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Lesson Two
The Artist Speaks
Essential Questions:
*What is spectatorship?
*What is censorship?
*How does spectatorship affect meaning?
Grade Level and Duration:
9th - 12th grade art level ll: intermediate and art level lll: advanced intermediate
5 - 60-minute class sessions
Lesson Theme:
censorship
Materials:
Teacher materials:
• print of Ken Aptekars-"I,m six years old and hiding behind my hands", 1996
• 3 images of various symbols by unknown artists
• thumbtacks in order to hang projects
• handout with parameters of project
Student materials:
• sketchbooks to take class notes and preliminary drawings
• heavy white paper, 11x14(students will create 2" border)
• colored pencils
• drawing pencils
• scissors(if desired to use)
• rulers
Vocabulary:
• interpretation- an explanation; A concept of a work of art as expressed by its representation
• censor- to examine and prohibit obscene or objectionable parts or to amend by removing those parts
• continuum- something in which no part can be distinguished from a neighboring part except by arbitrary division.
• opinion- an evaluation based on special knowledge
Standards of Learning: (Virginia: Visual Arts)
1. AII.1 The student will expand the use of a sketchbook/journal by adding preliminary sketches, finished drawings, critical writings, and class notes.
2. AII.2 The student will demonstrate effective use of the elements of art and the principles of design in a variety of art media.
3. AII.19 The student will describe symbols present in works of art in relation to historical meaning.
4. AII.21 The student will use an expanded art vocabulary to assess personal works of art in terms of effectiveness in the communication of ideas.
5. AII.24 The student will participate in class critiques and criticisms based on one or more established models(e.g., Feldman, Broudy, Barrett).
6. AII.29 The student will support opinions by reasoned processes using an expanded art vocabulary.
1. AIII.1 The student will maintain a sketchbook/journal that demonstrates research, fluency of ideas, concepts, media, and processes.
2. AIII.3 The student will produce works of art that integrate a consistent knowledge of the elements of art and the principles of design.
3. AIII.6 The student will develop skill, confidence, and craftsmanship in the use of media, techniques, and processes to achieve desired intentions in works of art.
4. AIII.8 The student will demonstrate initiative, originality, fluency, commitment to tasks, and openness to new ideas in the creation of works of art.
5. AIII.13 The student will compare and analyze relationships between styles or cultures using an expanded art vocabulary.
6. AIII.29 The student will describe the effects that works of art have on groups, individuals, and cultures.
Specific Learning Objective #1
Upon entering the classroom, the arts level II and III students will engage in a motivational activity incorporating the objects they were asked to bring during the previous class. The best student will understand that what one person finds objective another may not.
Specific Learning Objective #2
After the motivational activity, the students will review in discussion what they learned in the previous lesson. The teacher will show the prints of previous lesson as well as prints for this lesson and discuss the content in relation to this culture as well as other cultures. The students will discuss the effectiveness of the intended purpose of the work of art in this culture as well as others. The key concepts to remember are censorship, opinion, interpretation and spectatorship.
Specific Learning Objective #3
Following the lecture, the students will create images using drawing pencils or colored pencils using symbolism that depicts their interpretation of "censorship". The most successful student will create works of art that utilize art elements, the principles of design, and the parameters of the project. They will also have communicated their idea of censorship in their work of art.
Advanced Organizer:
The following must be accomplished before the lesson can begin: the prints need to be hung in a location that all students will be able to view, all supplies for project should be neatly placed on available counterspace, two tables will be placed lengthwise together for motivational activity.
Motivational Activity:
Each student will be seated around the two tables with their objects in hand.
"We have created another continuum similar to the one from the last lesson. Instead of being based on beauty we will base it on offensive with the center being neutral, neither offensive nor not offensive. The far right will be extremely offensive- you never want to see anything like that again. The far left will be extremely unoffensive- it does not bother you to see it. I want each student carefully and with respect to put your object on the table where you feel it fits the best." Each student will put their objects down. The teacher will allow several students discuss their reason for placement of their objects. "Now I want each student to go one at a time and move one object that you think is in the wrong place." Each student will move one piece. The teacher will allow the students to comment on why they moved the object. The most successful student will be able to support their reasons and understand that what is offensive to them is not offensive to another.
Lesson Sequence:
Day 1
1. The teacher will present the motivational activity.
2. The teacher will review the previous lesson, discuss the image of Ken Aptekar and those of the unknown artists.
3. The teacher will encourage students to talk about symbols and cultural context. The teacher will ask questions like what is a symbol? What does this symbol mean? How do you know? If we took this symbol out of the United States to somewhere like Australia, do you think it would mean the same thing? Knowing this, do you think we should eliminate this symbol completely? Why? What is censorship? Do you agree or disagree with censorship? The teacher will encourage the students to support their ideas by using the words because or for example and incorporate an expanded art vocabulary.
4. The teacher will remind students of their daily homework-practicing elements of art and design including but not limited to balance, repetition, primary colors, color combinations, light and shadow, line and texture.
Day2,3 and 4
5. The teacher will review the previous days discussion. Yesterday we discussed symbols and censorship: how one symbol could mean one thing in one culture and something different in another. Give me another example of a symbols whose meanings vary from culture to culture. Give me an example of censorship, what is censored.
6. Then the teacher will discuss parameters of project and hand out supplies for the project. The students will use 11x14 paper and create a 2 inch border not to be drawn in. Next they will use either drawing pencils or color pencils to create an image communicating their ideas of censorship. The image must include at least 1 symbol, at least 2 art elements and design principles of their choice. They can use scissors to create holes or scratches. Originality and commitment to task is encouraged. The image may include text, although it is not a requirement.
7. Demonstrate how to make a 2 inch border and review various design elements.
8. The teacher will walk around the room as to make her/him available to answer student questions and make suggestions.
9. Allow the students next 2 days to complete their projects.
10. Remind students of their daily homework.
Day 5
11. The students will hang their finished projects (unfinished projects will be considered finished) on the board and view their peers.
12. Next the students will participate in a critique using skills learned in a previous lesson.
Closure:
At the end of everyday, each student will be responsible for cleaning their tables, and areas also return all supplies to their proper place.
At the end of the lesson, each student will say one thing about their work of art. They should be able to speak fluently about their aesthetic decisions as well as art elements and design principles. Next, the class will engage in a discussion of their peers works of art. The most successful student will be able to communicate what they see, what it means and support their reasons with an expanded art vocabulary and be able to describe the effects that certain works of art have on different groups or individuals.
At the end of the unit, the most successful students will also be able to discuss how they as the spectator give meaning to the work of art.
Transition:
In this lesson we explored censorship: how the artist can be limited to subject and the meaning of symbols in this and other cultures. We talked about the works of Ken Aptekar and other unknown artists and how they use symbols and text to give their art meaning. We also created images that contain symbols and or text that communicate the meaning of censorship. Next time, we will be discussing works of art that question what art is.
Evaluation:
Student Evaluations:
Students will be evaluated according to (1) how well they demonstrate an understanding of popular symbols and different cultural meanings; (2) the connections they make between themselves as an artist and the spectator as a censor; (3) their ability to communicate their ideas of censorship through their work of art; and (4) if the student demonstrates the use of art elements, design principles and the parameters of the project.
Lesson Evaluations:
The teacher will need to provide a good definition of censorship and compare and contrast it with spectatorship.
Modifications:
Charcoal could be substituted for drawing pencils.
If this lesson included students of special needs, the paper could be taped to the desk with drafting tape. Tactile edges of the paper could be created with dried glue or yarn glued to paper.
References, Bibliography, Resources
http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/rembrandt/
http://www.arts.endow.gov/explore/Gallery/Aptekar
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