Visit an Anthropocene, an ongoing exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada. The assignment requires you to describe the exhibit generally and then select one image (or other work) to discuss in more detail. Specifically, you should describe the image/work and its context, the nature and scope of the human activity being portrayed and its impact on the environment (i.e. its relevance to the concept of the Anthropocene). This part of the assignment will require you to draw on outside references to inform your discussion. I would also like you to discuss any other messages that you feel the artist may be trying to portray, along with your personal impressions of the work and its effectiveness in communicating this/these message(s).
The following are some other questions that you may wish to consider in your assignment:
• How does the exhibit reflect/engage/respond to contemporary discourse surrounding human’s impacts on the environment?
• What is the role of art in our understanding of human impacts on the environment? What is the ‘value’ of such an exhibit, if there is any?
• Is the chosen medium effective in conveying the artist’s message?
Sample Solution