Big Idea : Identity
"Artmaking is the production of new thought about self and the world."
My Advanced Digital Art classes are set up to be student led. Students are given multiple options and explore ideas and media through a structure which I call "Art Paths." Each student gets to make decisions about how that Path is navigated. Results vary greatly depending on the student and their choices.
For Path 2, students will be introduced to a new choice in their Path. They will begin learning about Big Ideas and choosing their ideas. As the first Path related to Big Ideas, the students will all be working within the idea of Identity. All students, especially middle school students, struggle with determining who they are, how they fit in, and what they want to become. Each student will choose topics within Identity and choose how they will interpret it through their art.
On a weekly basis, Advanced Digital Art students use the four steps of art criticism1 to talk about and critique a given work of art. Artists that we will look at during the three week project include: Jean-Michele Basquiat: Untitled (1981), Louise Bourgeois: Maman, and Felix Gonzalez-Torres: Perfect Lovers.
"Written and verbal reflection is essential to the artmaking process."
Students will work on a packet2 helping them focus their ideas. They will work on developing their ideas, disrupting their ideas, and reflecting on their ideas. The packet includes places for brainstorming and gives them structure to create meaning. It also includes ideas of pulling their ideas out of context and disrupting them using Serra Verbs.
After the students are done creating their projects, they will also be reflecting on their work and writing explanations3. These will serve as self assessment and give them a chance to write out the meanings they have developed using their Big Idea Packets.
1, Description, Analysis, Interpretation, and Judgement; Slides for the various critiques attached.
2, Packet (attached) was adapted from work by Dr. Sydney Walker, Ohio State University and her work:Teaching Meaning in Artmaking and Megan Newton, Miamisburg City School District.
3, Explanation (attached) was written by Gregory Lawrence for use in Art Path Finals.
