American Visions: Finding Your American Voice Class Plan
American Visions: Finding Your American Voice Class Plan
Day One
Introductions: Camille & Carla
Discuss American Visions project
1. The flag we make is a metaphor for democracy and democratic practice
Many pieces coming together
Working together to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts
2. Discuss form and content
Content
Brief history of the flag
How we use the icon of the flag to say something about ourselves and our times.
How our work will relate to other artists that have used the flag in their work.
Sometimes using the flag has been controversial. Has artists use of the
flag hurt the flag or changed its meaning?
Form
How we can each create individual sections that will come together
to create a work that holds together aesthetically and has visual
impact and cohesion? How can we create a formal success?
3. View slides of artists who have used the flag in their work.
4. Discuss the readings
Discussion of the larger issues of citizenship, democracy and participation
1. Where do elections and partisan politics fit in?
2. What is everyday politics?
Homework
Take home your piece of wood. On it you can draw, write, collage in black & white.
Your chance to create something personal before it becomes a part of something larger.
No obscenities, no hate speech, no bashing politicians – think bigger!
Think about JMHS students 20 years from now looking at your work.
You are creating a piece that must stand the test of time.
Day Two
Getting to work: create white tables, red tables, Union tables; everyone gets materials
Inspiration: Listen to musicians who’ve used the Star Spangled Banner (Gaye, Hendrix)
Inform students that a documentary photographer will record some of our time together
Turn on the tunes and paint
Final thoughts
1. Class discussion of how they feel about the project.
2. Unveiling – ideas about that? What kind of event?
3. Camille will show slides of recent series: War, Redacted, which uses flag
4. Invite students to continue the dialogue on the American Visions blog
Day One
Introductions: Camille & Carla
Discuss American Visions project
1. The flag we make is a metaphor for democracy and democratic practice
Many pieces coming together
Working together to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts
2. Discuss form and content
Content
Brief history of the flag
How we use the icon of the flag to say something about ourselves and our times.
How our work will relate to other artists that have used the flag in their work.
Sometimes using the flag has been controversial. Has artists use of the
flag hurt the flag or changed its meaning?
Form
How we can each create individual sections that will come together
to create a work that holds together aesthetically and has visual
impact and cohesion? How can we create a formal success?
3. View slides of artists who have used the flag in their work.
4. Discuss the readings
Discussion of the larger issues of citizenship, democracy and participation
1. Where do elections and partisan politics fit in?
2. What is everyday politics?
Homework
Take home your piece of wood. On it you can draw, write, collage in black & white.
Your chance to create something personal before it becomes a part of something larger.
No obscenities, no hate speech, no bashing politicians – think bigger!
Think about JMHS students 20 years from now looking at your work.
You are creating a piece that must stand the test of time.
Day Two
Getting to work: create white tables, red tables, Union tables; everyone gets materials
Inspiration: Listen to musicians who’ve used the Star Spangled Banner (Gaye, Hendrix)
Inform students that a documentary photographer will record some of our time together
Turn on the tunes and paint
Final thoughts
1. Class discussion of how they feel about the project.
2. Unveiling – ideas about that? What kind of event?
3. Camille will show slides of recent series: War, Redacted, which uses flag
4. Invite students to continue the dialogue on the American Visions blog
posted by erdecker at 1:12 PM
2 Comments:
I just wanted to say that the presentation today was quite refreshing. I thought it an interesting way to approach the ideas of democracy and America through different pieces of artwork concerning our flag. While we were in class, someone made a comment about how they didn't really like how one artist manipulated the actual flags into the saw-shaped thing and the balls. I would have to disagree--what makes what he did different than the project we are doing? Going back to Paul's comment, I think people sometimes associate the flag with our actual country too much...Besides, isn't being an American supposed to be being an individual? As long as the artist's attitude is still respectful to the country, I don't see anything wrong with what these other artists did.
--Katrina
Doc-
All day today I have been thinking about what I' am going to put on my piece of the American Flag. I've put a lot of thought into it, especially 1st and 2nd hour today. I absolutely went through some cognitive dissonance but I got through it! I have decided that on my piece I' am going to put four items; the Puerto Rican Flag, a symbol from a song, the words: speak up, act out and listen, and the letter "Q". All these items represent me!
The Puerto Rican Flag is meaningful to me because it is my main ethnicity. It has to do with America because it is a commonwealth of America and shows how the U.S. has made peace with other nations. Another item I' am going to use on my piece is a symbol; the question mark from the song "Where is the love?" by the Black eyed peas. The question mark symbolizes the wonder of how we, the U.S., consider ourselves to be a peaceful nation and a safe place for all people, yet we still have hate groups and have individuals who disrespect one another because of our differences. To me it shows that though we are not a developing country there plenty of things we can learn from other countries by listening to them (another one of my items). The words; “listen”, “act out” and “speak up” are from the reading we did in class, to me there important because it implies that one person can make a difference and we can always learn by listening to one another. The last item I will put on my piece is the letter "Q", it represents my family. It stands for "Quinones" my Hispanic last name which also shows my ethnicity. These are the items that will always be important to me and that is why I have chosen them to be on my piece of the American Flag.
-Melanie Quinones
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