Exhibition Review Paper
Background
For this assignment you must attend a special exhibition at a local area museum and write a review of that exhibit. Exhibitions/exhibits are not works of art that are part of the museum’s permanent collection. Instead, they are a specifically collected and curated group of paintings or other objects that are in a special gallery space in the museum for a limited run. We are lucky to have so many great museums here in Los Angeles which means that it is possible to go and view premodern art objects without having to travel very far.
I would like you to choose one of the two exhibits to visit
Mapping the Infinite: Cosmologies Across Cultures – open October 20, 2024 to March 2, 2025 – https://www.lacma.org/art/exhibition/mapping-infinite-cosmologies-across-cultures Links to an external site.*LACMA is the Los Angeles County Art Museum. The cost is $24 for students residing outside of LA county, $19 for students in LA county, and FREE to anyone in LA county after 3pm Mondays-Fridays. There is an additional cost if you use LACMA’s parking garage.
Rising Signs: The Medieval Science of Astrology – open October 1, 2024 to January 5, 2025 – https://www.getty.edu/visit/cal/events/ev_4084.html#:~:text=Exploring%20the%2012%20signs%20of,life%20in%20the%20Middle%20AgesLinks to an external site.. *The Getty Center (not to be confused with the Getty Villa) is free to everyone BUT you must pay $30 to park in their parking garage unless you take public transit or a ride share.
Directions
Exhibition reviews consist of three main elements, descriiption, analysis, and evaluation. You should describe the exhibit in a way that the reader can understand as they likely will not have seen the exhibit before reading your review. Next you need to analyze the exhibit by discussing how some select aspects of the exhibit function and what all the parts of the exhibit add up to. Finally, you must evaluate how successful the exhibition is, in your opinion. Was the exhibit done well and is it worth seeing?
Your review must include the following;
A title that engages the reader (imagine you are reading this review in a new source; what title would draw you in?)
An introduction paragraph that introduces the reader to all the relevant information about the exhibit and contains a thesis that establishes the tone and direction of the review.
A paragraph that goes into further details on the theme and scope of the exhibit.
A paragraph about the setting and layout of the exhibit in the museum space. This paragraphs should include specific references to works of art, groupings of works of art, and/or wall text in the exhibit in order to help illustrate your points.
A paragraph or two, on the strengths and/or weaknesses of the exhibit. These paragraphs should include specific references to works of art, groupings of works of art, and/or wall text in the exhibit in order to help illustrate your points.
A conclusion paragraph that summarizes the thesis that has emerged throughout your review.
Your exhibition review must be approximately 3 pages in length, double-spaced, Times New Roman font or equivalent. It must have a paragraph structure. Any use of AI listed on the syllabus is prohibited.
Additional Resources
I highly recommend that you look up the exhibition page on the museum website, read all text on the walls, take a brochure if provided, listen to any available audio programs, take notes while walking through the exhibition, and even revisit the exhibition in the revision stage of your paper if you are able.
The above assignment was adapted from Sylvan Barnet’s “Writing a Review of an Exhibition”, A Short Guide to Writing About Art. If you would like to read more in-depth instructions along with some sample exhibition reviews, please download the short reading below.