2019 exam help themes

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  • Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Fire at the Grand Storehouse of the Tower of London’ 1841

    The Elements Exam Help

    From facing the elements to the four elements, explore ideas for your art and design exam
  • Catherine Yass, ‘Corridors’ 1994

    Spaces Exam Help

    Busy crowded streets, eerie empty rooms, closed-in spaces and open spaces that seem to go on and on, explore spaces …
  • Mario Merz, ‘Igloo, Do We Go Around Houses, or Do Houses Go Around Us?’ 1977, reconstructed 1985

    Habitats Exam Help

    From art about home life to art that highlights the impact of climate change and pollution on natural habitats
  • Brett Weston, ‘Botanical Garden, San Francisco’ 1978

    Texture Exam Help

    Explore textures in art from woven textures and textured fabrics and materials to gestural marks and patterns
  • Nam June Paik, ‘Bakelite Robot’ 2002

    Toys Exam Help

    From pop art to gender politics, see toys in a new light and get some inspiration for your exam research
  • Parviz Tanavoli, ‘Lion and Sword’ 2009

    Myths and Legends Exam Help

    Be inspired by myths and legends – or create your own!
  • Gillian Wearing CBE, ‘Self Portrait as My Sister Jane Wearing’ 2003

    Changed Identity Exam Help

    From changing their own identities to changing the identity of objects, how have artists explored the theme of changed identity?

Past exam help themes

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    Student Resource

    Weather Exam Help

    From sun worshipers, cloud gazers and storm chasers to artists who use the weather to explore broader themes and ideas
  • Barry Flanagan, ‘a nose in repose’ 1977–9

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    Materials Exam Help

    From 'usual' to unlikely art materials: explore textures, qualities, techniques and symbolism of things artists use to make their work
  • Patrick Caulfield, ‘Coloured Still Life’ 1967

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    Still Life Exam Help

    Not just fruit and flowers, explore still lifes from realistic to abstract and familiar to unexpected
  • Leon Kossoff, ‘Children’s Swimming Pool, Autumn Afternoon’ 1971

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    Dynamism and Movement Exam Help

    Explore how artists use marks and colour to suggest motion or make kinetic, performance and video art to explore movement
  • Dieter Roth, ‘Berlin 2’ 1970

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    Landmarks Exam Help

    From art about landmarks to art that is itself a landmark: get some inspiration on the theme of landmarks for …
  • Lorna Simpson, ‘Five Day Forecast’ 1991

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    Diary Exam Help

    From sketchbooks to video diaries and the everyday to big life events, explore how artists use diaries to record the …
  • Robert Mapplethorpe, ‘Grace Jones’ 1984

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    Mark Making Exam Help

    Explore the different ways artists use marks and expressive qualities
  • Michael Craig-Martin, ‘Full Life’ 1985

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    Outline Exam Help

    Much more than just a line! Discover surprising ways artists use outlines in art from graphic to graffiti or abstract …
  • Robert Mapplethorpe, ‘Diane Benson’ 1980

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    Clothing Exam Help

    Explore art and fashion, from what clothes can say about identity to shapes, patterns and textures of clothing inspired by …
  • Henry Moore OM, CH, ‘Mask’ ?1928

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    Masks Exam Help

    Explore how artists have used masks in their work, to protect, disguise, hide and amuse
  • Menashe Kadishman, ‘[title not known]’ 1974

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    Trees Exam Help

    From atmosphere and symbolism to textures and abstract shapes, explore how trees have inspired artists
  • Susan Hiller, ‘Monument’ 1980–1

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    Memory Exam Help

    Explore memories of the past, memories of people and fading memories to see how artists recall and reminisce in art
  • Edward Burra, ‘The Snack Bar’ 1930

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    Food Exam Help

    Can a humble bag of chips or slice of pizza become a masterpiece? Explore some tasty art about food
  • Keith Edmier, ‘Beverly Edmier 1967’ 1998

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    Mother and Child Exam Help

    Discover tender images of new mums and babies and artists' in-depth explorations of mother and child relationships
  • Mark Wallinger, ‘Threshold to the Kingdom’ 2000

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    Journeys Exam Help

    From physical journeys and migration to journeys of self-discovery, get ideas and inspiration about journeys in art
  • Damien Hirst, ‘Mother and Child (Divided)’ exhibition copy 2007 (original 1993)

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    Relationship Exam Help

    Exploring relationships in art, as a connection or association between people, things or ideas
  • Tracey Emin, ‘Hate and Power Can be a Terrible Thing’ 2004

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    Letters and Words Exam Help

    From letters and words that add texture to words that make you think and act, discover how artists use letters …
  • Doris Salcedo, ‘Shibboleth IV’ 2007

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    Force Exam Help

    From forces of nature and forceful feelings to force as a method, explore how artists have used force in art
  • Alan Davie, ‘Entrance for a Red Temple No. 1’ 1960

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    Ritual Exam Help

    What is a ritual? Discover how ritual has been used as a theme in art and decide what it means …
  • Jim Dine, ‘Drag - Johnson and Mao’ 1967

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    Self-Image Exam Help

    Explore how artists have represented themselves, and others, using portraiture
  • Paul Winstanley, ‘Woman at a Window 2’ 2003

    Isolation exam help

    Unsettling images of physical isolation, moving insights into what it’s like to feel alone and spaces for contemplation and solitude …
  • Iwao Yamawaki, Untitled (Modernist architecture) 1930–2 Tate

    Architecture Exam Help

    From art inspired by architectural shapes and structures to artists who use architecture to explore society and identity – explore architecture in art
  • Sarah Jones, ‘The Dining Room (Francis Place) I’ 1997

    Domestic Interiors Exam Help

    Explore some very different takes on the domestic interior: from rooms that reference social or political issues to abstract impressions …
  • Kurt Schwitters, ‘Opened by Customs’ 1937–8

    Assembled Exam Help

    Scraps of paper, old photographs, bits of junk: ordinary things and extraordinary things…research art made by assembling objects and images
  • Anthea Hamilton, ‘Wrestler Kimono’ 2013

    Folded Exam Help

    From folding as a technique to folds in nature and folded bodies…explore how folded forms are used in art
  • Umberto Boccioni, ‘Unique Forms of Continuity in Space’ 1913, cast 1972

    Walking Exam Help

    Some artists use walking to explore and interpret their environments, others capture the body in motion: research some of the …
  • Man Ray, ‘Indestructible Object’ 1923, remade 1933, editioned replica 1965

    Out of Place Exam Help

    Big things that should be small, familiar things made unfamiliar: discover how out of place things and people can appear …
  • Rebecca Horn, ‘Concert for Anarchy’ 1990

    Music in Art Exam Help

    From abstract artworks inspired by music – to art that can be listened to as well as looked at! Discover …
  • Man Ray, ‘L’Enigme d’Isidore Ducasse’ 1920, remade 1972

    Wrap Exam Help

    By hiding or disguising the details of things or people, artists change how they appear: they become mysterious and sometimes disturbing…
  • Cristina Iglesias, ‘Pavilion Suspended in a Room I’ 2005

    Suspended Exam Help

    Hanging objects, sculptures – and bodies! People suspended in water or air…and structures that rely on suspension: explore suspended as …
  • Sir Eduardo Paolozzi, ‘28. Man Holds the Key’ 1972

    Technological Change Exam Help

    Whether inspired by the impact of new technology on society and lifestyle, or using new technology to make work: discover …
  • David Shrigley OBE, ‘Untitled’ 2003

    Skulls Exam Help

    From artists who use skulls as symbols to those who explore their structure, browse a selection of artworks about skulls
  • Richard Long, ‘A Hundred Mile Walk’ 1971–2

    Maps Exam Help

    Look at maps in art, from re-purposed, messed-up road maps to mapping the cultural and physical movements of people and …
  • Salvador Dalí, ‘Metamorphosis of Narcissus’ 1937

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    Transformation Exam Help

    Explore how artists have transformed objects and ideas through their work
  • Bernard Cohen, ‘Matter of Identity III - The Trace’ 1977–9

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    Details Exam Help

    From art that focus on details of the everyday to works made from intricate and elaborate imagery, explore details as …
  • Sarah Lucas, ‘Pauline Bunny’ 1997

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    Human Figure Exam Help

    Explore people drawn, painted or sculpted from life and art that explores abstract ideas about being human
  • Lorna Simpson, ‘Then & Now’ 2016

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    News and Events Exam Help

    Look at artists responses to news, from headline-grabbing events and social or political issues, to stories of the extraordinary everyday
  • Cornelia Parker, ‘Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View’ 1991

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    Light and Dark Exam Help

    Look at artworks made from light and shadow to the symbolic use of light and dark to make powerful statements
  • Albert Irvin, ‘St Germain’ 1995

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    Interwoven Exam Help

    Explore art that interweaves materials, ideas, experiences and histories
  • Julian Opie, ‘Imagine you are driving’ 1998–9

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    Perspective Exam Help

    From vanishing points to points of view, explore perspective in art

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