GCSE
EXPRESSIVE ARTS
Examination Presentation: Practical work in response to set stimuli
June 2016
To be issued to candidates on or after 1 December 2015
Time allowed

Preliminary preparation period (up to 12 hours), followed by the development and completion of
practical work (up to 15 hours).
Materials
For this paper you must have:
 a Record Sheet for working processes material (enclosed).
Instructions
You must choose one Area of Study from those given on pages 2 to 11. The Area of Study chosen
must be different from the one chosen for submission as part of the Controlled Assessment.
 The final presentation must integrate two art forms.
 You must work either individually or in a group of no more than five. If you work in a group, it must
be possible to identify your work clearly for assessment purposes.
 Length of presentations of performances will vary according to the combination of art forms chosen.
Presentations must be no longer than 15 minutes, but for some combinations of art forms a
considerably shorter time may be more appropriate.
 You will need to provide evidence of your working processes in developing your work towards the
final presentation. This evidence is to be listed on the Record Sheet provided.

Information




Before the start of the 15-hours time allocation for the development and completion of your practical
work, you will be allowed up to 12 hours to carry out relevant research to investigate the topic
chosen and to do some preliminary planning. This work may be undertaken outside the classroom.
Your teacher may assist you in reading the paper and providing information during this preliminary
preparation period.
No teacher assistance is permitted during the 15-hours time allocation for developing and
completing your practical work. All this work must be carried out under teacher supervision.
The maximum mark for the Examination Presentation is 80. You will be awarded a mark out of 40
for your working processes and a mark out of 40 for your final presentation.
Advice

It is recommended that you use only art forms studied during your course.
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Area of Study A: FROM PAST TO PRESENT
Giants
Giants have been a focus in writings, texts, scriptures, folklore and mythology and are woven into the
fabric and substance of history. In literature we come across giants as imagined or mythical beings,
often representing the struggle between good and evil. In Greek mythology Titans are immortal giant
gods with incredible strength who ruled the Earth until they were overthrown by Zeus. In the fairy
tale Jack and the Beanstalk, the giant encountered by Jack is portrayed as evil and Jack outwits and
kills him. There are other invented giant creatures, such as Godzilla, who are portrayed as evil or
sometimes as saviours of the world. Real life giants have been acknowledged in the Guinness Book
of Records. Sultan Kösen is one of the tallest men, measuring 2.51m in height. Other giants can
be inanimate objects or animals, such as the statue of The Spring Temple Buddha or King Kong the
giant ape.
Lemuel Gulliver waking up as a prisoner of the Lilliputians in Gulliver’s Travels
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Area of Study A: FROM PAST TO PRESENT (continued)
Sea Odyssey Giants come to Liverpool for the Titanic Giants event
Ginormica the giant from the animated film Monsters vs Aliens
Turn over
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Area of Study A: FROM PAST TO PRESENT (continued)
Further stimuli based on the topic of ‘Giants’

Myths and fables about giants

Comic books such as Asterix and Obelix or It! The Living Colossus

Dance works such as Peter Wright’s ballet The Nutcracker

Scores and soundtracks from films such as Jack the Giant Slayer or Godzilla.
Task
The stimuli for this Area of Study are given on pages 2, 3 and above.
Create a presentation, integrating two art forms, in response to one or more of the stimuli for the
topic of ‘Giants’.
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Area of Study B: PEOPLES AND PLACES
The Roman Empire
The Roman Empire began with Octavian, who was awarded the honorific title of Augustus (the
honoured one) by the Senate in 27 BC. He replaced the Roman Republic with an effective monarchy
and during his long reign brought peace and stability. A long succession of emperors followed and
at its height the Roman Empire was spread over three continents and was the most extensive social
and political structure in the Western World. It was divided into provinces that were led by provincial
governors. The Roman Empire ended in the West after 500 years when Romulus Augustus was
overthrown by Odoacer, a barbarian general in the Roman Army. The success of the Roman Empire
was largely attributed to its most efficient, effective and brutal army. The influence of the Roman
Empire on western civilization was noted for its lasting contributions to virtually every aspect of
western culture.
Map of the Roman Empire
Turn over
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Area of Study B: PEOPLES AND PLACES (continued)
Cameo of Augustus, Roman Emperor, Part of a mosaic showing an organ and horn player in the
63 BC-14 AD, made from agate,
Augusta Treverorum arena. This is from a Roman villa in
quartz, marble, gold, gilt bronze and
Nennig, Moselle Valley, Germany.
enamel.
Gladiators were trained by a Lanista to fight in one of a number of specific disciplines, each with its
own weapons and title. A Retiarius (gladiator on the ground under the victorious gladiator) fought
with a trident, dagger and net, while a Hoplomachus (the victorious gladiator) was equipped with an
arm guard, greaves, a small round shield, a brimmed helmet and a short sword called a gladius.
These spectacular events were one of the most popular forms of public entertainment in the Roman
world. Successful gladiators were the celebrities of the first century.
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Area of Study B: PEOPLES AND PLACES (continued)
Further stimuli based on the topic of ‘The Roman Empire’

Roman myths and fables

Animation and computer games based on the battles of the Roman Empire

Dance works such as Yuri Grigorovich’s ballet Spartacus

Documentaries such as Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire and films and their
soundtracks such as Ben-Hur, Gladiator, Pompeii and The Eagle.
Task
The stimuli for this Area of Study are given on pages 5, 6 and above.
Create a presentation, integrating two art forms, in response to one or more of the above stimuli for
the topic ‘The Roman Empire’.
Turn over
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Area of Study C: UNIVERSAL THEMES
Steps
Steps, the act or movement of putting one leg in front of the other, is just one way to look at the
theme. Steps form part of a ladder or stairs. Steps can go up or down and may lead to a goal
or nowhere at all. Footprints in particular have been a subject of interest to scientists who have
discovered the earliest evidence of human footprints outside of Africa, on the Norfolk Coast at
Happisburgh. These footprints are more than 800 000 years old and are direct evidence of the
earliest known humans in northern Europe. Stairways to heaven or hell can be found in stories or
songs. The sound made by footsteps could be an echo and is often linked to sinister events.
Chand Baori is a famous stepwell located in the village of Abhaneri in the Indian state of Rajasthan.
It consists of 3500 narrow steps over 13 storeys. These multiple stairs give it an Escherian look.
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Area of Study C: UNIVERSAL THEMES (continued)
The strategic board game chess deals with different steps for
each piece.
A cartoon image depicting a stairway
leading to a mysterious castle.
The fascination about footsteps in the sand is that they do not last. Wind or sea will eventually
reclaim them.
Turn over
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Area of Study C: UNIVERSAL THEMES (continued)
The song Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin gives rise to many interpretations on the topic of
‘Steps’.
The lyrics are not reproduced here due to third-party copyright constraints.
The song lyrics are taken from Stairway to Heaven, by Led Zeppelin
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Area of Study C: UNIVERSAL THEMES (continued)
Further stimuli based on the topic of ‘Steps’

Dance works such as Merce Cunningham’s Changing Steps and dance films such as Step Up
and its sequels, as well as related works such as The Bauhaus Stairway and the Triadic Ballet

Films such as The 39 Steps

Short stories and poetry about footsteps

Board games such as Snakes and Ladders.
Task
The stimuli for this Area of Study are given on pages 8, 9, 10 and above.
Create a presentation, integrating two art forms, in response to one or more of the stimuli for the
topic of ‘Steps’.
END OF QUESTIONS
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