David Wilkie, The Blind Fiddler painted, 1807
Lesson #1 - A Map of the Sole Collage
Overview:
Ancestry is our personal connection to the past. Every individual living now, in the past or the future traces their origins and DNA back through an unbroken chain of ancestors. Most DNA is recombined by certain processes and gives each of us our individuality, but some parts of the DNA remains unchanged throughout the generations. Through DNA, paper trails, and family history passed down through the generations we are able to plot the courses of ancestral movement on the map of the world. In this lesson students will explore their origins, what their origins mean for their present roots, and how to use that as inspiration for art making.
Essential Questions:
- How did we get to the place we presently call home?
- What do we know about our ancestral homeland?
- How do artists use symbolism to create meaning in artwork?
- Can symbols and art help us to remember the past?
National Core Art Standards:
VA:Cn11.1.Ia: Describe how knowledge of culture, traditions, and history may influence personal responses to art.
VA:Re.7.1.Ia: Hypothesize ways in which art influences perception and understanding of human experiences.
VA:Re.7.2.Ia: Analyze how one’s understanding of the world is affected by experiencing visual imagery.
VA:Re.7.1.Ia: Hypothesize ways in which art influences perception and understanding of human experiences.
VA:Re.7.2.Ia: Analyze how one’s understanding of the world is affected by experiencing visual imagery.
Objectives
Students will be able to connect their country of origin with their present roots. Students will be able to explain what a symbol is and be able to conceptualize their own personal ancestry and symbolically present their history through artwork. Students will design their own personal collaged map of symbols tying their past to their present.
Tools and Materials:
- Heavy weight paper
- Photographs
- Photocopies
- Magazine Cutouts
- Maps
- Yes Glue
- Palette Knife
- Pens and Pencils
Inquiry 1:
Students will begin their inquiry into ancestry by looking at DNA through the art of Heather Dewey-Hagborg and
The Genographic Project from The National Geographic. They will discuss the projects utilizing the following questions: What is DNA? What can it tell us about who we are? Can it tell us what we look like? Can it tell the whole story? Why do people move? How do we know who we are connected to?
Activity 1:
Students will research their own origins, or significant family origins of ancestry and/or ancestral homeland through family inquiry or online database or both, and write a one page essay from the point of view of an ancestor on what their origins might tell them about themselves.
Students will begin their inquiry into ancestry by looking at DNA through the art of Heather Dewey-Hagborg and
The Genographic Project from The National Geographic. They will discuss the projects utilizing the following questions: What is DNA? What can it tell us about who we are? Can it tell us what we look like? Can it tell the whole story? Why do people move? How do we know who we are connected to?
Activity 1:
Students will research their own origins, or significant family origins of ancestry and/or ancestral homeland through family inquiry or online database or both, and write a one page essay from the point of view of an ancestor on what their origins might tell them about themselves.
Inquiry 2:
Students will look at Katie Paterson's work, A Map of Every Dead Star in the Universe, Landon MacKenzie's map projects, Chris Kenny's map constructions, Ed Fairburn's map portraits, and review the Met Museum's Connection Video, Maps. In groups of four students will discuss the following: What types of maps do we use and why? What do they depict? Why do we have maps, and why do we need them? Compare and Contrast Katie Paterson's, Landon MacKenzie's, Chris Kenny's, and Ed Fairburn's cartography artwork. Compare the different art techniques of the artists.
As a class read and discuss the quote, “All we have to open the past are the five senses…And memory.” by artist Louise Bourgeois. What are the five senses? How could they help us create a map? How can they help us create an artwork?
Activity 2:
Students will plot out a map from memory of a place familiar to them, home, school, neighborhood, keeping in mind what their five sense tell them about each area on their map. Students will present and describe it.
Students will look at Katie Paterson's work, A Map of Every Dead Star in the Universe, Landon MacKenzie's map projects, Chris Kenny's map constructions, Ed Fairburn's map portraits, and review the Met Museum's Connection Video, Maps. In groups of four students will discuss the following: What types of maps do we use and why? What do they depict? Why do we have maps, and why do we need them? Compare and Contrast Katie Paterson's, Landon MacKenzie's, Chris Kenny's, and Ed Fairburn's cartography artwork. Compare the different art techniques of the artists.
As a class read and discuss the quote, “All we have to open the past are the five senses…And memory.” by artist Louise Bourgeois. What are the five senses? How could they help us create a map? How can they help us create an artwork?
Activity 2:
Students will plot out a map from memory of a place familiar to them, home, school, neighborhood, keeping in mind what their five sense tell them about each area on their map. Students will present and describe it.
Inquiry 3:
Students will look at the Smithsonian's Symbols in Art, Who's Who, and illustrations by Mitsumasa Anno and Peter Sis. What symbols do you see? What can you describe about the artwork using your five senses?
Activity 3:
Students will list at least 10 symbols that tell a story about who they are. At least five symbols need to speak to their ancestral history, and five should tell a story of their present roots. Students should keep in mind their five senses when thinking about their symbols. Students will draw out their symbols in a sketchbook.
Students will look at the Smithsonian's Symbols in Art, Who's Who, and illustrations by Mitsumasa Anno and Peter Sis. What symbols do you see? What can you describe about the artwork using your five senses?
Activity 3:
Students will list at least 10 symbols that tell a story about who they are. At least five symbols need to speak to their ancestral history, and five should tell a story of their present roots. Students should keep in mind their five senses when thinking about their symbols. Students will draw out their symbols in a sketchbook.
Activity 4:
Each student will plot out and discuss with the teacher three directions for a collaged image utilizing a picture, drawing, photocopy, etc. of a pair of feet or shoes, maps, and the symbols they created of their ancestral history and their present roots. Students will then create the strongest image, and present to the class using descriptive sensory words connecting their past and present identity.
Each student will plot out and discuss with the teacher three directions for a collaged image utilizing a picture, drawing, photocopy, etc. of a pair of feet or shoes, maps, and the symbols they created of their ancestral history and their present roots. Students will then create the strongest image, and present to the class using descriptive sensory words connecting their past and present identity.
Resources:
- DNA Genographic Project from (https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/)
- Heather Dewey-Hagborg DNA Portraits (www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/creepy-or-cool-portraits-derived-from-the-dna-in-hair-and-gum-found-in-public-places-50266864/?no-ist)
- Video Interview from Met staff about Maps (http://www.metmuseum.org/connections/maps#/Complete/)
- Video of Katie Paterson discussing her work "A Map of Every Dead Star in the Universe" (http://tate.org.uk/context-comment/video/meet-artist-katie-paterson)
- Article about Landon MacKenzie's cartography projects (www.landonmackenzie.com/reviews/shadowingmapmakers.htm)
- An educational game and information on symbols in art (www.smithsonianeducation.org/idealabs/myths/symbolsinart/)
Artists: Pinterest page
- Heather Dewey-Hagborg
- Katie Paterson
- Landon Mackenzie
- Ed Fairburn
- Chris Kenny
- Peter Sis
- Mitsumasa Anno
Assessment:
Students will explore and use symbolism to create meaningful personal connections about their own family, cultural heritage, and ancestral history in their artwork. Students will connect symbols and the symbolic nature of their collage work to their past roots and present selves. Students will be able to meaningfully describe their cultural, historical and family roots using descriptive sensory perception. Students will meaningfully explore the techniques of collage using maps, symbols and shoes or feet. Students will be expected to participate and listen respectfully during discussions. Student's written work and artwork will use relevant information from the discussions and inquiries.
Unit Rubric
Unit Rubric