DESCRIPTION: This is an activity in which the students select artworks and decide how to display them.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this activity is to make students aware of why an artwork is chosen, to understand that the works they see in the gallery are chosen by someone rather than appearing there as if by magic, and to introduce students to some of the behind-the-scenes activities in the museum.

PROCEDURE: Let's imagine that we could rearrange the galleries and create new thematic units. Divide into groups of 4. I want each group to come up with a new mini-exhibit. Before choosing which works of art to include, your group needs to choose a theme (ie. on motherhood or on a certain element such as the color black or patterns in art.) Now go through the galleries and choose at least 4 works that you would include in your group. (Allow the students 10-15 minutes and then regroup.) Now that you have created your exhibit, I'd like each group to present their exhibit to the rest of the students.

MINNESOTA GRADUATION STANDARDS:
(1) Read, View, Listen
(2) Write and Speak
(3) Literature and the Arts
(4) Math Applications
(5) Inquiry
(7) People and Cultures

Age level: Appropriate for senior high students.
Artworks used: Paintings and sculptures in a limited gallery space.
Props needed: Paper and pencils.
Related to Minneapolis Sculpture Garden: No
Notes: Concluding activity. Previous discussion needs to highlight layout of the permanent collection (thematic units). Allow at least 20 minutes.


© 1998 WALKER ART CENTER