Lincoln Center

institute

Teaching Artist / John Toth

September 2003

for the arts in education

Collaborators: Herb Perr and Diane Ramo, Heidi Miller

At

The Museum of Arts and Design

Hunter College Sept 22,25; 4:30-7:00  M.A.D. Sept 29 Oct 2, 2003 ; 4:30-7:00 

Line of Inquiry:

 How do the artists from US Design 1975-2000 (Gehry, Friedman, Krohn, Boym) design / transform everyday items (chairs) into extraordinary items by choosing materials that challenge our expectations?

The Collection

Frank Gehry, “Bubbles Chaise Lounge”

Dan Freidman, “Truth Side Armchair”

Lisa Krohn, Steven Skov Holt, Tucker Viemeister, “Pool Armchair”

Constantine Boym, “Prototype, Husband Armchair

Curricular

Questions

How do designers consider the qualities of people’s lives as they design chairs?

What are the aesthetic choices that the artist uses?

What are the material choices?

How does function affect the design and what are the implications for aesthetic choices?

Question of use and functionality.

Goals

Teacher as mediator

Can you discern a philosophy within the aesthetics of the choices in materials as they relate to craft?

Explore American consumer culture.

Reaction

Herb, Diane

Sept 8

Intro

duction

Introduction to Class:

Aesthetic Education, Arts Education, and Arts in Education.

Sept 8

Class work:

BLACK AND WHITE COLLAGE “Aggressive vs. Passive”

Sept 15

Home

work:

MAGAZINE COLLAGE  “Dream-world” (Surrealism) Using images, color and, perhaps words compose a collage. Chose images and parts of pictures, with which you personally identify, as well as powerful (negative & positive) images from consumer culture. Arrange the separate, cutout parts so they blend together to form a new picture, a new whole.

Activities

John 1hr 15min

Sept 22

& 25

Students and teachers should collect a variety of different substances: everyday materials:

These everyday supplies could be RAW materials: pieces of fabric, wooden boards, sheets of plastic, paper, foam.

Everyday found objects could be something NATURAL; a rock, a feather or flower you found or MANUFACTURED like a handle, a spring, a sign or a table.

Materials could be anything; these suggestions come from the material choices in the work-of-art.

Start by looking at a large variety of materials before you.

Describe the quality of materials that stand out to you?

Make a list of these qualities?

Make a self-portrait using 3 or 4 objects.

Title your Self-portrait.

In a groups of three Collaborate by show and tell.

Find a common/uncommon theme or idea;

Combine your resources and make a theme chair.

How are things put together? Make a list of possible choices; processes.

Sketch your final construction.

Reflect on art objects and discuss choices.

Explore an image of an artwork.

Sept 25

Oct 2

The Museum of Arts and Design

4:30

Line of Inquiry:

How do the artists from US Design 1975-2000 (Gehry, Friedman, Krohn, Boym) design / transform everyday items (chairs) into extraordinary items by choosing materials that challenge our expectations?

Activity

Tour the collection of chairs and facilitate a describe, analyze, interpret session.

Meet in groups and find (curate) a group of artworks that have a relationship that explores a theme or idea that speaks to American Identity.

Describe some questions that might help you explore the idea you came up with.

Discuss your criteria for selecting artworks.

Use the downstairs workspace to make a group sculpture that explores the idea in your curatorial selections.

Reflection

What was your criteria for selecting these art works

Reflect on process within our workshop and how it relates to teaching practice.  Use questions to reflect.

Reflection

How did pre-activity influence your perception of the works of art?

How was looking of the art works guided by the teaching artist?

Herb

Unpack the pedagogical process

Follow-up

Sept. 29

Homework:

CONCRETE POEM Text / Design Image as reflection on a museum visit.

Sept. 29

Class work:

VALUE PAINTING ”Metamorphosis” (lightness / darkness of color) In an abstract mode, paint at least four stages of transformation. First stage an abstract non-recognizable form evolving to the last stage, an abstract creature.

Oct. 7

Homework:

Read: The Misunderstood Role of the Arts in Human Development by Elliot W. Eisner and material related to Twilight LA: 1992 Please respond in your journal.

Contextual Information

Read: Maxine Greene. Variations On A Blue Guitar, "…We have Found the Wonders of Difference…," pp. 186-191. Please respond in your journal.

Interview Members of Your Family on Your Social / Cultural Identity. Journal entries: text and images. Bring in object representing your ethnicity. .

John Toth ; toth@pipeline.com   and at https://www.InnerEye.net