Alternative Canvases Lesson Plan (Judy Chicago)

In our group we discussed that having students look at "unsung heros" might be interesting. We thought that having students look at people within their school or community that are doing something special could be a good chance for them to think about the positive influences in their lives, just as Judy Chicago honored historic females that have positively impacted society. We would ask them to look at Judy Chicago's Dinner Party in order to understand the way that one artist has chosen to select and honor important people. This would also give them a chance to explore the way that Chicago used symbolism to communicate about the women she had chosen, which will become important when they begin their own work. We would also like to tie in the work of Phil Hansen. His Ted Talk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anujFqvCJsk) which I think Molly had previously posted, is a great example of how to think creatively about art making materials. 

Jimi Hendrix made of matches

David on a banana

We would then ask students to select a person that they would like to honor and create an artwork using an alternative canvas. Carrie's example was a lunch lady at her school that makes an effort to check in on several at risk students. She thought that a lunch room tray might make a good canvas. We also discussed having students use non traditional tools to create the image. Such as food on the lunch tray or maybe carving into a styrofoam lunch tray with forks and knifes.

By asking students to create using non-traditional materials we are pushing them to think outside of the box and use their problem solving skills. In the Carroll and Tucker text on page 121 they say "...More creative solutions are generated by tighter constraints and limited options that force new thinking and problem solving. Many artists often give themselves problems with constraints so as to help focus their own work." We are presenting students with constraints that help to compose an elegant art problem, however, we have left the problem open enough to allow for choice so that personal meaning making can take place. 

I also feel that this assignment speaks to Duncum's principle of intertextuality. The students have to think about what meanings and associations their chosen materials communicate. Is this the message that they want to communicate about the person they are honoring? How can they present the materials in order to bring forth the positive influence that this person has on them?