Extended Essays in the Visual Arts
Choosing a Topic
The visual arts are here broadly defined also to include architecture, design and contemporary forms of visual culture. The outcome of a student's research should be a coherent piece of writing that effectively addresses a particular research question appropriate to the visual arts, and including any relevant images or illustrations.
The research may be generated or inspired by the student’s direct experiences of creating visual artworks, or by their interest in the work of a particular artist, style or period. This might be related to the student’s own cultural context or another cultural context.
Personal contact with artists, curators and other active participants in the visual arts is encouraged, as is the use of local and primary sources.
Students can choose an extended essay topic related to an area of their visual arts course, but students can also choose to explore other areas of the subject. Crucially, the topic must reflect their particular interest and enthusiasm within the visual arts.
| Sources for Ideas | Topics to Avoid |
Kehinde Wiley, Shantavia Beale II. |
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| Examples | Broad Topics | Focused Topics |
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Ronald Jackson, A Dwelling Down Roads Unpaved. |
Installation art |
The extent to which Grady Gerbracht’s assertion that the role of the artist is “to become the embodiment of a person, a citizen, a metaphor” is particularly embodied in interactive artworks |
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The art of Native North American people |
The artistic significance of recent poles raised by the First Nations of Haida-Gwai | |
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Damien Hirst’s and Gunther von Hagens’s representation of death |
The extent to which the manipulation of cadavers can be considered art: an investigation of the interdependence of science, art and the representation of death in the works of Damien Hirst and Gunther von Hagens |
Approaches to Research
It is vital that the methodology of the EE is tailored to the research question and allows for an in-depth exploration. Many different approaches to the research question can be appropriate. Students will often use a combination of primary and secondary research to answer their research questions.
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Primary Research Primary research in the arts is when students make original analyses or interpretation of artworks, such as:
In secondary research, students may use secondary source material (academic articles, etc.) in order to explore, explain, or justify parts of their original analyses. |
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Examples
| Topic | Cultural influences on Pablo Picasso’s work | Topic | The impact of immigration on an artist’s work |
| Research Question | Picasso: individual genius or cultural thief? | Research Question | What is the impact of transcultural experience on the art of Gu Xiong? |
| Approach | An investigation of the extent to which selected images in Picasso’s work may have been appropriated from other cultural sources. | Approach | An investigation into the effects of migration, from China to Canada, on a selected artist’s work. |
Visual Arts Sources
Even students doing primary research will still need to reference secondary sources. These may include established artistic interpretations or criticisms, biographical and/or historical information.
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In Context Databases Gale In-Context databases offer topic pages and the Topic Finder search feature. This video will show you how to use topic pages.
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Browse Topics in:
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Browse Issues in: |
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Gale OneFile Databases Gale OneFile databases have two features to help you find search words as well as topics and sub-topics. Use the "subject guide search" feature in Gale OneFile databases to help you find good search terms.(tutorial video). Use the "topic finder" to help you find good topics and sub-topics (tutorial video)
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Encyclopedia Britannica has lots of information, like any encyclopedia, but it also has a lot of information about sports and recreation, specifically. |
Browse articles on: |
Biographical Information Britannica also offers an extensive database of biographical information that is searchable based on era, nationality, field of work, and gender. |
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WikiArt is an expansive database of artworks that is searchable by artist, genre, time period, nationality, and more. |
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Writing the Essay
Beyond individual interpretations, students should also demonstrate awareness of other issues surrounding the artworks they study such as:
Relevant outcomes of this analysis should be integrated into a well-substantiated argument.
The emphasis of the EE should always be on written analysis, interpretation, evaluation and the construction and development of a sound argument.
Visual Reference Material
It is required that students include visual references to any artworks they discuss, provided it is relevant to the analysis or argument. Images should be appropriately presented and acknowledged and should appear in the body of the essay, as close as possible to the first reference.
In order to promote personal involvement in the EE, the use of local and primary sources should be encouraged wherever possible. (i.e. a picture of the artwork taken by the student themself). In the case where students do not have access to the artwork they may rely on high-quality reproductions or images.
Students are expected to evaluate critically the resources consulted during the process of writing the EE by asking themselves the following questions:
