Job Discussion Forums

cha muir · Joined: 28 Apr 2003 Posts: 64 Location: Plateau, Montreal

Has anyone ever tried to talk about modern art with their students? Gone to a gallery on a field trip? Very Happy

I hope you enjoy my new avatar.
I know I will.

cha

khmerhit · Posted: Sun May 02, 2004 7:50 pm Post subject:

modern art? My ss barely knew what a busstop was ---not their fault, there was only one busstop in Phnom Pen. I think Marcel duchamp might have been over their heads.

No to say that there isnt some excellent traditional art in Asia, very good hand draughting anyway. the painting kinda sucks.

there are some excellent Vietnamese painters. Is art on the curriculum at your school cha?

Do you know Bradfrod Edwards by any chance?

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Where I am now Art is a total no-no.

I have also taught in other cultures where any attempt to discuss this would be a total failure.

If your stduents know something about it fine, but do not assume that they do !

cha muir · Joined: 28 Apr 2003 Posts: 64 Location: Plateau, Montreal

No Khmer, our school does not have a Fine Arts Department, though we do have a Vietnamese Literature Dept. Not that that helps me any. Bradford Edwards i do not know but will look up on line. Speaking of Khmer art, i really enjoyed the museum in Phnom Penh and am hoping to go back again. We also enjoyed a fine performance of Khmer dance in Siem Reap at one of those big hotels at a food festival night. My son was entranced.

I didnt't think many folks talked about art with their students. I don't try any more after a very notable failure some years back. So, I'm thinking about going back to school to become an art teacher.

I really just wanted to introduce my new avatar with some appropriate subject.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

When I see your avatar which is a reproduction of a urinal, masquerading as Art, then I think "Entartete Kunst : Degenerate Art".

yaramaz · Posted: Mon May 03, 2004 10:16 am Post subject:

I have done a little bit of work with my prep students on art, as that was one of the units in their Opportunities text. They are 14-16 year old kids, and they thought they hated modern art until I showed them some pictures. They were really keen on Picasso, esp Guernica. We had a long talk about that one. It turns out the kids were really curious, really keen to learn more------ a huge revelation coming from a school system that insists rote memorisation and following Ataturk's opinions are the only way to learn.

gugelhupf · Joined: 24 Jan 2004 Posts: 575 Location: Jabotabek

Hmm. What an interesting idea. While I assume you would get your ar5e kicked for trying it in Saudi, for example, I had never considered the possibilities for a classroom discussion based on challenging pieces of modern art. Duchamp's readymades should be capable of provoking a bit of spleen! It would be interesting to see what different cultures made of Dali as well.

yaramaz · Posted: Mon May 03, 2004 11:35 am Post subject:

Some works we checked out: Guernica by Picasso (loved and discussed to death), Improvisation by Wassily Kandinsky (didnt like, too weird), some Lichtenstein (really liked, nice and cartoony), some Japanese prints by Hokusai and Hiroshige (liked but didnt have much to say about them), and the wildly debated Metropolis by George Grosz (the man as machine themed expressionist work-- some of the kids were adamant that it wasnt abstract, that it was realistic, so that was discussed at length). We also discussed architecture (history and styles) and the kids designed their own ideal homes. There were some super duper habitats emerging from that one-- house boats and sky scrapers and castles, oh my!

johnslat · Posted: Mon May 03, 2004 11:55 am Post subject: Death and Life

May I suggest a personal favorite of mine: Gustav Klimt?

http://www.art.com/asp/display_artist.asp?CRID=9&RFID=547790&FT=Y

Regards,
John

gypsy trader · Joined: 19 Dec 2003 Posts: 10

cha muir,

Art...hmmm. Been around artists for years. Mostly we talk about the creative process and how artists are often at the forefront of their time/era with ideas, stretching the envelope so to speak. There's alot of different ways you could approach art in the classroom, just depends upon the group and where you want to go. i.e. art as travel experience (what's in your own backyard/neighborhood?), folk art, fine art in museums, outsider art, how and why things end up in museums, what is art (even that can get quite a conversation going!), writing freeform words as a response exercise to viewing or being around a piece of art.... Anyway, I'm sure you have lots of ideas and your students do as well..

Have fun & good luck!

gt