performers in a variety of unique and expressive ways . The language of the visual arts includes elements of composition such as line , color , form , and repetition . Visual artists use each of these elements and many other factors of composition to create unique works . Learning the language of the arts is one way of gaining a deeper understanding of the ideas that exist in a painting , a sculpture , or a work of architecture .
What is it that we communicate when we speak to one another ? Often , we share stories , ideas , or just how we are feeling . The arts use their own language in a similar way to share ideas and the values that are important to the society in which the artwork was made .
For your Week 2 Assignment , choose one of the options listed below to develop your understanding of the visual arts and how they communicate .
Option A
Research Maya Lin ' s Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Théodore Géricault ' s The Raft of the Medusa .
Describe each work in terms of its elements of composition--what is its shape , color , material , and so forth .
Describe the work in terms of its symbolic significance--what was Maya Lin ' s purpose in designing the memorial as she did ? Additionally , what does the work say about our society in terms of what we value and how we choose to commemorate or respond to national events ? Answer the same questions for Géricault ' s The Raft of the Medusa .
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