INNER EYE; KEWL, Beacon High School

Beacon School

Visions

Lincoln Center Institute at the Museum of Modern Art

Visual Artist - John Toth

September - October 1998

Brain Storming:

with Patty Covich, Heather McCartney and Sam Laybourne

"What do you see, and how are you changed by what we see?

Can we see artworks that reveal creative movement and elements of dance?

What do artworks reveal about improvisation and communications skills?

Visual Goals:

Explore process of Visual Thinking: Describe / Analyze / Interpret. (MoMA 1998)

Look at visual art works that focus on "visions".

Explore the organizational relationship of things.

Explore qualities of body language , composition, rhythm and energy.

Art Works Under Study: MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

Lawrence, Jacob (American.), "Migration" series

Kahlo, Frida (Mexican, 1910-1954), "Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair", 1941

Matisse, Henri (French, 1869-1954) "The Dance", drawing of "The Dance"

Lerger, Femand (French, 1881-1955), "Exit the Ballet Russes", 1914

Mondrian, Piet (Dutch, 1872-1944), "Broadway Boogie Woggie"

Magritte, Rene (Belgian, 1898-19 7) "Empire of Light",

van Gogh, Vincent (Dutch, 1853-1890), "The Starry Night", 1889

Some Questions to consider:

"What do you see, and how we are changed by what we see?

How do artists reveal meaning through the compositional placement of people, objects, colors,?

What does body language say about our beliefs?

What are national systems of order?

How does rhythm create movement ?

How do artists create energy within art works?

Activities that will enhance discovery:

Lesson One / Body Language

Toth>

Body Language... the shapes we make.

- use simple geometric shapes to draw body language that communicates meaning.

- use gesture lines to redraw body language from above. How does content change?

Beacon>

Dynamic relationships... the space between us.

Explore the relationship between two people who are communicating opposite issues.

What kind of shapes do they make with body language?

How do these body shapes "visually" interact?

Construct a two or three person diorama.

Draw, dance, enact, etc. these relationships.

Reflection:

Create Gallery of work after each activity and reflect on drawings .

What does body language reveal about inner beliefs?

Describe something you learned in your journal.

What do you learn from seeing something twice?

Lesson Two / Moving through space

Toth:

Explore qualities of rhythm: unison, clusters, overlap, tempo.
Draw simple shapes that repeat with the above qualities of rhythm.
Translate simple objects into people, moving through space.

Beacon:

Ask students to review their drawings
Use these drawings as maps to define dance and theatric movement.
Ask students to walk angular (angular lines in the body) and walk languid (curvy lines in the body)
Make dances or theatric dramas that use these elements as a composition structure.

Reflection>

How does rhythm effect meaning?

Lesson Three / Energy

Toth>

Explore qualities of visual energy: vibration, intensity, movement, color.

Make drawings with craypas that imbue energy with action lines.

Make compositions that balance static objects with energetic objects.

Beacon>

Consider qualities of energy from a review of the museum visit.

How did artists create energy within paintings?

Pick two postcards that a similar theme (cities).

Consider the different ways these themes can be present.

An example of this contrast might be "energy Vs stasis".

Have students explore this theme, using the contrasting qualities to give energy to a composition.

Ask students to work in small groups.

Reflection>

Ask students to compare works that shared themes.

What do you see in this picture?

Beacon32.gif (84025 bytes)

Raypa16.gif (41232 bytes)

How does the artist create energy?

Stacey17.gif (29950 bytes)

How did the visual energy effect meaning?