NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION
VISUAL ARTS
SECTION A: Metacognitive Skills Section: 40% (Bloom's Taxonomy Levels 5 – 7
only)
MARKS & EDUCATOR
Level 7 Level 6 Level 5 Levels 1–1
COMMENT COMMENT
A carefully, A carefully A generalised A title was
creatively devised title title refers to presented that
devised title pinpoints some mostly obvious bears little
clearly aspect/s of the aspect/s of the evidence of
pinpoints chosen theme, chosen theme, thought around
Pinpointing essential encompassing facilitating aspect/s of the
Theme/Title particular aspect/s of the significant some depth and chosen theme,
aspects chosen theme, depth and scope in the preventing
A carefully through a
devised title encompassing scope in the feedback on the depth and
suitable title impressive feedback on the internalisation scope in the
that pinpoints and theme
particular depth and internalisation of the creative feedback on the
aspect/s of the scope in the of the creative experience. internalisation
/5 feedback on the experience. of the creative
chosen theme
and internalisation 2 experience.
encompasses of the creative 3 0–1
the depth and experience.
scope of the 4–5
creative Clarification of Sustained Attempted Some Weak /no
experience that title/theme in: clarification of clarification of clarification of attempt to
formed the the the title/theme the title/theme the title/theme clarify the title/
basis of the introduction with with some attempted in the theme
Contextual exceptional success in the introduction
Research in the /5 insight: in the introduction
PAT Artwork introduction 3 2 0–1
Visual Journal. and in the 4–5
body of the and throughout and insight and in some or in the body of
essay the body of the throughout the areas of the the essay.
essay. body of the body of the
/5 essay. essay, but not
in a clarifying 0–1
4–5 manner.
3 2
Pivotal role of Pivotal role of Attempted to Muddled / to no
own work own work establish a link attempt to
Pivotal exceptionally clearly proved, to own work, establish a link
Positioning of convincing, bearing bearing limited to own work,
Approach to
Learner Work bearing evidence of apt evidence of possibly
own work
evidence of reflection on reflection on bearing vague
Learner's own insightful own own evidence of
/5
work must be reflection on reflection on
pivotal. own own
3 2
4–5 0–1
Reference to Analysis of Analysis of Limited Poor analysis of
Contextual/ others' creative others' creative analysis of others' creative
Artist process/ process/ others' creative process/
Approach to content creates content creates process/ content. No link
Research
others' work meaningful sound links with content creates with the topic.
Creates links with the the topic. minimal links
/10 topic. with the topic.
meaningful 0–2
links to the 8–10 6–7
topic. 3–5
Ability to Formulation Exceptional Sound personal Some insight Little / no insight
analyse personal insights and and analytical or analytical
information /5 insights and an ability to ability. May be ability.
1
and to ability to analyse able to
formulate analyse information and formulate
statements. information and formulate statements.
formulate statements.
statements. 0–1
3–4 2
5
Evaluation/synt Evaluation and Evaluation and Confused
hesis synthesis synthesis attempt to
Synthesis exceptional. sound. attempted but evaluate and
Conclusion not entirely synthesise
/5 successful. SECTION A
5 3–4 0–1 TOTAL:
2 /40
SECTION B: Cognitive Skills Section: 40% (Bloom's Taxonomy Level)
Structure MARKS & EDUCATOR
Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1
COMMENT COMMENT
Ability to Excellent Sound Attempted Unsuccessful
document and documentation; documentation; sound attempt in
summarise the themed- themed- documentation, some/all
process of paragraphs are paragraphs themed criteria: poor
conceptual creatively clearly linked paragraphs, documentation/
development linked through a through logical and logical links illogical links/
within sound Organisation logical unpacking of but achieved muddled
academic unpacking of contents. some/all criteria contents.
structure: /5 contents. partially.
themed
paragraphs are 3 0–1
2
linked through a 4–5
logical
unpacking of
contents.
Creative Careful Evidence of Random
Contents selection of selection of relevant selection of
essential relevant knowledge knowledge
Describing the knowledge knowledge
relationship 4–5 0–3
between 8–10 6–7
knowledge and Attempted an Unsatisfactory
skills acquired Explanation of Explanation of explanation of attempt to
through the consequent the consequent the consequent explain the
exposure to adjustment in adjustment in adjustment in consequent
Visual Arts own creative own creative own creative adjustment in
research. process with process process own creative
Elaboration
● Selection of utmost clarity recorded with recorded process
relevant and insight insight
/10
knowledge
● Explaining
4–5 0–3
/10 6–7
the 8–10 Evidence that Unsatisfactory
consequent /10 Evidence that new knowledge evidence that
adjustment Convincing new knowledge has been new knowledge
in own evidence that has been internalised has been
creative new knowledge internalised through internalised
process has been through attempted
● Evidence internalised partially application
that new through the successful 0–3
knowledge confident application
was application 4–5
internalised thereof 6–7
8–10
Referencing Sufficient Sufficient Insufficient One/no source.
and Sources resources resources sources/Eviden Poor/no
consulted. consulted. ce of sources reference or
Use of
● Acknowled Correctly Reference but without demonstration
Sources
ged/properl referenced. mostly correct. proper of used
Sources Sources referencing. sources/Possibl
y /5
internalised. internalised. Possible minor e plagiarism.
referenced
Demonstration Some plagiarism Not internalised
text. demonstration
2
● The learner of sources in of sources in IF THE ESSAY
may use: text. text. IS
books, No evidence of No evidence of PLAGIARISED
magazine plagiarism. plagiarism. THE
articles, CANDIDATE
Internet, RECEIVES 0 SECTION B
FOR ENTIRE TOTAL:
gallery 2 ASSIGNMENT
visits, /40
interviews, 3–4 0–1
little
published 5
and/or well-
known
artist/s
● Use of
sources
demonstrat
ed via
quotes and
footnotes.
Formatting and Language Requirements
● Relevance of visuals /2
● Visuals of own work (compulsory). /8
● Visuals fully titled /2
● Reference list /3
● Presentation and formatting, cover page, index /2 SECTION C
● Art historical language/correct terminology/academic conventions /3 TOTAL:
/20
Calculation of Marks
SECTION A: /40
SECTION B: /40
SECTION C: /20 CONVERT
TOTAL: /100 TO MARK
/30
Moderation and Recommendation:
3
231077020630
An Exploration Into the Works of Jeff Koons, Leonardo Da Vinci, and William
Kentridge in Terms of Creating Art that is Experienced, and Not Just Viewed.
Index
Conclusive Research Essay Rubric and Mark Sheet……...……………..Page 1-3
Title Page with index…………………………………………………………Page 4
Conclusive Research Essay…………...……………………………………Page 5-7
Visuals of my work and artists who influenced my work…………………Pages 8-11
Reference List……………………………………...………………………...Pages 12
4
The influence of Jeff Koons, William Kentridge, and Leonardo Da Vinci can be seen in my
artwork "The Pentaptych Cadence of Rhythm" (images i, ii, iii) as their main artistic
elements, styles, and symbolism influenced the ideation and execution of my artwork,
which is an immersive sensory experience that evokes resonance in the viewer. The title of
my artwork is five words, which is symbolic, as in art, there are five elements of art: colour,
shape, texture, form, and value. In the human body, there are also five body systems:
circulatory, respiratory, muscular, digestive, and nervous systems. My artwork also utilizes
the five senses as you experience it. The connection of 5 is vital, as part of my artwork
shows the connection between art and science. Cadence is a synonym for rhythm, and it can
be defined in medical terms as "the beat or timing of a particular rhymical activity"
("Definition of CADENCE", 2023); I included both rhythm and cadence in the title, as my
artwork comprises of a repetition of hearts in various colours, this use of tautology is seen in
the title and the actual artwork itself, symbolizing the repetitive sound and motion of a
beating heart.
When given the theme resonance, I knew I wanted to create an artwork that all viewers
could connect with; thus, I decided to incorporate all five senses into my artwork, making it
a fully immersive experience that all can identify with. Resonance has many definitions, but
the one that I connected with was "the sound produced by diagnostic percussions of the
chest" (Cambridge Dictionary, 2023); this definition describes resonance in terms of science.
I wanted to blur the lines between art and anatomy to show just how closely related art and
science are, even though the common misconception is that they are not, hence why the
definition was one I could relate to.
The above definition of resonance then sparked the idea to draw eight pentaptychs of 2
central hearts that are the focal point of the series as they experience life. The use of the
series made the entire artwork seem more manageable and less overwhelming. The hearts
were a perfect medium to represent a person's life, as our hearts are our life force, and
heartbeats are the rhythm of our life. The artwork shows a red heart for half the series,
which is constantly changing colour, to represent the influence of different people(other
colour hearts) and a blue heart for the other half, which is experiencing the same changes as
the red heart, meeting other people(different coloured hearts) that had a profound
influence on the heart (person life), the artwork starts on the right and the left-hand side,
and ends in the middle, with a dissectible drawing of an anatomical depiction of a heart.
This is significant as it shows how everything in life can be viewed in different ways and
urges the viewers to be more open-minded. The red heart symbolizes one person, and the
blue another. Each different colour heart represents a person who has made an impact on
the two main people(the red and blue hearts); these people(different colour hearts) have
permanently changed their lives. The background of each heart has an EKG, which is shown
at different frequencies, different viewers can have different emotions for the same EKG,
showing how the element of sight can be used to make the artwork impactful to every
viewer in its unique way.
In class, we learnt about Jeff Koons, and initially, he seemed like an average conceptual
artist; however, when I learned about his series of artwork, "Made in Heaven" (image iv,v),
it depicts Koons and Ilona Cicciolina in various mediums such as glass, marble and
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photographs, in a variety of very erotic and suggestive positions, especially in the
photography(image iv). Koons stated that he wanted his art to be seen on a broader scale
and needed to make his art more relevant (Ryynanen, 2004), therefore hired Cicciolina,
which he first saw in a gentleman's magazine and was a popular pornstar, as this would
make his artwork more relevant, and thus more popular. Researching this artwork
immediately changed my feelings towards his work and made me instantly repulsed by him
and, subsequently, his artwork. This artwork was extremely influential as it made me realize
that in order to create an artwork that everyone can connect with, I need to have many
elements for the viewer to connect with, but also not create the artwork for the sake of it
being popular or a commodity but rather create an artwork for the experience of art itself.
Although elements of Koon's work cannot be directly seen in my artwork, his concepts
directly influenced the use of the five senses in my artwork.
William Kentridge has always been an artist that I resonate with, as he often creates
artworks that are part of a series, and he uses little to no colour. His presentation of his
artwork as a series influenced my artwork, as I often find a larger artwork overwhelming.
Therefore, I do not produce larger artworks of good quality. The use of a series meant I
could break up the artwork and complete a large artwork that was still of good standard
without being overwhelmed. I relate with Kentridge as he once said that he does not
understand colour and, therefore, does not use it (Kalra, 2022). For most of my previous
artworks, I have stayed away from colour, as I find it difficult to use, as the different colours
make it challenging to create a chiaroscuro effect. While researching his art, I discovered his
artwork Koevert (Dreams of Europe)(vi); the triptych depicts a crowded room full of men
dressed in formal attire, where a man is laid across a table, and a pattern is being cut into
him, the work shows excellent use of tonal values, there is no colour, and instead tonal
value, texture, and pencil strokes are used to create meaning giving the artwork a macabre
feeling. This artwork really inspired me to get out of my comfort zone and use colour to
create meaning and conceptual value, rather than relying on pencil strokes and shading to
add definition and colour. The influence of this artwork can be seen in my artwork through
the use of a different colour heart representing a different person.
Resonance through scent and smell in my artwork is achieved through the diffusion of rust
to create a metallic smell, hinting towards the smell of blood. A tiny piece of copper wire is
placed into the viewer's mouth to have a metallic taste, also hinting towards the taste of
blood; this can be interpreted by the viewer, lending it to the theme of resonance. The
sense of hearing is achieved by the viewer listening to their own heartbeat with the use of a
stethoscope; the viewer must take note of when their heart rate changes and what caused
the heart rate to change in order to connect to the artwork. Continuous exposure to the
senses is essential as it incorporates the viewer into the work and makes them a part of it.
Challenging the misconception that art and science have no overlap was the last critical
element incorporated in my work; Leonardo Da Vinci does an excellent job of showcasing
the overlap of the two fields. He executed over 50 drawings of anatomy, and this influenced
my artwork, as I, too, was incorporating anatomy into my work. In his drawing, "Heart of
matter" (image vii), he made an extraordinary discovery that the heart had four chambers
and not two as previously believed. Da Vinci dissected the corpse to make anatomical
drawings; while dissecting the corpses, he observed the rotation movements of the heart,
as it was a cone shape with a twist used for emptying the heart in a twisting motion.
6
Physicians described his drawings as better than those in the anatomy books, and he made
invaluable discoveries in the heart's workings, showing that science and art can overlap. My
work reflects this as the series ends in the middle, where the blue and red heart merge to
form a perfect biological representation of a heart, where red represents oxygenated blood,
and blue represents deoxygenated blood. The amalgamation of the two has another
representation showing a soulmate connection, whether platonic or romantic; the two
hearts merge to form one perfect human heart, showing the importance of human
connection and relationships.
The creation, execution, and ideation were due to the influence of the three above artists,
as Kentridge influenced the use of colour and a series, Koons influenced the use of the five
senses, and Da Vinci influenced the use of anatomy, particularly the heart. These artists,
along with others, have influenced elements of my work, resulting in the culmination of my
artwork representing resonance in an immersive experience.
7
Image i:
“The Pentaptych Cadence of Rhythm”
Serena Taylor Parkins, 2023
Alcohol markers on paper
Image ii:
“The Pentaptych Cadence of Rhythm”
Serena Taylor Parkins, 2023
Alcohol markers on paper
8
Image iii:
“The Pentaptych Cadence of Rhythm”
Serena Taylor Parkins, 2023
Alcohol markers on paper
Image iv:
“Made in Heaven”
Jeff Koons, 1989
Lithograph Billboard
9
Image v:
“Made in Heaven”
Jeff Koons, 1989
Polychromed Wood
Image vi:
“Koevoet (Dreams of Europe)”
William Kentridge, 1984-85
Charcoal on paper
10
Image vii:
“Heart of matter”
Leonardo Da Vinci, 1511
Red Chalk on paper
11
Reference list
Cambridge Dictionary (2023). resonance. [online] @CambridgeWords. Available at:
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/resonance#:~:text=resonance%20
noun%20(QUALITY)&text=a%20feeling%2C%20thought%2C%20memory%2C.
Jeff Koons. (n.d.). Jeff Koons Artwork: Jeff and Ilona (Made in Heaven). [online]
Available at: http://www.jeffkoons.com/artwork/made-in-heaven/jeff-and-ilona-made-
in-heaven.
Kalra, V. (2022). Why South African artist William Kentridge doesn’t use colour in his
art. [online] The Indian Express. Available at:
https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/why-south-african-artist-
william-kentridge-doesnt-use-colour-in-his-art-
8329986/#:~:text=When%20charcoal%20becomes%20a%20medium [Accessed 26
Sep. 2023].
Ryynanen, M. (2004). The Double Life of Jeff Koon’s Made in Heaven Glass
Artworks. The Nordic Journal of Aesthetics, 16(29-30).
doi:https://doi.org/10.7146/nja.v16i29-30.3042.
Sooke, A. (2014). Leonardo da Vinci’s ground-breaking anatomical sketches. [online]
Bbc.com. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20130828-leonardo-da-
vinci-the-anatomist.
www.merriam-webster.com. (2023). Definition of CADENCE. [online] Available at:
https://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/cadence#:~:text=%3A%20the%20beat%2C%20time%2C%2
0or%20measure%20of%20rhythmical%20motion%20or%20activity [Accessed 26
Sep. 2023].
www.royalacademy.org.uk. (n.d.). 10 works to know by William Kentridge | Blog |
Royal Academy of Arts. [online] Available at:
https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/article/10-artworks-william-kentridge.
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