Arts

Discuss the role played by graphic design and art in determining the success or failure of presidential electoral campaigns. Did Shephard Fairey's Iconic Obama "Hope" poster play a substantial role in his electoral success? Describe the evolution of "buttons" used to demonstrate support for candidates beginning at the turn of the twentieth century to today's graphic modes demonstrating support (bumper stickers, t shirts).

Explain how people perceive information visually and the effect infographics have on the average viewer. Attention spans have rapidly declined and people have become lazy when it comes to reading any form of information. Graphic designers use infographics to convey messages and important facts, making the information easier to understand and retain.

Art is subjective- we all know it. But there are some abstract art pieces that are considered "art" yet they do not match the definition of Abstract Art. In addition, write about the characteristics of a "good" abstract art piece and a "bad" abstract art piece and how they relate to the definition of Abstract Art.

The cultural critic Camille Paglia is a critic of identity politics, especially with regards to gender. She has said that the proliferation of different identities, the different gradations of gender, and etc., often happen in the late-stages of a culture, before the verge of collapse, where all kinds of amoral behavior result, such as homosexuality and sadomasochism, which are basically signs of decadence (her words, not mine.) Is there any truth to this? Do you think that identity politics, especially of sexual and gender identity, is a sign of the fall of Western civilization, specifically the United States? Give specific examples from art of any medium to support your claims about the decline of Western civilization.

On the 24th December at 12.01 am, The Beatles' music became available on different online streaming platforms like Spotify, Deezer and Amazon. Explore why this has taken so long. What are the conditions for an artist to put his music online? What are the politics of music streaming? Why were The Beatles' franchise to reluctant to go into streaming? What is there to win/to loose?

An obvious difference between the epic poem "The Aeneid", and the opera "Aeneas and Dido" is that "The Aeneid" discusses how Aeneas created the foundations for Rome, whilst "Aeneas Dido", by Henry Purcell, only focuses on the aspects of that epic poem that focus on the relationship between Aeneas, and Dido. With that stated, compare the two works, and discuss the modifications that Purcell made to his opera. Specifically, given that the opera was written in the late 17th Century, discuss what role nationalism played in the plot if any (in light of the Roman, Trojan, and Carthaginian dynamics). What role does amourous emotion play in both the epic poem, and the opera (including, but not limited to Dido's suicide)? The role of the gods in both should also be discussed.

A group of British librarians recently began legislative action against the U.K. government for its failure to protect public libraries from defunding. Argue why groups representing libraries, museums, and schools in the U.S. should do the same.

Every decade has a definitive sound when it comes to rock music. The 80s were the perfect time for leather-clad egomaniacs to express themselves through fast-paced rock and the occasional power ballad. The 90s belonged to brooding, flannel-wearing "dudes," expressing their angst through distorted guitar-driven lamentations. Even the 2000s had a special sound, even if it was commercial alt-rock. With so many of today's bands striving for a different sound, how will people look back ten years from now and describe rock music from 2010- present day?