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Lesson Plan #3: The Modern Palette: Contemporary Art Styles
Instructional Objectives:
1. Students will view and discuss slides from the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (see Resource List)
2. Students will explore the works of many of the most famous modern artists of the 20thC.
3. Students will recognize abstract art as a pure art form.
4. Students will explore, criticize, evaluate, and articulate their own interpretations of these works, as it applies to their real world and understanding.
Do Now: Students will view and discuss slides from a variety of modern artists: Pablo Picasso – “Marie Therese Leaning on One Elbow”, Piet Mondrian – “Broadway Boogie-Woogie”, & Jackson Pollock –“Autumn Rhythm: No. 30”.
While viewing and comparing, students will be asked to describe what they see in each painting and answer orally the following questions.
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What do you see in this painting? |
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What makes you say that? |
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How do the colors add to the mood of this painting? |
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Why is this an example of “abstract art”? |
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Which artist do you think painted this? Why? |
Teacher Notes: To interpret a work of art is to develop an understanding of and an appreciation for the vision of the artist who has created it, but the interpretation is in equal measure to each viewer’s unique perspective. Contemporary artists challenge us to accept new ideas. They stimulate our imagination and creativity in the way we look at things. We learn to look at our environment and find things that at first are unrecognizable, to now have new interpretation and meanings.
Traditional methods of painting and sculpture were no longer used. Throughout the 20thC. artists were exploring methods and materials that were unheard of before. These new art forms were called:
“Pop Art” – 1950’s, “Op Art”- 1960’s, “Color Field Painting” – 1950’s –1960’s, “Minimal Art” – 1960’s – present, “Photorealism” – 1967-1977, and “Conceptual Art” – 1970’s – present.
- Day 8. Students will copy into notebooks and match the correct artist to what that artist is best known for. Class discussion of Modern Art will follow.
| F | 1) Jackson Pollock | a) Post-Impressionism |
| A | 2) Vincent van Gogh | b) Photorealism |
| D | 3) Georges Seurat | c) Pop Art |
| C | 4) Andy Warhol | d) Pointillism |
| G | 5) Pablo Picasso | d) Abstraction |
| E | 6) Georgia O'Keefe | f) Abstract Expressionism |
| B | 7) Chuck Close | g) Cubism |
| Teacher Notes: Over the years, students have looked at examples of modern art and replied: “I can do that,” or “I can do better than that,” or “Why is that so great?” By working with my students to create their own works of modern art, and getting a chance to “walk in these artists’ shoes;” I hope they will think critically by looking at and talking about art in a new light. |
Time Required: Days 7 & 8 (see timeline) 40 minute periods
Advanced Preparation: Preview slide collections of modern art from museum catalogues and resource centers. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City have teacher resource centers where slides are available on loan to teachers.)
www.metmuseum.org - The Metropolitan Museum of Art, www.moma.org - The Museum of Modern Art
Materials: Classroom posters: Pablo Picasso – “Marie Therese Leaning on One Elbow”, Piet Mondrian – “Broadway Boogie-Woogie”, & Jackson Pollock –“Autumn Rhythm: No. 30”, Slides: “20th Century Art: A Resource for Educators – The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Vocabulary: abstract, non-objective, color field, pop art, op art, photorealism, drip & splatter
Procedure: While viewing slides and posters of 20th C modern artists, students will have a meaningful class discussion based on their own observations and conclusions. After viewing each slide and poster, students will be asked the following and respond orally:
1. What do you see in this picture?
2. What else is happening?
3. Can you add to that?
4. What makes you say that?
5. What else makes you say that?
6. Describe that to me.
7. Summarize what we have discussed.
8. After all has been said, what’s your story about this painting?
9. How have your ideas changed since we first started talking about these pictures?
Homework: Students will be asked to explore other works of contemporary art on their own, using the school or public library, computer, encyclopedia or Internet. They will find one painting or sculpture that they find intriguing to model their “Modern Art” chair after. They will sketch ideas for their “Modern Art” chair and develop a color study.