“Differing Perspectives”
High School Studio Art students engaged in the learning segment entitled “Differing Perspectives.”
Students engaged in and expressed deeper understandings through a variety of artistic techniques. Beginning with depicting verbs through collage materials, students eased into identifying mood through meditation and material exploration, and eventually delved deeper into identifying and expressing personality traits that are typically hidden or might not otherwise be communicated.
Abstract Verb Collages:
An Introduction to expressing concrete ideas abstractly.
Students are given a verb to depict visually through demonstrated collaging techniques. They will learn how to describe, explain, and justify their decision making while simultaneously understanding the varying viewpoints of their peers. As they express the verb in their own way, and engage in discussing their interpretations, they will discover the various ways that the same verbs can be interpreted...
“…Anytime I think of the word surround I think of the planets orbiting the sun, so I showed that through my art. In my collage I used tissue paper, shiny paper, construction paper, and magazine clippings to show my verb…”
“In my collage, I used tissue paper, newspaper clippings, shiny paper, magazine clippings, and construction paper to show the verb, to surround. I did this by surrounding the center of the paper with many different materials. My collage depicts materials literally surrounding the space.”
“Combining magazine paper articles all around the paper just like words jumbling around in your head makes you want to say, “I’m sorry, can you repeat that?” I used the tissue paper to make the exclamation point and the shiny paper for the question mark. My technique that I was using is combining/stacking the words all together.”
“It represents repetition because it shows the monotony of the ordinary black on white text. In the foreground of the piece I used cut out pictures of men in suits to represent the working class, doing the same thing everyday, also to shine light on the thought that they’re cookie cutter people. As if they’re all exactly the same, doing the exact same thing, and for what? To feed their family that is exactly the same as everyone else’s.”
Material Explorations based on Song and Mood:
Using art-making as a method of expressing deeper emotions
After interpreting the moods in abstract paintings, students experimented with various drawing materials through their own exploration of how mood and mark making can relate. By interpreting mood through song, students began to place their emotions through material experimentation in order to express feelings visually. By forming these associations and discussing their differing creative pathways with their peers, they learned how to use art-making as a means of deeper expression to jumpstart more meaningful connections to their own emotions and mindfulness, their peers, and the world around them.
Hidden Aspects of Identity Masks
Students will answered self-reflection about different aspects of their identity. How do you believe that you are perceived by others? How might your friends describe you? What adjectives, labels, or aspects of your identity are less visible to others?
They took their written responses and researched, and sketched out symbols to represent these aspects of their identity. They received an identical mask mold as their peers, but built onto it with aluminum foil and masking tape to emphasize a quality that is unique to them, and/or that others may not know.
