DESCRIPTION: Students consider how the meaning of a work of art would be altered if its characteristics were changed.

OBJECTIVES: Students learn the importance of description and analysis in determining the meaning of an artwork.

PROCEDURE: Let's select a work of art and determine its dominant features (i.e. size, materials, quality of line, shape, and color, etc.) How do the elements convey its meaning? How would it look if the dominant features were transformed into their opposites. (i.e. large work becomes small, bright colors become dull, smooth texture becomes rough, etc.) How does the significance of the work change as the features are altered? How would the meaning change? Let's look at another work and take an inventory of it's elements. Split into teams of four and have each group look through the galleries to find the work that you think is most different from that of the previous work discussed. Have the groups explain their choices by discussing the elements used by the artist. After each group has made their explanation, have students vote for the one they think is the most opposite.

MINNESOTA GRADUATION STANDARDS:
(1) Read, View, Listen
(2) Write and Speak
(3) Literature and the Arts

Age level: Appropriate for grades 3 and up.
Artworks used: Any painting or sculpture.
Props needed: No props needed.
Related to Minneapolis Sculpture Garden: Yes


© 1998 WALKER ART CENTER