Method Meets Art
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Writing about Art
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Specific information is available for Professor Chae's courses.
The Library of Congress does not have a unique subject heading or a pattern of subheadings for contemporary art. Workarounds include searching for a specific contemporary artist or specific contemporary artists or searching keywords such as “contemporary art.”
The following phrases often appear in a Library of Congress subject heading assigned to a work on contemporary art:
Works cataloged under the first example will undoubtedly be on “contemporary” art. Works cataloged under the second example could be on modern OR contemporary art (or both).
More specific subjects could be as follows:
Subjects such as above can be searched without the punctuation or proper case in OneSearch or WorldCat: e.g., painting korean 21st century.
One also may search by default (keywords) and avoid using "controlled" terms such as the ones above. Another option is to mix controlled terms such as "painting 20th century" and a keyword "contemporary." However, this search could eliminate works on contemporary art that lack the term "contemporary" in the record.
Art & Architecture Source
The subjects / descriptors assigned to records in Art & Architecture Source have much in common with the Library of Congress Subject Headings—with no subject specific to contemporary art. A subject exists for 21st century art, which will be “contemporary.” Distinguishing between “modern” and “contemporary” resources within the 20th century, however, may require reviewing the cited source.
One also may search by default (keywords) and avoid using "controlled" terms. Another option is to mix controlled terms such as "painting 20th century" and a keyword "contemporary." However, this search could eliminate works on contemporary art that lack the term "contemporary" in the record.
ARTbibliographies Modern (ABM)
ABM does include a subject for contemporary art. As a result, searches for articles on contemporary art may be better served in ABM than Art & Architecture Source. As an example, a search on contemporary drawing in France could be as follows in the main search box: mainsubject(contemporary) AND mainsubject(drawing) AND location(france). Searching by keyword (the default) is available as well.
The materials of the University of Arkansas Libraries are arranged by Library of Congress Classification. Most books on drawing are classified under NC and painting under ND. Of particular note, the "lower" call numbers of NC correspond more to drawing; the "higher" numbers are primarily on graphic design. Call numbers are not foolproof: many materials on drawing and painting are also on other areas of the arts and may be found in N, NX, et cetera. A basic knowledge of these areas can lead to more fruitful browsing.
Books (and periodicals) on drawing are less plentiful than on painting, but the Fine Arts Library, Mullins Library, and the Library Annex hold resources on drawing and related areas of art. Some works are practical (e.g., manuals of techniques); others are academic and come in a variety of forms: exhibition catalogs, books by academic presses, books by trade presses, and periodicals. Information can be found by searching resources such as OneSearch, WorldCat, Art & Architecture Source, and images in JSTOR. Searching by topics related to drawing and particular artists who drew are good starting points. Some resources are in print; others are electronic and can be read online. Some information on drawing can be found in materials that are not specifically or solely on drawing (e.g., an exhibition catalog on an artist who painted and drew). Not all materials will be held by the University of Arkansas, which may lead to a request via InterLibrary Loan.
Books (and periodicals) on painting are well represented among the materials on the visual arts. The Fine Arts Library, Mullins Library, and the Library Annex hold numerous resources on painting. Some works are practical (e.g., manuals of techniques); others are academic and come in a variety of forms: exhibition catalogs, books by academic presses, books by trade presses, and periodicals. Information can be found by searching resources such as OneSearch, WorldCat, Art & Architecture Source, and images in JSTOR. Searching by topics related to drawing and particular artists who drew are good starting points. Some resources are in print; others are electronic and can be read online. Some information on drawing can be found in materials that are not specifically or solely on painting (e.g., an exhibition catalog on an artist who sculpted, drew, and painted). Not all materials will be held by the University of Arkansas, which may lead to a request via InterLibrary Loan.
