Paint.” In Jane Livingston, The Paintings of Joan Mitchell, 49-59. New York: Whitney Museum of American Art, 2002.

Linda Nochlin’s chief objective in this essay is to consider the implications of an interpretive strategy that art historians and critics have used to understand Mitchell’s pictures, namely that they are expressions rage or violence. This strategy, as Nochlin proves, is not entirely fictional; she quotes the artist as having described a group of canvases in the early 1960s as “very violent and angry paintings.”(p49) In the course of her analysis, Nochlin digs deeper in her account of Mitchell’s painting and process by arguing that “meaning and emotional intensity are produced structurally.”(p55) In particular, she considers two prints – Bedford I and Bedford III, both in the collection of the Walker Art Center – as visual evidence to support her interpretation. These ideas are candidates for including in the “Works” section of the Wikipedia article.

>>You must have between six and ten sources (books and/or articles) in your Annotated Bibliography.<<

>>Bring these texts with you to our own edit-a-thon on --.<<

Doing the Research: Getting Started and Where to LookStart by searching [insert name/acronym of your library database] for relevant books pertaining to the artist you have chosen. You will find that any good scholarly book or catalogue (usually put out by university presses and well-known museums and galleries) will provide a solid bibliography on your artist that will lead you to additional books and articles.

If there are no monographs devoted to your artist, don’t despair! Look for articles, especially in journals such as Women’s Art Journal, n.paradoxa, Artforum, Art in America, Artnet News, Hyperallergic, Frieze, ArtNews, and the Art Journal along with newspapers such as the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. If you locate a promising book or article that you are unable to find locally, you can request an Interlibrary Loan; [brief ILL instructions]. You also want to search for articles using the various online databases, such as JSTOR, that the [your institution’s name] Library subscribes to: [URL]

Another valuable source for your research will be the required textbooks for this course. Is the artist you’ve chosen discussed in Chapters 13-15 in Whitney Chadwick’s Women, Art, and Society? You will also want to re-read, where relevant, chapters in Amelia Jones’ The Feminism and Visual Cultural Reader and Maura Reilly & Linda Nochlin’s Global Feminisms catalog.

Additionally, you will find that your artist may have her own website with references to articles you will want to use in your research. It can, however, lead you to journal articles that may have eluded you. Another important resource is the art gallery website. For example, the Egyptian artist Ghada Amer is represented by Gagosian Gallery; the Gallery website features references to selected press articles on the artist.

Formatting Requirements 1.25” margins (L/R), SINGLE-spaced, 12pt. Times New Roman font 3-4 pages in length, no more, no less Your full name in the document header

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We will host our very own Art + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon at -- on:

datetime

location

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