LESSON TITLE:
Immersive Installations Proposal
LESSON SUMMARY:
In beginning of this lesson, students will be introduced to the idea of physicality and the artwork of Ernesto Neto. Then they will each create a proposal for an installation sculpture inspired by the work of Neto. The main component will be a scale model of the installation made from wire, stockings, and other materials. This will include a miniature figure to illustrate scale in relation to the body. Each student will also submit a brief written component outlining the proposed site, scale, and materials for the installation, along with how it relates to the big idea by engaging the viewers’ senses. The lesson will conclude with project presentations followed by peer critiques.
TEACHER(S) NAME: Mr. Scott Morrison Melman
GRADE LEVEL: High School
CLASS NAME: Fine Arts
CLASS SIZE: 10-20
CLASS TIME/DATE: 90 Minutes, 3 Days/week, 9 Total Sessions
A. BIG IDEA: Physicality
B. ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS:
C. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
D. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
E. MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT, ROOM ARRANGEMENT
1. MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT:
2. ROOM ARRANGEMENT:
The room would be organized in a U shape, with everyone having their own work space with a lot of desk surface so they can complete the projects on the desks and have enough room without having to walk around too much. There would be a projector on one end of the room so they could each see the website/powerpoint we would be presenting for each project and be able to see the examples on the large screen.
F. VOCABULARY and REFERENCES/SOURCES
Artist: Ernesto Neto
Immersive Installations Proposal
LESSON SUMMARY:
In beginning of this lesson, students will be introduced to the idea of physicality and the artwork of Ernesto Neto. Then they will each create a proposal for an installation sculpture inspired by the work of Neto. The main component will be a scale model of the installation made from wire, stockings, and other materials. This will include a miniature figure to illustrate scale in relation to the body. Each student will also submit a brief written component outlining the proposed site, scale, and materials for the installation, along with how it relates to the big idea by engaging the viewers’ senses. The lesson will conclude with project presentations followed by peer critiques.
TEACHER(S) NAME: Mr. Scott Morrison Melman
GRADE LEVEL: High School
CLASS NAME: Fine Arts
CLASS SIZE: 10-20
CLASS TIME/DATE: 90 Minutes, 3 Days/week, 9 Total Sessions
A. BIG IDEA: Physicality
B. ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS:
- Physicality deals with the way people experience the world through the body. We come to understand ourselves and our relationship to others and our surroundings through our senses. Being in tune with our physical experience is important for individual well-being, and for the well-being of communities, be they local or global. Sensory experience can be a point of connection for people that may not share the same language or culture. Art is an important way to explore the idea of physicality because it draws the viewer into a sensory experience and asks them to focus on it, question it, and reflect upon it. This trains the mind to think critically about physical experience, a skill that translates into almost every walk of life.
C. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
- 1. What is physicality?
- 2. What are some ways we interact with the physical/sensory world?
- 3. What are some ways we may take physical experience for granted / overlook it? What are the consequences of this?
- 4. Why is it important to think about physicality?
D. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
- The anticipated skills for these students is that they should have an understanding of the principles of design and color theory. They will need to have an understanding of proportions and a basic understanding of photography. I expect that they will be able to execute the model sculpture with little outside help from others or the teacher, and I expect that they will have the ability and skills needed to use paintbrushes to execute a simple study of color on top of the gesso-ed sculpture. The developmental aspects in the midterm lesson plan will lie in the subject area of understanding space and architecture, along with challenging their ideas of the typical spaces they encounter everyday (ie. school, house, bedroom, kitchen, stairway, public spaces, furniture, etc.). This project is meant to push their imagination to re-design spaces they interact with every day with an “Ernesto Neto” touch of physicality and art. These concepts, skills, and information are important to build on for this age group because of the fact that most high and middle schools teach art to students very traditionally in fine art settings of only studying realistic techniques in drawing and painting. Students get a lot of push to go towards understanding charcoal and graphite, and there is a high expectation for art students to produce realistic drawings. However, not enough students are introduced to conceptual, abstract, and installation art in the beginning of their development as artists. It is important to give these students an understanding of the abstract, installation, and conceptual art from the beginning because it will not only give them added insight for their art, but it will also leave them with the ability to think critically and differently than they normally would throughout their schooling career and into the “real” world, upon leaving the school systems.
- I expect that the students will behave fairly appropriately. I feel as though this project leaves a decent amount of room for having fun and exploring, and I expect that the students will use their time to the best of their abilities and get the projects completed in a timely manner. I expect them to behave responsibly and respectfully, but I also expect and hope that they enjoy the lesson. When entering the classroom, there should be no other books or bags or food or anything on the worktables; everything should be off to the side or on the floor. Students will be able to access supplies independently and on their own from the cabinets, however some supplies will require teacher distribution (ie. exacto knives, hot glue guns, pliers, staple gun, etc.). Clean up will start 10 minutes before end of class, and artwork will be expected to be put away at the 5 minute mark. Dismissal is open and students will leave at the time the period ends on their own. The rules of the classroom would be:
- Respect each other and the teacher
- Get to class on time so they can use all of the class period to work
- Do not touch other students artwork or make adjustments to anyone’s projects unless they are your own; no vandalism!
- Do not waste supplies and materials and only use the materials once you know exactly what you are doing with them.
- Make some good art & have fun :)
E. MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT, ROOM ARRANGEMENT
1. MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT:
- 16g sculpting wire
- Stockings/pantyhose
- White Gesso
- Acrylic paint
- Hot glue
- Popsicle sticks
- Pliers
- Paint Brushes
- 12x12 wood blocks
- String
- Fabric
- Materials of choice, with teacher permission
2. ROOM ARRANGEMENT:
The room would be organized in a U shape, with everyone having their own work space with a lot of desk surface so they can complete the projects on the desks and have enough room without having to walk around too much. There would be a projector on one end of the room so they could each see the website/powerpoint we would be presenting for each project and be able to see the examples on the large screen.
F. VOCABULARY and REFERENCES/SOURCES
- VOCABULARY:
- Physicality: The way people experience the world through the body. The exchange of energies between people and their surroundings. In reference to the body’s senses, sound, taste, touch, smell, etc.
- Scale: The size of an object (a whole) in relationship to another object. The size relationship between an object and the human body is significant for scale.
- Proportion: The relative size of parts of a whole (elements within an object). “Size relationship within the human body”.
- Organic Form: Shapes that are associated with things from the natural world- plants, animals, clouds, etc. Often irregular shapes, lacking hard angles. (as opposed to geometric or architectural)
- Juxtaposition: Placing or combining contrasting imagery in such a way as to create new meaning.
- REFERENCES/SOURCES:
- Capsule Seed, Ernesto Neto, 2014, https://www.aspenartmuseum.org/exhibitions/28-ernesto-neto-gratitude(http://unsafeart.com/mca-denver-aspen-art-museum-just-do-it/)
- Ernesto Neto. Artspace, Artists. www.artspace.com/ernesto-netohttp://www.artspace.com/ernesto-neto
- Ernesto Neto. Artnet Worldwide Corporation. www.artnet.com/artists/ernesto-neto/biographyhttp://www.artnet.com/artists/ernesto-neto/biography
- Ernesto Neto/ Leviathan Thot. Festival D’Automne A Paris, 44 Edition. www.festival-automne.com/en/edition-2006/ernesto-neto-leviathan-thot
- Gomes, Fernanda and Neto, Ernesto. BOMB Magazine, Artists in Conversation. Winter 2008. www.Bombmagazine.org/article/3039/ferndanda-gomes-and-ernesto-netohttp://www.bombmagazine.org/article/3039/ferndanda-gomes-and-ernesto-neto
- Leviathon Thot, Ernesto Neto, Paris France http://old.aspenartmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Neto_Pantheon_2006_2-768x1024.jpghttp://old.aspenartmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Neto_Pantheon_2006_2-768x1024.jpg
- Simek, Peter. Front Row Blog, Interview: Why Ernesto Neto Believes Nature Is More Important Than Culture. 18 May 2012. http://frontrow.dmagazine.com/2012/05/interview-why-ernesto-neto-believes-nature-is-more-important-than-culture/
- http://inveroart.com/art-in-the-sphere-of-gratitude/
- http://www.designboom.com/art/ernesto-neto-gratitude-aspen-art-museum-20-08-2014/
Artist: Ernesto Neto
Example Work: Flower Crystal Power, 2014.
“Within the exhibition space, large floral figures are situated around the room, canvassed in a plush fabric for visitors to sit and lie on. Hanging above, tent-like umbrella pods act as a sheath above the lounge, with suspended crystals and drooping crochet nets hovering just above the viewer’s reach (designboom.com).”
“Within the exhibition space, large floral figures are situated around the room, canvassed in a plush fabric for visitors to sit and lie on. Hanging above, tent-like umbrella pods act as a sheath above the lounge, with suspended crystals and drooping crochet nets hovering just above the viewer’s reach (designboom.com).”