Appreciation and Criticism Lessons Final Proposal

Kristen Warskow

Statement of Origin:The critique process described by Feldman (1994) is his

uniquely developed process that he feels an effective critic should follow. This process seems to suggest saving overall judgment and feelings for the end of a critique, though Feldman communicates that there are many grounds of judgment in critique. Overall, students can certainly learn a great deal by learning about art critics when being introduced to critique. Students who hope to work creatively will learn what critics look for, while some students might become increasingly interested in developing understanding and appreciation for works of art, which can be a very interdisciplinary and beneficial interest. Inspired by Feldman's process and the idea that teaching students what critic's look for can influence what is created, I have developed this lesson that looks into the works of graffiti artists Banksy and Mr. Brainwash. Students will not only critique the works of these two artists, but they will have the chance to watch the "documentary" on Banksy that offers critics opinions of his works that range in critical opinion.

Standards/ ObjectivesNGSSS:VA.912.C.3.1Use descriptive terms and varied approaches in

art analysis to explain the meaning or purpose of an artwork.

V.A.912.C.1.3Apply art knowledge and contextual information

to analyze how content and ideas are used in works of art.

VA.912.C.3.2Develop and apply criteria to determine how

aesthetic works are aligned with a personal definition of "art."

NCAS:VA:Re8.1.IIaIdentify types of contextual information useful

in the process of constructing interpretations of an artwork or collection of works.

VA:Re9.1.IIIaConstruct evaluations of a work of art or

collection of works based on differing sets of criteria.

Objectives

Students will be able to critique using the Feldman method.

Students will understand critical opinion and interpretations differ based on the critic.

Students will develop support for their opinion as to whether or not graffiti is art.

 

Procedures:1. Students will begin by receiving a handout to place in their sketchbook

journals that outline the Feldman method of art criticism. (see Appendix A)2. Students will then view the works of Banksy and Mr. Brainwash, graffiti artists.3. The teacher will critique one work for the class using the Feldman method.4. The class will participate to critique another work together using the Feldman

method. This will require each student recording class answers in their sketchbooks using complete sentences in all but the describe category.

5. Students will separate into small groups to critique another work by Banksy or Mr. Brainwash.

6. After the group critiques, students will share with the class what their groups descriptions, analysis', and interpretations of the work they critiqued.

8. Next, students will watch critic's from Banksy's "docmentary" titled Banksy. This should help them understand that critics have differing opinions of Banksy's work, and it is ok to have a different opinion from your classmates.

7. Finally, students will critique one work on their own by Banksy or Mr. Brainwash to be placed in their sketchbook journals with both a thumbnail of the image critiqued and the final written criticism. This final critique should also summarize the student's judgement on whether or not graffiti is or is not art.

Assessment:I (The Student)…

Student Grade/ Comments

Teacher Comments

Grade

Participated in class critique

/25

Worked well with a group during group critique

/25Completed one critique independently using the Feldman model (included in sketchbook)

/25

Included a thumbnail sketch or picture of the image individually critiqued. Writing was clear and mostly free of error.

/25

TOTAL /100

Banksy

Mr. Brainwash

Statement of Origin:James Warren (1990) reported that children will see "1 million

T.V. commercials by the time they finish high school" (pg.1). I would say that number is even higher today, as advertisements come in many other forms on almost every internet website, as well as on platforms like Netflix and Hulu. Even in the late 1970's, Goldsen reported that commercials consumed about 22% of broadcast time on television (p. 6). Not only can commercials be influential, causing viewers to have brand loyalty, but they interrupt programming causing viewers to have shorter attention spans. Knowing this information, I hoped that by introducing students to a media form they are less familiar they with might develop a further appreciation for this form of advertisement. Political cartoons are highly charged with information, symbolism, narrative, and current events, which could certainly aid students in developing understanding of contemporary works of art. I feel this lesson will encourage students to make themselves aware of what is happening in the world around them, while learning about visual symbols which can be transferred into understanding art.

Standards/ Objectives:NGSSS:VA.912.C.3.1Use descriptive terms and varied approaches in

art analysis to explain the meaning or purpose of an artwork.

VA.912.C.1.4Apply art knowledge and contextual information

to analyze how content and ideas are used in works of art.

VA.912.C.3.2Develop and apply criteria to determine how

aesthetic works are aligned with a personal definition of "art."

NCAS:VA:Re8.1.IIaIdentify types of contextual information useful

in the process of constructing interpretations of an artwork or collection of works.

VA:Re9.1.IIIaConstruct evaluations of a work of art or

collection of works based on differing sets of criteria.

ObjectivesStudents will learn how current

events influence the media and art.

Students will develop criticism skills using the Feldman (1994) method of art criticism.

Students will be able to recognize and distinguish visual symbols in a work of art.

Students will use contextual clues to hypothesize what an artworks message is.

Procedures:1. The class will discuss cartoons, comics, and political cartoons and their belief

as to whether or not they consider these art.2. A chart will be made as a class to record student answers in each category,

which they will write on post-it notes and add to the chart.3. As a class, we will look at a political cartoon, and attempt to decipher the

message by using the Feldman method. This will lead to discussion on visual communication, and how artists can tell a story or use symbols in their artworks.

4. Students will then be asked to find a political cartoon from either a newspaper or online and analyze it according to visual elements to understand the message. This will likely require some research on current events.

5. Students will (time permitting) create a simple sketch of their own political cartoon, this can relate to school politics, home life, pop culture, or current events. Students can also base their cartoon on a historical event.

6. Students will share with the class or in groups for critique, using a critique sandwich.

7. Students will be graded on their completed analysis of a political cartoon and the success of their own cartoon.

Assessment:I (The Student)…

Student Grade/ Comments

Teacher Comments

Grade

Participated in class critique/ discussion

/25

Completed one critique and explanation of a political cartoon independently (included in sketchbook)

/25

Created a sketch for a cartoon that relates to "Politics in MY life." (included in sketchbook)

/25

Completed one critique of a group member's work using the Feldman model, feedback was given in a critique sandwich (included in sketchbook)

/25

TOTAL /100

Statement of Origin:Statement of Origin: The following lessons were inspired by the idea that

students all seem to be quick to judge the overall quality of an artwork. This finding was expressed by Feldman (1994) and in order to guide students his method suggests redirecting students through three other critical stages before administering judgment. I feel the hope with this construct is to look beyond quality to uncover content in the work of art. This is why there is a great push to use contemporary examples in art classrooms, for both the relate-ability and a focus on content in works of art. Feldman (1994) believes we instill a value for quality early on, "Unfortunately, artists and art instructors are quite capable of concentrating on form while ignoring content. As a result, we see a great deal of technical ingenuity devoted to the expression of trite ideas, trivial ideas, and even vicious ideas" (pg. 67). Understanding content can also mean developing appreciation for cultures, time periods, and minorities, which can create a well rounded critique based on visual interpretation. The following lesson, which introduces judging forgeries, will also teach students to research, plan, and create a work of art with complex effort and ideas. Students will critique one another's works using Feldman's method after they have completed their own "forgery" and inevitable judge each student's work in their sketchbook journals.

 

Standards/ ObjectivesNGSSS:VA.912.C.1.4Apply art knowledge and contextual

information to analyze how content and ideas are used in works of art.

VA.912.C.3.2Develop and apply criteria to determine

how aesthetic works are aligned with a personal definition of "art."

NCAS:VA:Re8.1.IIIaAnalyze differing interpretations of an

artwork or collection of works in order to select and defend a plausible critical analysis.

VA:Re9.1.IIIaConstruct evaluations of a work of art or

collection of works based on differing sets of criteria.

Objectives

Students will interpret and evaluate the works of their peers.

Students will use the Feldman method along with their own opinions to answer the question, "Is forgery art?"

Students will apply research and knowledge about an artist to create a work that looks like it could have been created by that artist.

Procedures:1. Students will view the images by Max Earnst, and the forgery by Wolfgang

Beltracchis. 2. Students will vote using plickers (a polling app) on which image they

believe to be the fake Earnst.3. After polling and learning which is the actual forgery, students will watch

an interview and read an article about forger, Wolfgang Beltracchis.4. Once students have learned about Beltracchis 's process of immersing

himself in the artists life, and creating a unique artwork, we will discuss whether or not they consider what he did a forgery.

5. Students will then pick an artist to research that must be approved by the teacher.

6. Students will research their artist, where they lived, what they created, and when there was a gap in their production.

7. Given knowledge of the artist's style and medium, the student will create their own "forgery" during the gap in the artists production.

8. Students will present to the class about their artist along with the work they created during a class critique using the Feldman model.

9. Students will include their final judgements on each work, along with the answer to the question, "Is forgery art? Why or why not?" in their sketchbook journals.

Assessment:I (The Student)…

Student Grade/ Comments

Teacher Comments

Grade

Participated in class plickers survey and class discussion

/25

Studied an approved artist to present and create a forgery of using the artist's style, medium, and knowledge of life timeline. (included name and summary of research in sketchbook)

/25

Participated in peer critique (2 peer critiques included in sketchbook)

/25Presented my work and research to the class. (Powerpoint slide included in sketchbook)

/25

TOTAL /100

Real or Fake? Max Ernst

Forgery- is it art?http://www.cbsnews.com/news/art-forger-wolf

gang-beltracchis-multimillion-dollar-scam/Students will read the above article about the

famous art forger Wolfgang Beltracchis.After reading the article and viewing the

works, we will discuss as a class whether or not forgery is considered art.

Students can share a presentation about another art forgery or create a forgery themselves (the way Beltracchi did).

Statement of Origin:This lesson was inspired by Parson's questions that are used in

art criticism. I feel Parson's questions are a great aid in the critique process and would certainly help when applied to any formula of art criticism. Parson's (1992) questions are as follows: "(1) describe the painting to me, (2) what is it about? Is that a good subject for a painting?, (3) what feelings do you see in the painting?, (4) what about the colors? Are they good colors?, (5) what about the form? The texture?, (6) was this a difficult painting to do? What would be difficult?, (7) is this a good painting? Why?" (pg. 19). These questions address the idea of emotion which is not a main concern in the Feldman model of art criticism. Throughout researching criticism, I stumbled upon art teacher and critic, Marvin Bartel's (2008), Empathic Critique model. Bartel's model incorporates feeling and emotion, which is important to considering the content and message of many artists works. This lesson uses the works of Thornton Dial, an artist with highly charged, emotive works that use influence from events, history, and life experience.

Standards/ Objectives:NGSSS:VA.912.C.3.1Use descriptive terms and varied approaches in

art analysis to explain the meaning or purpose of an artwork.

VA.912.C.1.4Apply art knowledge and contextual information

to analyze how content and ideas are used in works of art.

VA.912.C.3.2Develop and apply criteria to determine how

aesthetic works are aligned with a personal definition of "art."

NCAS:VA:Re8.1.IIaIdentify types of contextual information useful

in the process of constructing interpretations of an artwork or collection of works.

VA:Re9.1.IIIaConstruct evaluations of a work of art or

collection of works based on differing sets of criteria.

Objectives

Students will learn a new method of art criticism that eliminates any negative talk about art.

Students will apply the Empathic Critique format to emotionally charged works in order to identify meaning, ideas, and context.

Students will work to incorporate this method into future class evaluations and critiques.

Procedures:1. Students will be given guidelines for a new critique format to add to

their sketchbooks for this lesson.2. Using the Empathic Critique format of art criticism. We will critique

one of the emotionally charged mixed-media works of Thornton Dial.3. Students will use the same format to critique another work of Dial's

on their own, taking note of the subject matter and possible meaning of the incorporated found objects.

4. Students will place their critique in their sketchbook, and should include an answer to whether or not they believe using found objects should be considered art.

5. We will share criticism and judgments as a class after critiques are complete.

6. Students will then have an opportunity to create using found objects in a follow-up lesson where we will explore artist Vik Muniz and his documentary WasteLand.

Empathic Critique questionsWhat do you see?Why do we notice that?What else do you see?Why?What is the most original or creative thing you see?How would you guess it happened or how would you explain that?What do you think it means?Why do you think so?How does it make you feel?Why does it do that?What open question does the work suggest to you? (state it in positive or neutral terms - no negatives)

What do you wonder about? (state it in positive or neutral terms - no negatives)

Assessment:I (The Student)…

Student Grade/ Comments

Teacher Comments

Grade

Participated in class critique/ discussion

/25

Completed one Empathic Critique done as a class. (included in sketchbook)

/25

Completed on individual critique using the Empathic Critique method (included in sketchbook)

/25

Answered all questions, including "Do you think found objects can be considered art?" (included in sketchbook)

/25

TOTAL /100

Thornton Dial

ReferencesBanksy (2013). I Heart New York. Retrieved from artstor.com. Oct. 13, 2014.

 

Banksy (2012). My First Tag. Retrieved from Art Basel Miami, December 2013.

 

Bartel, M. (2008). Empathic Critique: Using empathic critique to foster the culture of collaborative

discovery in studio art classes. Retrieved from: [http://www.bartelart.com/arted/critique08.html]

Beeler, N. (2013). You Can Trust the Government. Retrieved from

[http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/natebeeler/2013/02/04/106911]

 

Brainwash, M. (2012). Soup Paint Cans. Retrieved from Art Basel Miami, December 2013.

 

Brainwash, M. (2011). Mickey. Retrieved from Art Basel Miami, December 2013.

 

Dial, T. (1993). Top of the Line. Retrieved from artstor.com. Oct. 13, 2014.

 

Dial, T. (2003). Setting the Table. Retrieved from artstor.com. Nov. 12, 2014.

 

Ernst, M. (1926). Foret. Retrieved from artstor.com. Oct. 13, 2014.

 

Ernst, M. (1927). Forest. Retrieved from artstor.com. Oct. 13, 2014.

 

Ernst, M. (1928). The Sea. Retrieved from artstor.com. Oct. 13, 2014.

 

Feldman, E.B. (1994). Practical Art Criticism. Prentice Hall. Upper Saddle River: New Jersey.

 

(Pg. 1-40)

 

Feldman, E.B. (1994). Practical Art Criticism. Prentice Hall. Upper Saddle River: New Jersey.

 

(Pg. 44-80)

 

Hamblen, K., & Galanes, C. (1997). Instructional Options for Aesthetics: Exploring the

 

possibilities. Art Education, 50(1), 75-83

 

Lee, S. (1993). Professional Criticism in the Secondary Classroom: Opposing Judgments of

 

Contemporary Art Enhance the Teaching of Art Criticism. Art Education, 46(3), 42-51.

 

Parson, M. (1992). How We Understand Art. Cambridge University Press. New York, NY.

 

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Warren, J. (1990). 1 possible reason why schools fail: TV teaches too much about too little. Chicago Tribune (15, Nov., 1990)