Congratulations! You have just been appointed the Chief Curator of the International Museum of Ancient and Medieval Art, opening next year.

You have been tasked with developing a proposal for a small blockbuster exhibition focused on a specific theme that introduces viewers to the Art of the Ancient and Medieval Worlds. The proposal will include an Exhibition Introduction, Object List, Layout Description, Object Labels, and a List of Sources.

Your exhibition proposal will be submitted for review by the Board of Directors (Cash, Cash, Cash and Cash) and your primary financial contributor (Cash Money, Inc.) on or before Sunday, December 19th.

WHERE DO I START?

• You already have!!! Your Exhibition Proposal builds and expands on the Project Activities (PAs) that you have already completed for this course. However, DO NOT just cut and paste your Project Activities!!

• Start with your theme or Big Idea! Do any of the themes from your PAs still work? If not, what Big Idea would work better? Maybe you want to try a new theme?

o Remember, your Final Exhibition theme or Big Idea must be specific, applicable, and relevant to the content of the entire course (LMs 2-15).

o After you go over the themes of your PAs, you may:
 revise, expand or adapt an existing theme (from your PAs), or,
 create a new theme or Big Idea

• Then, evaluate the artwork selections from your Project Activities in relation to your FINAL exhibition theme or Big Idea.

o Ask yourself: Do these objects still work with my revised/new theme? Are they the best examples? Would these objects be engaging for viewers? etc.

o You can keep/reuse artworks from your PAs or choose new ones
 You cannot reuse or cut and paste the text from your PAs

HOW DO I DO THIS PROPOSAL THINGY?

• Follow the 5 Steps below, in order, to create your Exhibition Proposal.

• Put all components together in one file.
o Any format is fine!! (Word doc, PowerPoint, video, storyboard, performance art, etc.). Be creative!

• Post your Final Project on Discussion Forum FP on Blackboard (or email it to me if you can’t) on or before Sunday, December 19th.
o Classmate Responses are NOT REQUIRED, but always welcome.

!! NOTE: The complete proposal is the replacement for a final exam. This Final Project is designed as a creative project that assesses what you have learned in the course. Therefore, all components must be in your own words based on your own observations, ideas and research.

DO NOT copy, borrow, rearrange, reword, or lightly edit anything from your sources, websites, exhibitions, museum texts, etc. DO NOT just cut and paste your old assignments.

I have a zero-tolerance policy on plagiarism. At this point, you should know the difference between research and copying. And you have some tools for avoiding unintentional plagiarism.

BUT if you are not sure if you are using your sources right or if you are plagiarizing an idea or description – ASK me or a librarian to take a look!

The ONLY EXCEPTION is the object identification (title, date, materials, etc.) You may copy this ID info directly from your source. But you MUST provide a working link to the image and/or webpages you copied from.

 
BUILDING YOUR EXHIBITION PROPOSAL – a step-by-step guide (with suggested length and formats)

Preparation:
• Review the themes and artworks of your Project Activities and any feedback (see above)

• Revise and refine your Big Idea or exhibition theme. Make sure it connects in some way to the entire scope of the course content (LMs 2-15)

Create your Exhibition Proposal in 5 Steps!
(suggested length and formats for each component in parenthesis)

1. Exhibition Introduction (1 paragraph, 75-100 words)

• Write a brief introductory label for your viewers. Your Introduction should include:
o the title of the exhibition
o a brief description of the exhibition theme
o a brief explanation of how and why this theme is an appropriate introduction to Art of the Ancient and Medieval Worlds

2. Object Selection (~1 page, a numbered list or bullet points is fine)

• Choose 14 objects for your exhibition (1 object for each LM)

o Each object must connect to your theme

o Select 1 object for each Learning Module (LM 2 – 15)
 For example, 1 Earliest Art, 1 Ancient West Africa, 1 Romanesque or Gothic, and so on…

• You can reuse or choose objects from the Learning Modules, your coursework, museum collections, etc. as long as they represent your theme and fall within the course content.
o Fake example: my theme is ‘Things that Float’. I find a really cool sculpture from 1990 made of marble in the Met Collection  NOPE – not Ancient/Medieval and solid rocks don’t float (unless they are witches, but that’s another exhibition, lol)

• List the 14 objects you will display in your exhibition
o Include all known identifying information (artist, title, culture, medium, current location, etc.)
o Be consistent in your formatting, spacing, check your spelling, etc.
o Include images if possible. At a minimum, provide a working link or citation of the source of each of your objects

3. Layout Description (~ 1 paragraph)

Describe the overall layout, object placement, flow of movement, etc. What will it look like? How will it be organized in the gallery?

Here are some design/layout questions to consider:
• Will it be arranged chronologically, by medium, subject, etc?
• Are there specific object pairs or objects to be displayed alone? Why?
• How will people experience this exhibit in the room? How will they move through it?
• You may include a floor plan or drawing if you like 

4. 3 Object Labels (3 x 75-100 words/each, single-spaced)

• Choose 3 objects from your exhibition that you think best represent your exhibition theme and what you have learned in this course

• Write 3 short ‘label texts’ that:

o Identify the object – use your object list!

o Describe the visual qualities and subject/content of the object (visual analysis)

o Explain how the object:
 visually communicates or represents the theme of your exhibition
 exemplifies qualities found in global art created in the Ancient and Medieval Worlds
 connects either visually or contextually with other objects in the exhibition

*You can use class notes and outside sources for your research. You do not need to cite sources in your label text – but all outside sources must be included in your List of Sources*

5. List of Sources (1 pg, any format of citation is fine, as long as you are consistent)

• List all outside sources used in your research or your label texts
• Provide a working link to all web-based sources
• Do not list your course notes or LMs