entry 2

On Finding Sources

Collecting sources on a topic that involves the visual arts is a bit more complex than I’m used to. I’m beginning to see that original artworks will compose a large part of my bibliography. Especially because I’m analyzing Rivera’s style, these primary sources are important in creating a credible argument. If readers can see exactly what I’m talking about, my points will seem much more relevant.

For my first annotated bibliography, I used two sources that were pieces of art. The first was a cubist painting by Rivera, and the second was part of a later mural of his in Cuernavaca. In finding these sources, I had to first write out my ideas so I’d see what I needed. As I explained my research questions and laid out the information I was interested in finding, the works that I needed to analyze became more clear. I think this happens not just with artworks and primary sources, but with all reference material during the research/writing process. We learn a little bit, and then we ask questions. We form these questions into potential ideas, and then we investigate more deeply. The ideas, though, are what guide our research. So, before I found sources, I had to have an idea of what I might want to say or at least ask.

By the time I finished coming up with my research proposal, I had a good idea of what I wanted to find out. Namely, I wanted to learn more about Rivera’s experience with European modernism, and his cubist period. I went for in-print sources because books seemed the most credible, and were both full of interesting perspectives and a wealth of information. I checked out a biography, “Rivera as Epic Modernist”, and two books on Rivera’s cubist works that were full of images. This was a good starting place to establish and hone my guiding research questions, and to prompt a search for more sources. Reading the biography has put additional questions in my mind, and in the time before my final paper is due I will find a few more sources to answer them. After considering this information, which is to a large extent primary source material, I will look for a scholarly opinions on my topics to broaden my context and bounce my ideas off of established opinions. However, I think it’s important to start with primary sources so that we form our own ideas.