Mary Lou L. Narowski
The second part of the unit will require that the students to be involved in the opening of an art gallery. The art understandings as well as the observation and language skills developed in the first section will be integral to the exercises in this one. Again, I will pose the question, "What is art?" It is here that I hope my students begin to suggest that art not only consists of elements and principles but also crystallizes the feelings of the artist in a clear, individual, and sincere way so as to impress the viewer. It will be explained that our job moving forward is to act as museum curators with the express purpose of choosing a select group of paintings for our soon-to-be-debuting art gallery. Acting as the artist of their chosen piece, they will have to research the artist's life and the actual painting, then persuade their fellow students that their piece should be chosen for display in the gallery.
Students will be divided into four groups, each representing one of the following art history periods: Renaissance, Impressionism, Post Impressionism, and Twentieth Century art. These periods have been chosen for their easy recognition and the readiness with which my students will be able to discuss the value of the pieces. This is not an attempt to teach art history. Rather this endeavor is simply a means to get my students to read, speak, hear, and write about familiar and/or interesting pieces. Certainly, any periods or even pieces chosen by the students can be used. The number of students in each group will depend on the number of students in the class, which will also determine the initial number of art pieces needed to be considered in each time period. The walls in the classroom will be divided into the four time periods, in which six different, numbered paintings from the period will be displayed. Each student will then randomly pick the name of one of the pieces from a basket. I have chosen the following pieces for consideration:
Once their piece has been chosen, my students will have to defend their piece from the perspective of the artist. As a group, the question will be posed, "What do we, as the artists, want others to know in order to persuade them that our piece is the one that should be hung in the gallery?"
This section will obviously require research on the part of my students. The Connecticut Standards for Reading require students to use computer technology as a resource for information. This is how the majority of students will glean their information, although our art teacher would also be a wonderful resource. The standards also indicate that that students should comprehend and respond in literal, critical, and evaluative ways to various texts that are read, viewed, and heard. Using the following questions as a guide to inquiry will help my students interpret, analyze, and evaluate the information in order to extend their understanding and appreciation of the works of art. They must be reminded to employ descriptors and adverbs as they develop their defense of the art piece they have researched. Within their individual groups further questioning will be developed, specific to the pieces in the time period.
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Who is the artist?
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Who hired him/her to produce the piece?
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Do you recognize any of the elements and principle of design in your piece?
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Would you consider your piece good art? Why? Why not?
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What is the point of the piece?
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How does this piece compare to the art of your country?
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Since rubrics are a standard requirement with our district, a rubric should be developed by each group, listing the expectations about the information to be gathered, the presentation of that information, as well as the credit given for responses provided. This is a simple sample of one that might be used.
Each student will need to invent the story behind the painting. What is the intended message? What problems arose as the artist designed/painted/ sculpted the piece? Where did the inspiration for the piece come from? I imagine that my serious students will probably provide very thought-provoking background answers, while others with a flare for the dramatic will present more light and humorous responses.
Once research is completed, each "artist" will have to defend his or her piece, extolling the virtues of the art piece to the small group. Here the Connecticut Standards are again relevant: students will be able to clearly express, develop, and substantiate their ideas using standard language structures and diction appropriate to audience and task. The group will then vote, using their designed rubric as a guide, on which two pieces from each period actually make it into our art gallery. Finally, as a class, there will be a debate on the most creative name for the gallery.
Extended Activities: Optional
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Design a banner for the gallery, then arrange for an opening so parents can come to view the display created by the students.
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Plan a visit to the Yale art galleries, having students view several selected pieces using the art appreciation skills they have just acquired.
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Debate the question, "Should our government use tax payers' money to purchase works of art for public places?"
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