Write 4 separate essays and answer all the questions in each topic. Each 200 words.
Essay1. Vogel (p.95) states that “unless we acknowledge that African art as we see it has been shaped by us
as much as by Africans, we cannot see it at all.” What are the implications of obtaining objects from one
context, such as a those obtained from cultural groups in Africa to display in museums in the “West”? In what
ways have museums in the “West” shaped our perceptions of art originating from Africa, according to Vogel?
Essay 2. How have museums, through techniques of display, challenged the colonial narrative that has been
present in its display. One could think through the strategies used by the following exhibits as reference points;
Art/Artifact (1988) and Worlds in Miniature, Worlds Apart (1991- 94).
- How does Lisa Corrin’s survey of a number of artists help us to reimagine how the museum’s collection (and
to some extent the museum as a whole) can be engaged with critically in order to rethink its relevance and
usefulness in society today? Please make reference to at least two artists’ projects (other than Fred Wilson) in
your answer. - In what ways have artists use objects found in the museum to shift narratives created by the museum to
represent groups such as African American, Native American and other cultures not considered Western? In
your response site Fred Wilson’s Mining the Museum exhibit at the Maryland Center for History and Culture
found in the Lisa Corrin essay.
Rubric:
Scoring will be 4.5 points per question, 9 points per quiz based on the student’s
Comprehension and correct response to the question, (2 points)
Original, grammatically correct writing, with few or no errors, (1 point)
Use of examples from lectures and assigned readings to support the answer, (1 point)
Inclusion of extra observations, quotes, insights. (.5 point)
(For class examples I will provide later as the lectures start.)
Sample Solution