AS 91309 Annotated exemplars

This annotated exemplar is intended for teacher use only. Annotated exemplars are extracts of student evidence, with commentary, that explain key parts of a standard. These help teachers make assessment judgements at the grade boundaries.

Download all exemplars and commentary [PDF, 20 MB]

TKI Visual Arts assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of methods and ideas from established practice appropriate to sculpture.

This involves identifying and documenting particular information through the analysis of methods and ideas from established practice, in order to explain how and why art works are related to the context in which they are made, viewed and valued.

In this extract the student has investigated the work of Marcel Duchamp, Michael Parekowhai and Jeff Koons.

The student demonstrates in-depth understanding through the accurate summary of complex relationships between visual elements and conceptual ideas. For example, the first paragraph on page one (1) uses the students their own words to explain the difference between conceptual and retinal art from the artist’s perspective.                

The student goes on to explain the reasoning behind the choice of urinal (2) as subject matter, and R Mutt (3) as pseudonym. This contextual understanding derived from authentic research is sufficiently in-depth to fulfill the requirements of the standard for Excellence. 

For a more secure Excellence, the student could provide fuller explanations of the wider social and artistic contexts. For example while the choice of Jeff Koons and Michael Parekowhai (4) as accompanying artists is highly appropriate, their connection with Duchamp is left ambiguous.

For a more secure Excellence the student could expand on the point ‘similar ideas, but in different ways’ (5), to explain how and why Koons work is different. This may include Koons themes of commercialism, marketing and post-modernism.

For Merit, the student needs to demonstrate an informed understanding of methods and ideas from established practice appropriate to sculpture.

This involves identifying and documenting particular information about how methods and ideas from established practice are used, with reference to the context in which artworks are made, viewed and valued.

In this extract the student has investigated the work of Annette Messager, Tracy Emin and Sarah Lucas. 

In discussing Annette Messager’s work, student clearly demonstrates an informed understanding in the explanation of more subtle aspects of the artist’s ideas, for example how the use of multiple black and white images refer to a wider view rather than individual experience (1).

The student also explains the reasoning behind the kite shape (2), public response (3), autobiographic influences (4), and the artist’s other work (5). This clearly indicates that the evidence is informed by sustained research from appropriate sources.

To reach Excellence, the student could show similar depth of informed understanding for the work of Tracy Emin (6) and Sarah Lucas (7).

The student could further clarify the connections between the identified artists.  While stating that they are all feminist works established a common theme, the student could also explain how they differ. An in-depth response could explain the greater collective statement that might be achieved by combining all three artists in a single exhibition.

For Merit, the student needs to demonstrate an informed understanding of methods and ideas from established practice appropriate to sculpture.

This involves identifying and documenting particular information about how methods and ideas from established practice are used, with reference to the context in which artworks are made, viewed and valued.

In this extract the student has investigated the work of Damian Ortega and Gabriel Orozco.

The student shows informed understanding by making connections between the physical features of the work and the communicative intent, for example that the man having a tug-of-war with the car represents a contemporary urban hunt (1).

In the exhibition proposal (4) the student explains how the exploded car creates a dialogue with the other exhibit, and how the work relates to the artist’s personal life (3). This discussion of how works are made, viewed and valued reveals appropriate research, demonstrating the informed understanding needed for Merit.

For a more secure Merit, the student could provide further explanation of how the materials and techniques are used (2). In this case, a brief explanation of the readymade or found object nature of the work would be appropriate.

In the exhibition proposal, the student could also explain how the art works would relate to the specific gallery space. An informed understanding of this aspect would include more sustained explanation of hanging and lighting requirements. 

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate an understanding of methods and ideas from established practice appropriate to sculpture.

This involves identifying and documenting information about methods and ideas from established practice, with reference to the context in which artworks are made, viewed and valued.

In this extract the student has investigated the work of Mark Dion.

The student demonstrates a wider understanding of the artist’s approach to environmental and conservation themes through a study of five different art works. The ideas explained range from the constraints of taxonomy (1) to the humiliation of tar and feathers (2).

The inclusion of a well selected quote, which is then expanded upon in the student’s explanation (1), begins to show the informed understanding needed for Merit. 

To reach Merit, the student could make stronger connections between research information and the analysis of art works. For example, the extensive biographical information (4) could be linked to specific methods and ideas in order to create informed understanding.

The student could also provide more sustained explanations of how the ideas are communicated. The student simply states that the tar and feathers means society thinks of animals as pests (3). An informed explanation will provide further evidence to support this position and may include alternative issues explored in the work.

The student identifies two other related artists (5) for inclusion in an imagined exhibition. For Merit, the student could clearly link these artists to Dion in terms of their related methods and ideas. 

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate an understanding of methods and ideas from established practice appropriate to sculpture.

This involves identifying and documenting information about methods and ideas from established practice, with reference to the context in which artworks are made, viewed and valued.

In this extract the student has investigated the work of Marc Quinn.

The student identifies appropriate information about the methods and ideas of the work of Marc Quinn (1) (2). The full sample includes equivalent documentation for two other artists.

The student provides statement from the point of view of the artist which begins to explain the ideas that underpin the work, and discuss the relationship between methods and ideas (6). 

For a more secure Achieved, the student could provide more sustained explanations of the ideas that underpin the sculptures, and how these relate to wider contexts. For example, while advanced sculptural terms are used such as ‘hybridism’ (7), the student could go on to explain what this means in the context of specific works.

The student could also move beyond the lists provided in the research pages (5). To demonstrate understanding means that the student needs to make connections between particular methods and specific ideas. For example, the student could explain that the larger than normal scale (3) forces the audience to acknowledge the existence of people with disabilities (4).

For Achieved, the student needs to demonstrate an understanding of methods and ideas from established practice appropriate to sculpture.

This involves identifying and documenting information about methods and ideas from established practice, with reference to the context in which artworks are made, viewed and valued.

In this extract the student has investigated the work of Cai Guo Qiang.

The student identifies some methods and ideas in the work of Cai Guo Qiang (1). Some statements begin to make connections between materials and meaning. For example the student explains how the size of the room will affect the reading of the work (3).

To reach Achieved, the student could present more sustained discussions of how particular materials and techniques have been used to communicate ideas, in particular the symbolic reason for the dragon shape (2) used in Blind Devotion, as this is the key to understanding the cultural significance of the work.

Fuller explanations of wider contexts are also needed for an Achieved grade. For example, the student states that that Patricia Piccinini and Jonathan Sanders (4) would fit in a proposed exhibition together with Head On, but could also discuss what features or ideas connect the artists.

Overall, the analysis needs to be more sustained and informed by research information to meet the New Zealand Curriculum Level 7 requirements of the standard, as defined by Explanatory Note 1.