Question: What should Visual Culture lessons cover in elementary, middle and high school?

"Seeing comes before words. The child looks and recognizes before it can speak." John Berger, Ways of Seeing

(areas suggested by Freedman)

1. Society

2. Culture

3. Point of View/ Stance

4. Interpretation

5. Form

6. Identity

7. Criticism

8. Inquiry

9. Medium

10. Imagination

11. Contexts

12 History

Sample lesson on IDENTITY:

Elementary students are aware of what they see, but aren't clearly ready to evaluate it in a complex abstract way. Without using difficult vocabulary, elementary students can practive careful and critical looking and art aesthetic criticism practices by being led through the following process. First choose the visual culture items to be analyzed, for example, male and female dolls or various teddy bears or cartoon characters. Break the students into groups. In there groups instruct them to carefully look and describe the items to each other. Ask them to list the qualities they see in the items, physical features, accessories, emotional content, age and any special features. Following the lesson of Julie Berliner in aesthetic critisism for young people, have the students then share with the whole group there findings on lists on the board. Finally have each group make a presentation of their findings and discuss with the larger group what is missing in these characteristics and what is different from the real people in their lives. Be sure to ask them if the qualities they see in the dolls or toys are important qualities for real people to have and why. This discussion will bring out the concept of the ideal human as shown in fashion dolls or GI Joes, and highlight the difference between reality and image or illusion encouraged by media and visual contemporary culture items. Are the dolls representation of the real or what the children want to be real or are they something else? If so what? Conclude by discussing if they want to be like dolls or if they think some people would want to be like dolls?

Middle school students could look at some of the same issues in a different way. What are the Visual clues that influence them in the construction of identity? The students will already have some strong ideas influenced by advertizing, popular stores and media and music stars.

I suggest looking at how identity is constructed with them. Explore my power point idea on this site. This lesson could be adapted for both Middle and High School students depending on the images chosen. For Middle school eight images would be selected that are familar to them. They could go on the internet and search for an image of each of these individuals. After this research each group would discuss the image of two parties followed by presenting their findings to the class. some ideas for Women would be Britany Spears, Madonna, Maralyn Monroe, Lisa Lyon, Christine Aguliara,Lee Ann Rhymes. For boys consider Garth Brooks,Michael Jackson, Pierce Brosnan, P Diddy or other Rap stars, and Arnold Swartzeneggar. The list could reflect more the stars and media personages the kids are more familiar with as well. Have the students describe the persons in great detail sorting out what parts of the identity are constructed and what parts are given from birth environment. Use the information in my power point on aspects of identity to help them do this. After 10-15 min of study have groups present their findings. Consider looking at what stars looked like at the beginning of their careers and how their appearances, images and identites have changed through marketing. This angle comes from the work of Liz Trosi. Look at what is being sold by the more developed images. Lead students into a discussion of why would one want to look or be like a star. also ask what is not shown in a persons identity about these stars. How do public and private identieis differ? and what do they consider important in personalities and identities of people around them. Are these quallities shown in the media ideals? Discuss if the attitudes of people around them come from these media images in any way? where do they learn about violent behavior and sexual attitude? Where do they learn about other personality and character qualities?

With high school students I would use the same project but introduce more fine art photography into the images being discussed. Cindy Sherman, Walker Evans, Dianne Arbus, Annie Leibowitz, Steve McCurry and Henri Cartier Bresson would be some of the photographers I would suggest including. Again I suggest looking at the construction of identity. Use the power point ideas built from the Doceo Website of the Museum of Modern Art. Include introducing and discussing the point of view and gaze of the photographer. Have the students do the same work of breaking into groups and describing the content of the image. Who is in it, what time in history, How do they fit into their time. What does the image tell us about their time. What is the identity of the person in the picture and is it constructed or given.

This project can lead to further projects on advertising influence, personal image collectins, and personal collages of what influences them including a self portrait. See the included VC Movie of Jess Room for sample ideas and projects to further this study and discussion with High School age... Many many projects could come out of this area.. Personal collages, making artifical adds that promote something with sexual imagery. Spoofs on adds and Rock stars lyrics. Have them create things that will touch on how the media and advertisere are trying to influence them in a humorous way.. And discuss what is being sold and promoted in MTV videos.

The peronal development of identity out of genetic nature and envioromental nurture influences is basic to human development. The study of visual culture will allow students to think more about how they are being influenced and what their choices are. Visual cultue studies tied into the art curriculum allows teachers to further develop processes of critisim and evaluation of visual culture materials along with traditional fine art images to build a deeper more clear picture of life in our time. Artists are using the popular culture imagery in their lives and works. It is one continum and we are all on it whether we have recognized it or not. That is why pop culture item belong in the study of art right along with the paintings and sculptures of Leonardo, Michaelngelo and Brunilescheii. As Shar pointed out ,Brunileschi marble sculptures in front of the drapers guild were made as advertisements for drapery in the Renaissance. Art and advertising to the masses were the same then as now. We as art techers moved away from that with the notion that art was separate from life and to be studied as a specific endeavor when in reality art is made in service of and as part of contemporary cultural activities of its time. More Projects