Lesson Plan: How Observant Are You?
Based on:
Tom Wesselmann (American, born 1931). Still Life #20, 1962, mixed
media, 48 x 48 x 5 1/2" Gift of Seymour H. Knox, 1962
INTRODUCTION
This lesson plan focuses on observation and environment.
It relates to three of the New York State Learning Standards for the Arts:
creating art, responding to and analyzing works of art, and understanding
the cultural dimensions and contributions of the arts.
INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER
Tom Wesselmann (born 1931) is known as a pop
artist. Pop was a movement of the 1960s, in which artists adopted and
adapted elements of popular culture (hence, the name "pop") into their
works of art. Consumer culture, mass production, and advertising were
all sources of inspiration, as artists tried to get people to look at
the world around them, paying attention to everyday objects that might
not normally be noticed. Many critics felt that popular culture was not
an appropriate subject for art, which somehow should be above everyday
life. Other people, especially the public, enjoyed the way in which pop
artists blended art and life.
Wesselmann created a series of still lifes
(works of art that represent a group of inanimate objects) in the 1960s
– the Gallery's work is #20 in the series. The left side of the work
was created with functional items he collected, then placed in a real
cabinet above an actual sink – the light can be turned on or off
and the cabinet opened or closed (see two transparencies). On the right
are two-dimensional representations of various types of food and drink.
Above is a reproduction of a painting by the Dutch artist Piet (peet)
Mondrian (monn-dree-on) (1872-1944) who used the elements of art in their
purest forms – straight lines, right angles, primary colors (red,
yellow, blue) – in an attempt to represent a future utopian society.
Wesselmann often included reproductions of works by other artists in his
still lifes, in part to show that art – once so far removed from
everyday life – had joined the commercial world. Wesselmann based
much of his composition of Still Life #20 on Mondrian's 1921 image,
which will be discussed later on.
PART I: Looking at Still Life #20… and
then Looking Again
- Before doing this exercise with your students,
it is important that you read the lesson plan through carefully and
spend some time looking at the work of art on your own.
- We suggest that the first phase of this lesson
plan be done as part of the general classroom routine, without any specific
introduction. Have the image on display (Hint: print it out on transparency
film if you have an overhead projector) when students first come into
the classroom. Instruct them to look at the image as part of their morning
routine, but do not tell them why. Leave it on view for awhile as part
of their classroom environment.
- When you are ready to begin the lesson plan, take
away the image. Ask students to list or to draw (if they do not know
the names of all the items) everything they remember about the work
of art – this could be objects that are included, colors, types
of lines, or any other aspect that they can recall.
- Once they have finished, have the students compare
their recollections with those of a classmate. Then show the image again.
Discuss how much (or how little) they remembered, and the types of objects
that are most frequently listed.
- Guide the students in looking at the work of art.
Identify the items included and where they might be found in someone's
home. Do we use some of the same products today? Do they look any different?
Why might packaging change over time?
- Make sure that the class understands that the
image on the cabinet is a reproduction by Wesselmann of a work by another
artist (Piet Mondrian). Then ask them to find similarities between the
Mondrian reproduction and Wesselmann's composition (for example: the
horizontal white rectangles in Mondrian could be compared to the two
shelves in the cabinet; when the cabinet is closed, it forms a red square
– just like the one in Mondrian's painting; Mondrian's vertical
yellow shape with the black square above follows the general shape and
color of the bananas; the blue rectangle in Mondrian could refer to
a number of parts of the still life, such as the color of the table,
the shape of the glass of Coke, or the color and shape of the Ajax jar
in the cabinet). Remember to be open to all interpretations!
- Take the image off, and ask them to make their
list again. Compare and discuss the two lists.
PART II: Looking Around
Pop artists encouraged people to look more closely
at the everyday objects around them. How observant are your students?
Classroom and Classmates
How well do the students know their own classroom?
They come in everyday, do their work, interact with each other and teachers,
and go home! Here is a list of possible activities to see how well they
know an environment in which they spend several hours each day!
- Ask students to draw something in the classroom
that's behind them without turning around.
- Send one student out of the room, then ask the
class what color shirt he or she was wearing, or something else about
his or her clothing or accessories.
- Wear two different shoes to school and see if
anyone notices.
The World
How does an individual's mental concept of an object
compare to the visual reality? How is everyone's perception different?
- For this activity, you will need eight everyday,
fairly simple objects (suggestions: paper clip, pencil, apple, rock,
mug, leaf, sponge, shoe), two 11 x 17" or 8 x 14" pieces of paper for
each student, regular pencils, and markers or colored pencils.
- Have each student fold each piece of paper into
eight equal segments.
- Write the names of the eight objects on the chalkboard;
without showing the students the objects, ask them to draw from memory
(their mental concept of the object) one in each of the segments on
the first piece of paper.
- Provide an opportunity for each student to draw
the objects from direct observation in the segments on the second piece
of paper – urge them to look very carefully and draw them in as
much detail as possible.
- Compare the drawings (mental concept vs. visual
reality) and discuss differences with the class.
- Have students cut out the direct observation drawings
and arrange them in a still life composition on another piece of paper.
Students can create their own pop artworks by adding color and an environment
around the objects using markers or colored pencils.
FAMILY PROJECT
Art Index A - L
Art Index M - Z
