In most cases, all the artworks can be effectively perceived with reference to the context in which they were created. In this case, much attention should be paid to the artist’s personality as well as social, cultural, and political environments. When discussing the specifics of Simone Forti’s Dance Constructions (1960-1961), Kotz (2014) stated that “history is a lure that both illumines and occludes,” and it is important to explain this position in detail (p. 36). This statement means that art history cannot provide the full picture for viewers because the focus on the artwork itself does not allow for understanding the details related to the period when it was created.
The paradox of history is in the ability to return back to the events that occurred years ago, recollecting historical facts, but it is impossible to view the full picture of moments in the past. This idea is also important when discussing artworks, as it is stated by Kotz (2014). On the one hand, reconstructing the events related to the period when Dance Constructions were first introduced, it is possible to “glimpse Forti’s ‘dance constructions’ in their original context – a context of production and reception” (Kotz, 2014, p. 36). On the other hand, such reconstructions can be “provisional and incomplete” as some qualities are occluded (Kotz, 2014, p. 36). Therefore, understanding artworks, much attention should be paid to the context because some details always remain hidden from contemporary viewers.
The analysis of Forti’s Dance Constructions allows for focusing on its repeatability and relevance even today. The reason is that, in Dance Constructions, Forti combined the elements of dance and art in a way that can be easily understood by a viewer (Kotz, 2014). As a result, being reproduced many times according to the artist’s instructions, these constructions are unique every time, and they still differ from those first constructions presented in the 1960s. The social context of this artwork related to the 1960s differs from the modern situation that makes Dance Constructions novel.
It is possible to argue that Kotz’s approach to art history accentuates the necessity of focusing on the context and specific environments. One should note that artworks need to be analyzed and perceived according to the surroundings in which they were created. In this situation, artists are able to reveal their message fully because they are influenced by the society and observed trends and changes, as it is discussed when studying a variety of other artworks.
Writing Reflection Form
- One thing I did well in my writing (cite an example): I built a logical argument, focusing on the explanation of Kotz’s (2014) statement, the analysis of Simone Forti’s Dance Constructions (1960-1961), and the discussion of Kotz’s understanding of art history.
- One thing I would like to improve is: I would like to improve the use of academic vocabulary to make my writing more powerful.
- What could you change in your writing to make it flow better? I would add transitional words to unite paragraphs in the most efficient manner.
- What are some strong concepts in your writing (provide evidence)? The strong concept in my writing is that, according to Kotz (2014), art history cannot provide the full picture for viewers because the focus artworks does not allow for understanding the details related to the period of creation.
- What is your goal for your next paper? My goal for the next paper is to improve the use of the academic vocabulary and approaches to make the flow of the paper more logical and professional.
Reference
Kotz, L. (2014). Convergence of music, dance, and sculpture c.1961: Reconsidering Simone Forti’s Dance Constructions. In M. Butte, K. Maar, F. McGovern, M. F. Rafael, J. Schafaff, I. Blom, A. Božic, F. Bork Petersen, G. Brandstetter, R. Burt & A. Heathfield (Eds.), Assign & arrange: Methodologies of presentation in art and dance (pp. 31-51). Sternberg Press.