Anyway! I found a super cool contemporary artist who is getting me all kinds of excited about teaching, learning, painting, sculpting.. ALL of it.
Shintaro Ohata is a Japanese painter/sculptor extraordinaire whose claim to fame is sculpted "3D" paintings. She creates sculptures of her subjects and places them in front of beautifully and dramatically lit paintings. The two elements together suggest story and personal dramas... she is a seriously cool artist.
When I first discovered her work I was transported back to a previous Art Education course wherein we discussed the working style of George Segal. Ohata's work is very similar to Segal's in that they both utilize the human form as a foreground 'object', so to speak. However, the figures interact with their environments differently. Ohata's characters seem to blend seamlessly into painted landscapes and scenes, where as Segal's figures more often than not appear a ghostly white (made so by the medical bandages used to cast molds) within their environment or suggested "post". I wanted to develop a middle school lesson about identity, place, and the juxtaposition or unity of the two ideas. This is how I party on weeknights.
 |
 |
- What is going on in this installation?
- Why did Segal pose his figures in this way? (referring to specific works)
- Why did he include ____ ?
- Why did he exclude ____?
- What is the message being communicated by the figure? The background/setting?
- How does this work make you, personally, feel? Use descriptive language.
Opening a dialogue about identity, isolation, but also the need to fit in and belong in an environment.. there is so much potential for critical thinking and I want to get the kids thinking about the WHY. Segal was all about portraying the self in its mediocre and day-to-day glory. People waiting at the bus stop, people waiting in line to buy bread ("Depression Bread Line"), a lone figure rearranging letters on a film marquee - these people are ordinary. They are common; they could be your next door neighbor, your friend, your TEACHER. Segal masterfully captured the mundane lives of those who he casted. However, in doing so, he opens important psychological domains and expresses many feelings in implied movement, the individual faces of figures and their expressions, posture.. it's all up for discussion! Social and personal commentary abound, George Segal would be my go-to example to introduce this idea of A Place to Be. His plaster figures would also be part one of my lesson plan! Let's get to it...
A Place to Be
Objectives
- View installations by contemporary artists (George Segal, Mark Jenkins, Shintaro Ohata)
- Cast molds of classmates to be used in installation project
- Teach students about the psychological expressions portrayed in the selected example works
- Teach students basic digital photography and editing
- Teach students transfer technique for final painting backgrounds
Key Concepts
- Humans interact with their environments
- Humans choose to ignore their environments
- Humans all have differing levels of personal tolerance
- Humans have an innate need for connection
- Humans have a conflicting need for personal space
Essential Questions for Lesson
- How do you interact with your environment? Do you pay attention to your surroundings? Do you try to blend in or stand out?
- How can we communicate our feelings about our environments using posture, placement, proximity to the canvas? How can we capture emotion using color schemes and also a false human form?
Lesson Plan
A Place to Be
 |
| Mark Jenkins |
Explore
Take a walk. A long walk. Walk through the school hallways. Walk through your hometown. Walk through the city, the park, the bike path. Walk through a local store. Walk along a river or lake or stream or creek. Now take a moment to listen to the environment. Look around you. Draw what you see, write what you hear, write what you feel and how you interact in the environment. Make sure to note any suspicious or unexpected aspects of your environment. Mark Jenkins prides himself in the juxtaposition of unusual and sometimes downright creepy figures placed in otherwise ordinary environments. You are investigating your current place; make sure you observe and record carefully. You never know when you will encounter a faceless homeless person on the street, or a high-rise dweller. OR SOMEONE FACE DOWN IN FOOD. Just saying...it's all possible
Identity
How do you interact with your environment? Do you try to blend in? Do you try to stand out? Why do you think this is? Think of the way Segal portrayed 'urban alienation' in his sculptures. Draw sketches of your classmates in dynamic poses. When it is your turn, try to choose a pose you would not normally take in your environment. Conversely, choose a pose that you might take if you felt uncomfortable or overjoyed. Explore the capacity for expression of emotion without your face - use your body to express your feelings. Good or bad, body language communicates to everyone without words. Segal sought to present contrasting colorful environments with his otherwise drab and ordinary human figures. Do you think he wanted them to stand out, or do you think he wanted us to focus on the environments?
**Throughout these explorations of theme and idea, discussion is PARAMOUNT. Keeping students thinking about the why, where, who is vital to their understanding and engagement. ALSO the more personal you can make your investigation into each 'mini-lesson' the more eager students will be to learn and take risks. There will probably be one or more students that do not feel safe and do not want to explore outside of their personal comfort zone. That is precisely why I presented the idea of walking through the hallways - school is a certified jungle in middle school years! Seriously, bring your good boots cause you're gonna trudge through some muck. There are certain places where certain students cannot or will not go. There are groups of people congregating everywhere, closing themselves off from interaction with other groups or inviting new members to their exclusive cliques. Isolation and uncomfortable feelings are a daily thing. It's middle school for craps sakes! It was not a fun time for most of us, and from what I have observed and learned from campers and students today, they don't think it's a picnic either. Schools are definitely diverse, scary, exciting, isolating, and inclusive environments. How students interact with their peers in school is often a solid indicator of personal identity. "I won't hang out with them because a. b. c." This assignment could break down some walls because guess what? It also requires partnered group work. Oh yeah. Bringing out the big brushes now... let me have some art puns.
 |
| sculpture workshop with Mark Jenkins |
Belong
Students will be required to work in groups of 3 or more. This will ensure there are enough people to act as models and everyone will have the chance to work on some aspect of the piece. Planning will be essential to the success of the project - everyone needs to participate in the process of planning and drawing out compositions. Students are not limited to creating one model/cast but they should keep in mind time management and size. More models/casts will take more time and resources! Also, students should be mindful of the message they want to put across with their work. Again, we are looking at the psychological effects of posture, body language, placement.. what does the figure say about the environment, and vise versa?
Group Breakdown: class of 25-30 students
EVERYONE will participate in planning and drawing preliminary ideas.
1 Photographer/editor
1 - 2 people can be models. More than that and they will run out of time!
at least 2 - 3 people 'bandaging' their models. Keeps up with time constrictions and many hands make light work of mummifying the classmates.. right?
After models are cast and dried, groups will need to start working on their backgrounds/settings.
Whole group needs to participate in the writing of the statement. Statements will be typed and handed in.
Create casts/models
HERE is where we get messy. The best kind of lessons are messy ones, I think.
Create Background
Students will be able to utilize digital photography as a tool for their investigations into environments and settings, but the final background image, or 'stage' so-to-speak, will need to be drawn and finally painted. Students should take photographs of their scene and the pose of their model(s) from multiple angles. I will allow students to project their images onto large paper to trace/transfer for their final work. Ideally, students would have large canvases to paint on but I think paper would do just as well - it would also be easier to display in the school. Students will be required to choose a color scheme for their scene - it can be harmonious or chaotic depending on the subject/idea presented. Discussions about the relationship between colors and moods can also be tied into psychological effects and science - it's all connected.
Students will be required to work in groups of 3 or more. This will ensure there are enough people to act as models and everyone will have the chance to work on some aspect of the piece. Planning will be essential to the success of the project - everyone needs to participate in the process of planning and drawing out compositions. Students are not limited to creating one model/cast but they should keep in mind time management and size. More models/casts will take more time and resources! Also, students should be mindful of the message they want to put across with their work. Again, we are looking at the psychological effects of posture, body language, placement.. what does the figure say about the environment, and vise versa?
Group Breakdown: class of 25-30 students
EVERYONE will participate in planning and drawing preliminary ideas.
1 Photographer/editor
1 - 2 people can be models. More than that and they will run out of time!
at least 2 - 3 people 'bandaging' their models. Keeps up with time constrictions and many hands make light work of mummifying the classmates.. right?
After models are cast and dried, groups will need to start working on their backgrounds/settings.
Whole group needs to participate in the writing of the statement. Statements will be typed and handed in.
Create casts/models
HERE is where we get messy. The best kind of lessons are messy ones, I think.
- Choose a position for your figure. Will it be a full figure or half a figure? Take pictures of the pose from all angles, draw draw Draw! And then it's time to get a little sticky..
- Who is your model? Will you have more than one? PLAN for this process!
- Cut plaster strips - you will need a LOT
- Apply vaseline to all exposed skin. Don't wear your Sunday best today - wear old clothes or bring plastic wrap to cover your clothes! If you are casting your hands and/or face, make sure to use LOTS of vaseline and plastic wrap to create a barrier. Plaster is not a fun substance to get stuck to your face.
- Wet plaster strips and wrap them around body - one section at a time - until sections are covered evenly and completely
- Let strips dry - hair dryers, anyone? Apply heat to dry out strips and set plaster.
- Cut slits down the side of the body mold to remove sections. CAREFULLY.
- Repair cuts with plaster or strips and allow to completely dry before painting.
Create Background
Students will be able to utilize digital photography as a tool for their investigations into environments and settings, but the final background image, or 'stage' so-to-speak, will need to be drawn and finally painted. Students should take photographs of their scene and the pose of their model(s) from multiple angles. I will allow students to project their images onto large paper to trace/transfer for their final work. Ideally, students would have large canvases to paint on but I think paper would do just as well - it would also be easier to display in the school. Students will be required to choose a color scheme for their scene - it can be harmonious or chaotic depending on the subject/idea presented. Discussions about the relationship between colors and moods can also be tied into psychological effects and science - it's all connected.
Assemble
After drawings of the backgrounds/settings are completed, painting can begin. Groups will have to decide whom is responsible for painting the figure - that is really a two person job, but it will depend on the complexity of the scene, figure, design, etc. Placement of figure should be considered when painting - don't put your most detailed areas behind your figure! Bases for the sculptures should be made out of foam core or cardboard. Maybe using BIG boxes as environments could help with structural integrity and setting as well... it will be a project with LOTS of pre-planning required. Finding scrap materials for bases and backgrounds - Ms. K will have her own homework to do!
Retrace Your Steps
To reintroduce relevance to the final projects I would want students to photograph their work in the original setting they chose. ON THE OTHER HAND.. how cool would it be to put the final projects into completely different environments?! To create juxtaposition of place and setting... I get a little carried away with the possibilities sometimes. A photograph of the final project would be required for grading and then comes the written artist statement. Of course!
Critique
For critique, the final projects will be inspected in the classroom before being moved to their environments. I will need to check the structural integrity, construction, and execution of designs. Aka if it's falling apart, it's not going anywhere! Each student will review the work of their peers in their groups and fill out a response sheet posted by each project. Critique comments will be anonymous for individuals.
Reflect and Write
Students are required to write a statement about their work in the group. Students must indicate where the scene is set, what their intention was when choosing that environment, what mood they want to convey, and a title. Separately, each student will write about their successes, struggles, and thoughts on working in a team.
This lesson is something I REALLY want to try in the future. I might develop it, or deconstruct it, depending on grade level and time provided. Some other ideas would be to cut down the big idea into smaller sculptural elements, using tape instead of plaster bandages (to cut down on mess!), having kids just cast a hand or face.. I just love getting messy in the art room!
Back to the drawing board. Literally. I have to draw SO many things. My next post will be about my Individual Art Review progress - it's all happening so quickly...this semester is flying by!
Until next time,
Ms. K
After drawings of the backgrounds/settings are completed, painting can begin. Groups will have to decide whom is responsible for painting the figure - that is really a two person job, but it will depend on the complexity of the scene, figure, design, etc. Placement of figure should be considered when painting - don't put your most detailed areas behind your figure! Bases for the sculptures should be made out of foam core or cardboard. Maybe using BIG boxes as environments could help with structural integrity and setting as well... it will be a project with LOTS of pre-planning required. Finding scrap materials for bases and backgrounds - Ms. K will have her own homework to do!
Retrace Your StepsTo reintroduce relevance to the final projects I would want students to photograph their work in the original setting they chose. ON THE OTHER HAND.. how cool would it be to put the final projects into completely different environments?! To create juxtaposition of place and setting... I get a little carried away with the possibilities sometimes. A photograph of the final project would be required for grading and then comes the written artist statement. Of course!
Critique
For critique, the final projects will be inspected in the classroom before being moved to their environments. I will need to check the structural integrity, construction, and execution of designs. Aka if it's falling apart, it's not going anywhere! Each student will review the work of their peers in their groups and fill out a response sheet posted by each project. Critique comments will be anonymous for individuals.
Reflect and Write
Students are required to write a statement about their work in the group. Students must indicate where the scene is set, what their intention was when choosing that environment, what mood they want to convey, and a title. Separately, each student will write about their successes, struggles, and thoughts on working in a team.
This lesson is something I REALLY want to try in the future. I might develop it, or deconstruct it, depending on grade level and time provided. Some other ideas would be to cut down the big idea into smaller sculptural elements, using tape instead of plaster bandages (to cut down on mess!), having kids just cast a hand or face.. I just love getting messy in the art room!
Back to the drawing board. Literally. I have to draw SO many things. My next post will be about my Individual Art Review progress - it's all happening so quickly...this semester is flying by!
Until next time,
Ms. K
No comments:
Post a Comment