SACRED HEART COLLEGE
Level 3 History of Art
Achievement Standard 3.5
Construct an argument based on interpretation of research in art history
Code: Draft standard
Version: Draft standard
Credits: 4
Internal Assessment
Achievement Criteria
Achievement / Achievementwith Merit / Achievement
with Excellence
Construct an argument based on interpretation of research in art history. / Construct a reasoned argument based on interpretation of research in art history. / Construct a perceptive argument based on interpretation of research in art history.
Definitions
An argument: discusses points of view from art history sources and reaches conclusions.
Construct an argument: involves selecting and interpreting researched information to develop an argument.
Construct a reasoned argument: involves selecting and interpreting researched information to develop a justified
argument.
Construct a perceptive argument:involves synthesising information to develop an insightful and/or evaluative argument.
Napier -‘Art Deco capital of the World’.
Background
The Napier Earthquake of 1931 destroyed much of the small Victorian township of Napier. After the devastation many architects favoured the Art Deco style for the reconstruction of a new city; ‘the newest city on the globe’!
Introduction
Imagine you are a journalist for the New Zealand Heritage magazine.
You have come to Napier to write a report on why Art Deco was the most popular choicefor the rebuilding of the city, and how this choice impacted the community at the time and how it continues to impact the city today.
Points of view must be used as the basis of your discussion.
Written content should be accompanied with visual information from selected buildings.
Conditions
You will have three class periods to start this assessment prior to the fieldtrip to Napier. You areexpected to complete the assessmentduring the school holidaysand the first week of class time in Term Four.
Date Due: During your Art History class on:Wednesday, 20 October, 2012
Task One – Selecting and interpreting interpreting information
from art historical sources… before the fieldtrip.
A)Use the art history sources provided by the school to write your own conclusion as to what the Art Deco movement was, where and whenit originated, its main stylistic features and its symbolism.
B)Compile a bibliography as you go, using the Sacred Heart Social Sciences Referencing Guide
to assist you. Although this is not required by the Achievement Standard it is necessary for
authentication purposes.
C)Select FOUR buildings from the list below.
(You are not limited to these art historical sources, but please have other building choices
checked by the teacherbefore you begin your assignment).
The Masonic Hotel
The Daily Telegraph Building
The Municipal Theatre
The Hotel Central
The Smith and Chambers Building
Tennyson Chambers
The National Tobacco Company
The ASB Building
Other (identify here) ………………………….…………..…….…..
D)Create a table like the example below where, for each of your chosen buildings, you describe:
● the nameand date of the building● its architect(s) ● its locationin the CBD
● the main construction materials● its original use/function ● its use/function today
BuildingName and Date / Architect(s) / Location
in the CBD / Construction materials / 1930s
use or function / Today’s
use or function
Task Two - Selecting and interpreting information from art
historical sources …during the fieldtrip.
The following notes might be recorded in rough form ‘in the field’ and may include photographs, voice recordings, highlighted or photocopied print material, sketches, etc.
A)UseArt Deco Trust representatives and/or their publications to find out why the Art Deco designs of your chosen buildings were seen as a good choice when the citywas being rebuilt after the earthquake. Consider aspects such as each building’sfunction, height, construction materials and strength, general civic improvements and the public reaction at the time.
B)Describe the Art Deco symbols used on each of yourchosen buildings. How do thesereflect
the vision the architects and the community had for the new Napier?
C)Collect up to FIVE contemporary points of view from art historical and other sources about the benefits of Art Deco in Napier today.Record details of thesein a table like the one below.
Quote/describe point of view. / Recordname or source / Date ofpoint of view.Task Three – Constructing an argument… after the fieldtrip.
Completion of this task is critical to achieving the Standard.
Write an A4-sized magazine article for theNew Zealand Heritage magazine where you construct an argument on the following theme:
Art Deco capital of the World
The impact of ART moderne on the city of napier
Your magazine article must communicate three key arguments:
●reasons why Art Deco was the popular design choice for rebuilding the city;
●how the choice of Art Deco design impacted the city at the time;
●how Art Deco continues to impact Napier today.
Use the four buildings you have studied to support the points you make. Include photos withinformative captions.
You might discuss factors such as tourism; feelings of urban and community renewal; impacton the local economy and the identity of the region; local government involvement; architectural preservation, issues related to future heritage, perceptions of public safety, etc.
SelectTHREE points of view and evaluate each of them in relation to your understanding of the impact of Art Deco on the city of Napier.
Past or present points of view might be expressed throughquoted statements, newspaper headlines, advertisements, promotional material (eg. posters), photographs, etc.
Note: the technical quality of your magazine article is not assessed; only its written content.
For Achievement:your argument is based on information gathered in Tasks One and Two
For Achievement with Merit:your argument isreasoned/justified and based on information gathered in Tasks One and Two.
For Achievement with Excellence: your argument is perceptive and based on information gathered in Tasks One and Two.
______
FINAL CHECKLIST BEFORE SUBMISSION
I have taken responsibility to ensure my work progress has been checked by the teacherI have submitted all written material required for Tasks One and Two
I have addressed all three key arguments in my magazine article
I have included historical perspectives, visual evidence with captions and discussedpoints of
view in my magazine article.
I have discussed a wide range of factors on the impact of Art Moderne on Napier’s past and
present (and future?)
ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE
Task / Evidence towards Achievement / Evidence towards Achievementwith Merit / Evidence towards Achievement
with Excellence
Task One
Select and interpret information on aspects of Art Deco from art historical sources. / The student can select and interpret researched information on …
- the broad context of the Art Deco
- its main stylistic and iconographic
- key Napier buildings …
Task Two
Select and interpret information from art historical sources on aspects of Art Deco in Napier. / The student can select and interpret researched information on …
- why Art Deco wasfavoured as the best choice for the rebuild of Napier;
- the symbols used on selected buildings and how these reflect the vision for the city;
- at least twocontemporary points of view about the benefits of Art Deco for Napier today …
- justifying why Art Deco wasfavoured as the best choice for the rebuild of Napier;
- on the symbols used on selected buildings and how these reflect the vision for the city;
- at least three contemporary points of view about the benefits of Art Deco for Napier today…
Task Three
Construct an argument based on interpretation of research into the impact of ArtDeco on the city of Napier. / The student uses information researched in Task One and Two to construct an argument where:
- the choice of Art Deco as the dom-inant style for the reconstruction of Napier is discussed;
- the immediate impact of the Art Deco reconstruction of Napier is discussed
- contemporary views on the impact of Napier’s Art Deco heritage are discussed.
Art Deco was cheap, fashionable and safe. The reinforced concrete construction of Napier’s Art Deco buildings was strong and able to withstand future earthquakes. The simple plaster ornamentation was affordable and easy to apply, but it was also fashionable. Art Deco was the sophisticated new style emerging in other warm coastal cities like Miami Beach and Los Angeles. / The student uses information researched in Task One and Two to construct a reasoned argument where:
- the choice of Art Deco as the dom-inant style for the reconstruction of Napier isjustified with reasons;
- the immediate impact of the Art Deco reconstruction of Napier is discussed in detail
- contemporary views on the impact of Napier’s Art Deco heritage are discussed and commented on.
Art Deco was cheap, fashionable and safe. Napier’s new concrete buildings werereinforced with steel. This gave them more tensile strength and structural elements were tied together. Art Deco’s plastered, low relief ornamentation would not be lethal to people in the street in the event of another great quake; many people in Napier had been killed from the falling pediments and balustrades of classical buildings during the 1931 quake. The simple geometric elements of Art Deco were tastefully colourful and affordable at the time of the Great Depression and the clean, sleek style was the ‘new look’. Art Deco was the fashionable, sophis-ticated design trend in American cities like Miami Beach and Los Angeles. / The student uses information researched in Task One and Two to construct a perceptive argument where:
- the choice of Art Deco as the dom-inant style for the reconstruction of Napier is clearly understood and perceptively argued;
- the immediate impact of the Art Deco reconstruction of Napier is well-grasped and/or insightful in its appreciation
- contemporary views on the impact of Napier’s Deco heritage are eval-uated relative to factual evidence.
When the waves of earth movement passed under Napier’s Victorian buildings of brick, stone and mortar,they shook to pieces. Falling masonry, pediments and balustrades crashed to the ground killing many townspeople. After viewing this destruction the architectural teams that flocked to the ruined town embraced Art Deco’s advantages over other contemporary modern styles such as Spanish Mission and the growing International Style. Although the concrete buildings of the modern styles were safe with their steel reinforcement, Art Deco had the added advantage of being fashion-able and more colourful and uplifting than other styles. Napier had not only been hit by a devastating earthquake, but the region was also in the grip of the Great Depression. Art Deco was a clean, cheerful and safe style but it also provided employment as all the concrete and plaster used in the reconstruction of the city was hand-mixed and manually applied. With Art Deco, Napier would become the fashionable, sophisticated ‘newest city on the globe’, rivalling exotic overseas communities like Miami Beach.
JUDGEMENT STATEMENT