DESCRIPTION: Students enter an artwork as if in a dream.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this activity is to analyze the way various elements work together to convey a mood.

PROCEDURE: Have you ever had weird dreams where you were in a very strange place? Look closely at this painting--imagine that all of sudden you got very small and were in this artwork. Now close your eyes and imagine what that dream would be like. You can open your eyes to look at the art if you need to be reminded.

Now open your eyes. In this dream that you just had, tell me what elements you used in your dream (or have them draw what they saw in their dream)? Were there dark or bright colors in it? Did you use primary, secondary or tertiary colors in your dream? What kinds of shapes were in the dream? What was the subject matter of your dream? If there were objects in your dream what were they made of? What kind of texture did they have? How big were you or others in your dream?

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

Age level: Appropriate for grades 2 and up.
Artworks used: This can work with almost any artwork except conceptual or minimalist works.
Props needed: Paper and pencils.
Related to Minneapolis Sculpture Garden: No
Notes: This is a good activity to use after a discussion of surrealist works in the collection. Younger students might just describe the dreams verbally without writing them down.


© 1998 WALKER ART CENTER