DESCRIPTION: Create an imaginary walk through works of art using a theme that will get the students to use their senses, sound, smell, taste and sight, to gain an understanding of the subject matter in different works of art.

OBJECTIVES: This is an open-ended activity and can be used as an organizing principle that is carried through the whole tour. At different points address basic elements. Use the activity to get students to extensively explore individual art works, while experiencing the nature of art and museums. Design the tour around a theme of your choice. You can take the activity as far, creatively, as you want. If you use a theme such as this to structure an entire tour, all of the basic elements, not just subject matter can be incorporated.

PROCEDURE: Here are some suggested ideas that we came up with to help you think about ways to approach this activity:

Let's pretend that we are inside a piece of artwork so that we can make some new discoveries. Maybe we can find out what the artist was thinking about when he or she painted it. Or maybe we'll decide that the artwork will remind us of someone we know or a place that we have visited. Before we go, though, don't forget that these artworks are part of the museums collection and we don't want to touch anything. Someone worked very hard to put the art in a special place so that we can enjoy them. So, using our imaginations, let's pretend to jump into this painting/sculpture/video/photograph and take a look. Are we in a building or are we outside? What is the weather like today? Is it warm or cold around us? What kinds of things do you see or hear around us? Are there other people or animals around us or are we alone? What kinds of sounds do you here around us? Do you smell anything around us? Are there a lot of colors or lines? What does it remind you of? All of these things that we've described are called the subject matter of the art. Who knows what that means? Subject matter is what an artwork is about! What are some things you would make a painting about? Would you like to jump inside another artist's work and discover something new and different? Ok, let's go...

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

Age level: Appropriate for the youngest visitors.
Artworks used: All artworks (initially use works with recognizable subject matter. Can be extended to abstract works).
Props needed: No props needed.
Related to Minneapolis Sculpture Garden: Yes
Notes: Make sure that you continually relate your theme to the artwork in the galleries.


© 1998 WALKER ART CENTER