Basic 7 · Creative Arts and Design · Media and Techniques
Art Criticism, Appreciating Ghanaian Music and Analysing Dance-Drama
In this topic you will appraise artworks on community issues, compare and appreciate indigenous and art music, and analyse how sequences of dance and drama poses tell a cultural story.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Appraise artworks using description, analysis, interpretation and judgement
- Compare indigenous and art music and appreciate a Ghanaian piece
- Analyse and create a sequence of poses that tells a cultural story
What you already know
- Designing an artwork on a topical issue
- Ghanaian musicians and dance-drama artistes
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
Lesson 1
- Strand
- Visual Arts
- Sub-strand
- Media and Techniques
- Indicator
- B7.2.3.1.1 – Narrate own views of the history culture environment and topical issues in the community
Introduction
An exhibition is not complete until people talk about the works. Art criticism gives us an orderly way to look at, discuss and judge artworks fairly.
1. The Four Steps of Art Criticism
| Step | Question | Example response |
|---|---|---|
| describe | What do I see? | a girl carrying water from a brown river |
| analyse | How are elements and principles used? | dark browns contrast with the clean blue sky; the girl is the emphasis |
| interpret | What does it mean? | galamsey is taking clean water from children |
| judge | Is it successful, and why? | yes, because the contrast makes the problem clear |
2. Criteria for Judging
Judgement should be based on clear criteria, not just "I like it". Common criteria are originality (is the idea fresh?), skill (is it well made?), use of elements and principles, clarity of message, and relevance to the community. A good critic gives reasons for every judgement.
3. Giving and Receiving Criticism
Criticism should be honest but kind. Start with strengths, then give specific suggestions. When receiving criticism, listen without arguing, ask questions to understand, and use the comments to improve your next work. Artists grow when they learn from feedback.
Appraise a poster
A poster shows a gutter blocked with plastic bottles and the slogan "Your Bottle, Our Flood".
- Describe: a blocked gutter, plastic bottles, dark rain clouds, a short slogan in red.
- Analyse: red lettering contrasts with grey; the gutter is the emphasis.
- Interpret: throwing plastics into gutters causes floods for everyone.
- Judge: successful; the slogan is memorable and the image is clear.
Answer: The poster is effective because its contrast and slogan clearly link littering to flooding.
New words
- art criticism
- Talking and writing about art in an orderly way.
- criteria
- Standards used for judging.
- originality
- Being new and not copied.
- relevance
- How closely a work relates to people's lives.
Summary
- Art criticism has four steps: describe, analyse, interpret and judge.
- Judgements must be based on criteria such as skill, originality and clarity.
- Give criticism kindly and receive it openly.
Class activity: Gallery Walk Critique
- Walk round the class exhibition of issue posters.
- Choose one poster and appraise it using the four steps.
- Present your critique, starting with strengths.
You need: Printed photographs of local Ghanaian festivals, Local newspaper clipping, Chart paper with markers
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. The first step of art criticism is to…
- A. describe
- B. judge
- C. interpret
- D. analyse
Show answer
Answer: describeSay what you see.2. Saying what an artwork means is called…
- A. interpretation
- B. description
- C. analysis
- D. display
Show answer
Answer: interpretationIts meaning.3. A judgement should be supported with reasons.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueBased on criteria.4. The standards used for judging a work are called ______.
Show answer
Answer: criteriaMeasures of quality.5. Name three criteria for judging an artwork.
Show answer
Answer: Originality, skill, clarity of message (or use of elements and principles, relevance).Any three.6. Why should a critic start with the strengths of a work?
Show answer
Answer: It encourages the artist and makes them more willing to accept suggestions.Kind and constructive.
Lesson 2
- Strand
- Visual Arts
- Sub-strand
- Media and Techniques
- Indicator
- B7.2.3.2.3 – Identify indigenous and art musicians in the community whose works reflect the history culture environment and topical issues
Introduction
Listening to music carefully, not just hearing it, is a skill. Music appreciation means listening closely to understand how a piece is made and what it means.
1. Comparing Indigenous and Art Music
| Feature | Indigenous music | Art music |
|---|---|---|
| how it is learned | orally, by listening and copying | from written scores and formal training |
| composer | often unknown; owned by the community | a named composer |
| where performed | festivals, funerals, durbars, work | concert halls, churches, schools, competitions |
| instruments | drums, bells, rattles, gyil, atenteben | voices, piano, organ, orchestra, also Ghanaian instruments |
| structure | call and response, repetition, improvisation | planned forms such as verses, choruses and parts |
2. Listening Guide
- Listen once just to enjoy the piece.
- Listen again and identify the instruments or voices.
- Notice the tempo, dynamics and mood.
- Identify the form: call and response, verse and chorus, or another pattern.
- Find the message or story in the words.
- Write a short comment on what you enjoyed and why.
3. Appreciating a Ghanaian Art Song
Many Ghanaian art songs, such as those of Ephraim Amu, are sung by choirs in four parts: soprano, alto, tenor and bass. They often use Ghanaian rhythms and the natural tones of Twi or Ewe words, so the melody rises and falls with the speech. Listening for how the parts weave together is part of appreciating the music.
Remember: In tonal languages such as Twi and Ewe, changing the pitch of a word can change its meaning, so composers fit the melody to the speech tones.
New words
- music appreciation
- Listening closely to understand and enjoy music.
- score
- Written music for performers to read.
- improvisation
- Making up music while performing.
- soprano
- The highest female voice part.
Summary
- Indigenous music is learned orally; art music is usually written and formally learned.
- A listening guide helps you identify instruments, tempo, form and message.
- Ghanaian art songs often fit melodies to the tones of local languages.
Class activity: Listening Journal
- Listen to one indigenous piece and one Ghanaian art song.
- Use the listening guide to make notes on each.
- Write a paragraph comparing the two pieces.
You need: Mobile phone with offline Ghanaian music recordings, Printed local-musician profile cards, Chart paper with markers
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Making up music while performing is called…
- A. improvisation
- B. notation
- C. rehearsal
- D. harmony
Show answer
Answer: improvisationSpontaneous music.2. The highest female voice part in a choir is the…
- A. soprano
- B. alto
- C. tenor
- D. bass
Show answer
Answer: sopranoHighest voice.3. Indigenous music is usually learned orally.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueBy listening and copying.4. Written music for performers to read is a ______.
Show answer
Answer: scoreSheet music.5. Give two differences between indigenous and art music.
Show answer
Answer: Indigenous music is learned orally and composers are often unknown; art music is written and has named composers.Any two.6. Why do Ghanaian composers fit melodies to the tones of words in Twi or Ewe?
Show answer
Answer: Because pitch changes meaning in tonal languages, so the melody must follow the speech tones to keep the meaning.Tonal languages.
Lesson 3
- Strand
- Performing Arts
- Sub-strand
- Connections in Local and Global Cultures
- Indicator
- B7.2.3.3.5 – Select artworks of dance and drama artistes in the community or other places and identify the history culture environment and topical issues that are reflected in them
Introduction
A single photograph of a dancer can show joy, fear or pride. When several poses are put in order, they tell a story. Choreographers and directors think carefully about every position.
1. Reading Body Language in Performance
| Body feature | Example | What it may show |
|---|---|---|
| posture | standing tall with chest out | pride, power |
| facial expression | wide eyes, open mouth | surprise or fear |
| gesture | hands raised to the sky | prayer or joy |
| level | crouching low to the ground | sorrow, humility or hiding |
| movement quality | sharp, sudden steps | anger or war |
2. Analysing a Performance Photograph
When analysing a photograph of a dance or drama, describe the positions of the performers, their costumes and props, and their facial expressions. Then explain what the image might communicate about Ghanaian history, culture, the environment or a topical issue. For example, a photograph of warriors in Asafo costume with raised guns may show the history of defending the community.
3. Building a Sequence
- Choose a cultural story or issue, such as a hunter's journey or the effects of flooding.
- Select four to six poses that show the key moments.
- Arrange them in order: beginning, problem, climax and resolution.
- Link the poses with movements that match the mood and the drum rhythm.
- Rehearse the sequence and perform it for the class.
4. Anansegoro: A Ghanaian Drama Form
Efua Sutherland developed Anansegoro, a form of drama based on the Akan tradition of telling Ananse stories. In Anansegoro, a storyteller guides the play, the audience takes part, and songs called mmoguo interrupt the action. "The Marriage of Anansewa" is the best-known example.
New words
- posture
- The way the body is held.
- climax
- The most exciting point of a story.
- resolution
- How the problem in a story is solved.
- Anansegoro
- A Ghanaian drama form based on Ananse storytelling.
Summary
- Posture, facial expression, gesture, level and movement quality communicate meaning.
- Analyse performance photographs by describing and interpreting what they show.
- A sequence of poses in order can tell a complete cultural story.
Class activity: Story in Poses
- Choose a cultural story and select five poses for its key moments.
- Link the poses into a sequence with drum accompaniment.
- Perform it while another group interprets the story.
You need: Atumpan drum, Calabash rattle, Printed photographs of Ghanaian dance poses
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. The most exciting point in a story is the…
- A. climax
- B. resolution
- C. setting
- D. title
Show answer
Answer: climaxHighest tension.2. Crouching low to the ground in a dance may show…
- A. sorrow or humility
- B. pride
- C. victory
- D. anger
Show answer
Answer: sorrow or humilityLow level.3. Anansegoro was developed by Efua Sutherland.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueBased on Ananse stories.4. How the problem in a story is solved is the ______.
Show answer
Answer: resolutionThe ending.5. List the steps for building a dance-drama sequence.
Show answer
Answer: Choose a story, select poses, arrange them in order, link with movements and music, rehearse and perform.Main steps.6. Describe what an Asafo company photograph might communicate about history.
Show answer
Answer: Asafo companies were warrior groups that defended the community, so their costumes and flags show bravery and local history.Defence and identity.
Homework
- Write an art criticism of one artwork using the four steps.
- Listen to a Ghanaian song at home and fill in the listening guide.