Clarification details
Updated August 2015. This document has been updated to address new issues that have arisen from moderation.
The intent of this standard
The intent of this standard is that students will demonstrate understanding of the relationship(s) between a theory and art works. Understanding will be demonstrated by explanations and analyses of the relationships between key principles of a theory and selected art works.
Supporting evidence
This is relevant information from art works and other sources that is used to support the explanations and analyses of the relationship(s) between a theory and art works. General information about art or artists that is not linked to the required explanations will not contribute to the assessable evidence.
Theory
A theory is an idea or set of ideas that is used to account for a situation or practice. The key principles of a theory are the ideas or concepts which form the theory. These do not include steps in the development of a theory or general biographical or contextual information about a period. Nor do they include technical instructions, such as the mathematical construction of 3-D space in a painting, or developments in art, such as stages in Cubism.
Selection of theory and art works
The selection of the theory and art works may be made by the teacher or individual student. The theory should be related to art. Care must be taken to ensure that the selected theory provides students with the scope to explain and analyse the relationship(s) between a theory and the selected art works.
Relationship(s) between the theory and art works
It is possible for students to meet the requirements of this standard with an explanation or analysis of only one relationship between a theory and art works, however, such a response will require a sustained and comprehensive discussion of the connection between the theory and the art works.
Evidence
The examination of the theory and its relationships with art may be done as a class or group exercise, however the assessed response must be individual. Teachers may use a range of activities e.g., digital commentary, essay. However, written or recorded evidence is required for moderation. Acceptable responses may include notes or annotated images; however, bullet-pointed lists of single words will not provide sufficient evidence for this standard.
Grade level indicators
- An achievement level response will typically consist of explanations that link key principles of a theory with selected art works, using supporting evidence from the art works.
- Merit understanding will be demonstrated by the analytical discussion of connections between a theory and selected art works, supported by relevant evidence from the art works and other sources, such as research texts and contextual information.
- At Excellence, perceptive understanding will be demonstrated by an evaluative discussion of the relationship(s) between the theory and art works, leading to conclusions regarding the significance of these relationships. The evaluation will be supported and justified by the perceptive integration of pertinent supporting evidence from the art works and other sources.