Gallery Visit '08

Select one of the following to respond to:

1 - Select any of the images we viewed last Friday. What were your initial impressions? Why have you selected this image? How might studying the work yield a greater understanding of the historical period and vice-versa? If you did not attend the trip, visit one of the sites below and examine a work online to complete the assignment.

http://artgallery.yale.edu/

http://ycba.yale.edu/education/edu_fellowships.html

2 - Choose any two works that we viewed and compare them. You do not need to worry about researching art terminology, but talk about why you chose these specific works, what you observed and aspects you can relate to discussions we have had over the course of the year.

How We Survived Communism and Even Laughed

"Slavenka Drakulic has been called the Simone de Beauvoir of Eastern Europe, and this book is a testament as to why." Robin Morgan

We read two excerps, "A Chat with My Censor" and "How We Survived." What do these chapters reveal about ordinary life under a communist regime? What are three things the author said that you think are important? How do panty hose, shoeboxes, cans and old pants relate to the title of the final chapter? Is this picture of communism what you expected?

Her Life Through Their Eyes

The Tragedy of the Marshall Plan???

What is your analysis of the argument put forth in The Tragedy of American Diplomacy? Rethinking the Marshall Plan? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this thesis? Limit your responses to 2 pages MAX. There is an excellent site, http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/ , that includes video interviews with several key figures in Cold War politics. See in particular Episodes 2, 3 & 4.

Responses due Friday 5/2.