Meaningful Learning Activity

Much of art curriculum encourages students to think critically about artwork and images through their own artistic lens. Considering this fact, developing a student's ability to recognize their own beliefs about art is essential in the meaning making process. To be able to reflect upon their own critiques of art is to critique their own perceptions of the art as well. 

Meaning and Context Assignment:

This assignment encourages students to place themselves within the context of their own critiques and in doing so recognize that there is a triangle at work between themselves (the viewer), the artist (in their own historical context), and the work (the product of the artist's context and ideas). 

Begin the assignment by showing the class this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjgQ58sRU3o

Group discussion about the ideas presented in the video. For example:

• Why were these images chosen? What effect do they have on the message? 
• How does the music change how we feel watching the video and listening to the narrator? 
• As a multi-dimensional piece do the elements come together?
• Is this video effective? If so, how? Why do we agree? Do we agree?
• Is this why Art matters? Does art, in fact, matter?

Transition into a brainstorming activity about their own experiences and beliefs:

• How has art transformed your beliefs? If not, why?
• Does art show the complexity of daily life as you have come to know it? 
• How do you see art?
• Why might others see art differently? Does this change the purpose of art?
• Do you believe art changes how you think?
• Do you consider media to be art? If so how does it change the way you see the world or think about what you see and experience? 

The Assignment:

Use this brainstorm to develop an artist statement. Show the class a sample article on the subject matter:

http://www.artstudy.org/art-and-design-careers/artist-statement.php

and an interview with Janet Werner from canadianart.ca:
http://www.canadianart.ca/features/2012/11/28/janet-werner-interview/

Encourage the students not to limit their discussion to how their ideas and beliefs and affected their creative process in terms of the work they produce but how their beliefs have coloured their identity as an artist. This might include how they view art, what the purpose of "good" art is, what their goal in producing and viewing art might be, and what art means to them.