Power Issues in Everyday Life ÷ Socially Engaged Art = Empowerment
By Hoyun Richter
High School Students
Chicago, IL
Art educator, George B. Swift Specialty School
This unit was completed at Northside College Prep, both in Chicago, IL
Hoyun Son Richter is a seasoned artist, a new teacher, and a proud immigrant. With a background in Social welfare and over 15 years of practicing artist experience in a various media she has entered the world of education as extension of pedagogical art practice. Her practices are mainly focused on generating new ideas/ways of quality life through open conversations and subtle but intentionally selective encounters arts can provide. Her Research interests includes Restorative Justice, Cooperative Learning, Inquiry-based Art Ed, Transdisciplinarity, Contemporary Art in Art Education
Born in Korea, Hoyun moved to USA in 2001 to attend School of Art Institute of Chicago where she earned her BFA(2004), MFA(2006), and MAT(2016). She has performed in various public venues in Chicago, Boston, Dallas and Seoul, Korea. Exhibited her works in Chicago, Houston, Romania, Boston, LA, Norway and Korea. Also she is recipient of various awards and fellowships include Illinois Art Council, Skowhegan Painting and Sculpture, MacDowell Colony in USA, and Sandness Kommune of Norway.
STUDENT WORK FROM UNIT
ENDURING IDEA
Identify power issues in everyday life
Shift the power dynamics through socially engaged art
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
1. Can art create social change?
2. Can art empower us?
3. What are the tools we can use to investigate our everyday life and create social change?
LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Students identify key issues, anaylze power dynamics and the purpose of visual culture and art.
2. Each student identifies one key issue from their personal experiences, then expans their view of the issues through dialogue-based art investigation.
3. Students purposefully explore text and printmaking of the key issues and make one wearable object with which they can interact with others.
4. Students build awareness among the class of their commonalities and differences and team up with classmates with similar key issues they want to work on.
5. Students analyze tactics and the effectiveness of three art interventions that make social changes.
6. Students identify a need in the school community that is relevant to the students and shift power dynamics through collaborative art intervention.
7. Students analyze tactics and the effectiveness of two art interventions relevant to their own intervention and choose one for their target audience.
8. Students push the project with a concrete action incorporating performance tactics and incorporate putlic interface, text, and non-art skills/knowledge.
9. Students document & present the art intervention to impact both first and second hand experirenced views and understanding of the key issue.
10. Students apply their new learning to analyze peer groups' works and to provide productive feedback.
LESSON 1:
Connect to Power Issues in Our Lives through Visual Culture
TIMELINE: 1, 100 min class
OVERVIEW:
This lesson is facilitated so that students can identify and expand their perspective on a power issue relevant to their lives through dialogue, analysis of relevant artworks, and everyday examples. Artists Suzanne Lacy, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Emily are introduced to discuss power and powerlessness.
OBJECTIVES:
-Students will identify key issues, analyze power dynamics, and the purpose of visual culture and art projects.
STANDARDS:
VA:Re.7.2.8a Compare and contrast contexts and media in which viewers encounter images that influence ideas, emotions, and actions.
-Students will identify one key issue from their personal experience and expand their perspective through a dialogue based art investigation.
VA:Cn10.1.6a Generate a collection of ideas reflecting current interests and concerns that could be investigated in artmaking.
PROCEDURE:
Lesson 1, DAY 1
Introduction to each other: Tell us one thing that resonated with you from the artists talk* : Amanda Williams, Matthew Hoffman
| Bring interests to focus I used 3 visual culture/everyday examples to connect to students’ lived experiences. *Sexism video(2min) *Adultism workshop led by youth (2min) *School lunch protest (1min)
Then, we clarified vocabularies and discussed our initial reactions and thought about the above examples. Vocabulary: Power/powerless (1min) *Discuss (15min) Then students were individually working on a writing *Worksheet 1: Free writing (10min)
| Powerpoint: art works * Analysis of the power structure within art works *Artists- Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Suzanne Lacy, Mattress performance *In small groups, discuss personal experience in relation to human rights issues | Responding to everyday examples and artworks
Individual work using worksheet 2 |
15 min | 31 min | 40 min | 14min |
ACCESS AND MEASURE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:
*Artists Amanda Williams and Matthew Hoffman presented a lecture at the school prior to teaching this unit, so I had students share their thoughts about the lecture. This can be omitted or replaced with other warm up activities.
Many students are not familiar with socially engaged art or Interventional Art, so exposure to examples of contemporary socially engaged art as well showing how their existing skills and interests can be relevant to the making of socially engaged art is important. In addition to the contemporary art works, other visual culture materials such as 48 things Women Hear in a Lifetime will be introduced to tap into their prior knowledge and interests in human right issues. Students will be asked to map out their prior knowledge on the subject through a free writing, peer group discussion, and a speed dating brainstorming session.
ADAPTATION, MODIFICATION, DIFFERENTIATION, ENGAGING WITH CONTEMPORARY ART:
Various modes of communication tools are provided for reflection, assessment, and peer feedback.
Student lived experience is at the center of this curriculum. Students are expected to research power issues that are relevant to them.
Instructions are given in various forms including visual, written, and online formats.
Students work in groups to discuss, allowing for writing and verbal learners to share thoughts and opinions.
ASSESSMENT:
Written responses to reflection questions on the art & everyday examples and planning worksheet.
Dialogue with their partners (audio recording).
DOWNLOAD SUPPORT FILES HERE:
Free-writing Prompts_Lesson 1.Worksheet1.docx
Responding to everyday examples and artworks_Lesson1.Worksheet2.docx
Socially Engaged Art_Socially Engaged Art_Everyday Example Resource List.docx
Lesson 2: Connect to Power Issues in Our Lives Through Wearable Art With Text
TIMELINE: 3, 100 min. classes
OVERVIEW:
This lesson is facilitated so that students can expand their perspective on a power issue from their lives through dialogue and making wearable art with text. In addition to the three artists from lesson 1, Daniel Joseph Martinez, and Peggy Diggs are introduced.
OUTCOMES:
-Students will explore text and printmaking as medium for expressing key issues and make one wearable object that they can wear while interacting with others.
STANDARDS:
VA:Cr2.1.8a Demonstrate willingness to experiment, innovate, and take risks to pursue ideas, forms, and meanings that emerge in the process of artmaking or designing.
-Students will build awareness among the class of their commonalities and differences and team up with classmates with similar key issues they want to work on.
VA:Re.7.2.8a Compare and contrast contexts and media in which viewers encounter images that influence ideas, emotions, and actions.
2A. 4a. Analyze similarities and differences between one’s own and others’ perspectives.
PROCEDURE:
Lesson 2, Day 2
Performance Exercises 1: Walk around the classroom repeating a sentence from free writing. Express solidarity with a gesture. | Collaborative exercises: Students are asked to choose one of their lived experiences from Lesson 1, Worksheet 1. Then students sat in 2 rows facing each other, explained their experiences and asked questions to collect their classmate’s opinions -appx. 2min with each partner *Speed dating on the key issues (Lesson 2 Worksheet 1) After the speed dating, students individually work to come up with one sentence or 3 words to start with stenciling | Slide show: Suzanne Lacy, Daniel Martinez Peggy Diggs *Intro of exercise 1 : objectives *Text as materials
| Demo on : *Letter Stenciling
| Work: Starting with the 3 words they came up with after collaborative exercise *Stenciling on t-shirt | clean up |
5 min | 45 min | 20 min | 5 min | 20 min | 5min |
Lesson 2, Day 3
Performance Exercises 2: Eye contact, say keyword while keeping the eye contact Respond with a gesture. | Review Slide show: Suzanne Lacy Daniel Martinez Peggy Diggs *Text as materials *Wearable Art
| Review: Stenciling common mistakes
| Work: Students were encouraged to change or modify the text while stenciling. *Stenciling on t-shirt | clean up |
7 min | 15 min | 5 min | 66 min | 7min |
Lesson 2, Day 4
Performance Exercises 3: Social Media Exercise When students enter the classroom, everyone’s works are spread out on the tables, and students are asked to choose a t-shirt with an issue they are interested in then to do the follow tasks.
| Sharing & Categorizing the t-shirts: Instead of a tradition critique, students shares thought related to their t-shirt and other students synthesize it. Social media exercise documentations can be referred during the sharing. Key phrase: “I can relate to ______ because”
After every one’s sharing, students categorized the t-shirts with the criteria they came up with. | Reflection & Self evaluation Individual work |
35 min | 60 min | 5min |
MEDIA AND MATERIALS:
screen printing ink for fabric (at least 3 different colors)-> can be substituted with block print ink with fabric medium, masking tape, lettering stencils, form brush(20), packing tape(2), contact paper, sharpies in various colors, oil sticks, button maker, paper for buttons, thread, sewing machine, fabric scissors, opaque black markers(10), clear film(10), recycled t-shirts(many), fabric, flyers, newspapers
ACCESS AND MEASURE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:
Students are asked to summarize their brainstorming from the Lesson 1 and use it as source material for Performance Exercise 1 and Collaborative Exercise on Day 2.
Day 3 the contents of artwork, concept and methods from the prior day are reviewed. Day 4, students are asked to apply all methods and contents from Day 1-3 during the discourse.
ADAPTATION, MODIFICATION, DIFFERENTIATION
ENGAGING WITH CONTEMPORARY ART:
Various modes of communication tools are provided for their reflection, assessment, and peer feedback.
Student lived experience is at the center of the curriculum.
Learners are expected to research power issues that are relevant to them.
Instructions are given in various forms includes visual, written, and online format.
Students work in group with defined jobs, allowing for writing and verbal abilities to share thoughts and opinions.
ASSESSMENT:
Reflection sheet
Dialogue with their partners
Peer interviews
Self-assessments
DOWNLOAD SUPPORT FILE HERE:
Speed-Dating Prompts_Lesson2.Worksheet1.docx
Performance Exercise Prompts
Lesson 2, Day 2
1. Walk around the classroom repeating your sentence, only the sentence. Say it in at least three different tones of voice; shout out loud, whispering, persuasive, provocative, questioning, sad, urgent, demanding, etc.
2. Express your solidarity with a gesture when you come across a classmate with an issue you feel compassionate about. No words. Only body language like a hug, fist bump, high five, solid eye contact, etc.
Lesson 2, Day 3
1. Walk around the classroom and make an eye contact with someone.
2. Say your keyword while you keep the eye contact. Repeat the word until you receive a response from the person. Repeat it with at least three people in three different tones of voice; shout out loud, whisper, persuasive, provocative, questioning, sad, urgent, demanding, etc.
3. Respond with a gesture expressing your solidarity or disagreement when your classmate tells you their keyword. No words. Only body language like a hug, fist bump, high five, solid eye contact, nodding etc.
Lesson 2, Day 4
1. Interpret and Perform in Other People’s T‐shirts. Analyze the power dynamics. Imagine how the character (either one with/without the power) would act in public, what they would say, how they interact with others, what their facial expression/body language would be. Go to any place in the school that suits the character.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Post on a Social Media of your choice with a selfie(solo) and text.
2. Post on a Social Media of your choice with a photo of 25 people with stenciled
t-shirts. The same photo can be used but each person needs to upload a post with a unique text.
2. Interview a person in public who is not your classmate. Ask a question about the issue, document your interaction with your choice of media.
DOWNLOAD SUPPORT FILE HERE:
Socially Engaged Art_Socially Engaged Art_Everyday Example Resource List_Lesson 2 .docx
Lesson 3: Intro to Art Intervention, Tactics, Problem Statement
TIMELINE: 1, 100min class
OBJECTIVES:
-Students will analyze the effectiveness of of tactics used in three to five art interventions that make social changes.
STANDARDS:
VA:Cn11.1.IIIa Appraise the impact of an artist of a group of artists on the beliefs, values, and behaviors of a society.
-Students will build awareness among the class of their commonalities and differences and team up with classmates with similar key issues they want to work on.
VA:Re.7.2.8a Compare and contrast contexts and media in which viewers encounter images that influence ideas, emotions, and actions.
2A. 4a. Analyze similarities and differences between one’s own and others’ perspectives.
PROCEDURE:
Lesson 3, Day 5
Slide show: Public Art Intervention Artist: The Yes Men Vocabulary: Social Imagination, Intervention, Creative Disruption, Bring the issue home | Work as a group Students are working in a group formed at the end of lesson 2. *Tactic Analysis Chart | Work in groups: *worksheets 1. Problem identification/ Problem statement worksheet 2. Ally spectrum, plan for interviews
| Reflection
|
30 min | 25 min | 35 min | 5 min |
ACCESS AND MEASURE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:
Works by Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Suzanne Lacy, Mattress performance from Lesson 1 are carried over to define new concepts and tactics.
ADAPTATION, MODIFICATION, DIFFERENTIATION
ENGAGING WITH CONTEMPORARY ART:
Various modes of communication tools are provided for their reflection, assessment, and peer feedback.
Student lived experience is at the center of the curriculum.
Learners are expected to research power issues that are relevant to them.
Instructions are given in various forms includes visual, written, and online format.
Students work in groups with defined jobs, allowing for writing and verbal abilities to share thoughts and opinions.
ASSESSMENT:
Reflection sheet
Dialogue with their partners
Tactical Analysis Chart
DOWNLOAD SUPPORT FILE HERE:
Tactic Analysis Chart_Lessons 3 & 4.docx
Resource list/some of books provided for research:
Tactics, strategies, and theories
http://beautifultrouble.org/tactic/
http://beautifultrouble.org/principle/
http://beautifultrouble.org/theory/
https://solutions.thischangeseverything.org/
https://www.newtactics.org/tactics?keys=&field_intervention_type_tid_selective%5B%5D=8
Artwork
http://beautifultrouble.org/case
http://creativetime.org/projects/
http://www.arte-util.org/projects/
Living As Form, Socially Engaged Art from 1991-2011
Out of Time Out of Place PUBLIC ART (NOW)
Art and Social Justice Education, Culture as Commons
Academic resource
Conversation Pieces: The Role of Dialogue in Socially-Engaged Art
Living as Form, Nato Thompson
Art and Social Justice Education, Culture as Commons
But is it Art? The spirit of Art as Activism
A Guidebook of ALTERNATIVE NOWS
Out of Time Out of Place PUBLIC ART (NOW)
Users Guide to the Impossible https://artsagainstcuts.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/users-guide-to-the-impossible-web-version.pdf
News/ Media
https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/
http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/news-and-politics/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
Other web
http://michaelmoore.com/dont-click-here
DOWNLOAD SUPPORT FILES HERE:
Problem statement worksheet_Lesson 3.docx
Socially Engaged Art_Resource List_Lesson 3.docx
LESSON 4: Shift Power Dynamics
TIMELINE: 4, 100 min classes
OUTCOMES:
1. Students will identify a need in the school community that is relevant to the students and shift power dynamics through a collaborative art intervention.
STANDARDS:
VA:Cr2.3.IIIa Demonstrate in works of art or design how visual and material culture defines, shapes, enhances, inhibits, and/or empowers people’s lives.
3C.5a/b Work cooperatively with other to plan, implement, and evaluate a project that addresses an identified need in school and in the broader community.
2. Students will analyze the effectiveness of of tactics used in three to five art interventions that make social changes.
VA:Re7.2.IIa Evaluate the effectiveness of an image of images to influence ideas, feelings, and behaviors of specific audiences.
3.Students incorporate performance tactics, public interface, text, and non-art skills/knowledge in their intervention.
VA:Cr3.1.IIIa Reflect on, re-engage, revise and refine works of art or design considering relevant traditional and contemporary criteria as well as personal artistic vision
4.Students document and present their art intervention. The presentation will influence 2nd hand experienced viewers’ understanding the group’s key issue.
VA:Pr6.1.IIIa Curate a collection of objects, artifacts, or artwork to impact the viewer’s understanding of social, cultural, and/or political experiences.
5. Students will apply their new understanding to analyze peer group’s work and to provide productive feedback
VA:Cn10.1.Illa Synthesize knowledge of social, cultural, historical, and personal life with art-making approaches to create meaningful works of art or design.
PROCEDURE:
Lesson 4, Day 6
Slide show: Performance Elements and Tactics Artist: Tania Bruguera, Suzanne Lacy, Hoyun Son Vocabulary: problem statement, tactical goals, power dynamics, performance | Make a Manifesto for collaborative learning: Example: Burning men | Work in groups: Research-interview(2 different perspectives), academic resource, artworks(2), news/media, and social media | Sharing: Each group share their problem statement with the whole class
| Reflection
|
25 min | 15 min | 38 min | 7min | 5 min |
Lesson 4, DAY 7
Slideshow: Documentation Compare Magritte and The Yes Men Vocabulary: target audience, non-art skills, tactics, impact | Work in groups: Research-interview(2), academic resource, artworks(2), news/media, and social media Project Worksheet | Group meeting with the teacher about the Intervention action plan | Reflection
|
20 min | 75 min | cocurrent | 5 min |
Lesson 4, DAY 8
Peer Feedback: What’s exciting about it (Praise) Look up this!!! (Suggestion) We wonder what if (Question) | Work in groups continues Make visual aids relevant to the interventions
| Clean up | Reflection
|
15 min | 73 min | 7min | 5 min |
Lesson 4, DAY 9
Check in: Reminders, address common troubles | Work in groups continues Intervention action/Installation | Clean up
| Reflection
|
5min | 83 min | 7 min | 5 min |
Lesson 5, Day 10
Presentation & Peer feedback :Use Peer Feedback Questions Oral feedback progress is monitored during the critique Vocabulary: Impact | Individual Reflection & self-evaluation
|
90 min | 10 min |
MEDIA AND MATERIALS POSSIBILITIES:
Letter stencils, adhesive vinyl, fabric, t-shirts, chalkboard paint, paper for zine, newsprints, big maps, removable chalkboard paper, camera, camcorder, copier, video projector, computer, food, poster board, button maker, iron on transfer paper, wallpaper, other materials as needed
ACCESS AND MEASURE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:
Magritte's painting from the prior learning segment is used to compare to The Yes Men project. This lesson weighs heavily on accessing prior knowledge from Lesson 1-3 as well as their own assets. Worksheets are designed to support it.
ADAPTATION, MODIFICATION, DIFFERENTIATION, ENGAGING WITH CONTEMPORARY ART:
Various modes of communication tools are provided for their reflection, assessment, and peer feedback.
Student lived experience is at the center of the curriculum.
Learners are expected to research power issues that are relevant to them.
Instructions are given in various forms includes visual, written, and online format.
Students work in group with defined jobs, allowing for writing and verbal abilities to share thoughts and opinions.
ASSESSMENT:
Daily reflection sheets
Tactic Analysis Chart
Peer interviews
Group-checklist
Self-assessments
Group-assessment
DOWNLOAD SUPPORT FILES HERE:
Peer Feedback_Lesson 4.Day 8.docx
Lesson 4. Elements of Performance_Related Tactics handout.docx
Lesson 4_Project Worksheet.docx
Peer Feedback Form_Lesson4.Day10.docx
Socially Engaged Art_Resource List.Lesson4.docx
RESOURCES AND CREDITS
ART of the MOOC: Merging public art and experimental education, https://www.coursera.org/course/artofthemooc
Arte Útil, http://www.arte-util.org/R
Boyd, A., and Mitchell, D. O. (2012). Beautiful trouble: A toolbox for revolution. New York: OR Books.
Darts, D. (2006). Art education for a change: Contemporary issues and the visual arts. Art Education, Vol. 59, No. 5, pp. 6-12.
Desai, D., Hamlin, J. and Mattson, R. (2010). History as art, art as history: Contemporary art and social studies education, Introduction (pp. 3-14), New York, NY: Routledge.
Dewhurst, M. (2010) An inevitable question: Exploring the defining features of social justice art education. Journal of Art Education (Sept. 2010). Reston, VA: National Art Education Association.
Helguera, P. (2012-01-07). Education for socially engaged art . Jorge Pinto Books Inc.. Kindle Edition.
Learning to Love You More, http://www.learningtoloveyoumore.com/
National Center for Educational Statitics, https://nces.ed.gov/
New Tactics in Human Rights, https://www.newtactics.org/
Richardson, J. (2010). Interventionist art education: Contingent communities, social dialogue, and public collaboration. Studies In Art Education: A Journal Of Issues And Research In Art Education, 52(1), 18-33.
Steinberg, S., & Kincheloe, J. (1998). (Chapter 1). Students as researchers: Creating classrooms that matter. New York: Routledge.
Thompson, N. (2012). Living as form: Socially engaged art from 1991-2011 (Ed.). New York, NY: Creative Time Books.
Watson, J. (2012). We turned your world upside down: Contemporary art practice in the high school classroom and spaces beyond. Art Education, 65(1), 33-39.
Art 21 EPISODE: "Power" From "Art in the Twenty-First Century" Season 3 (2005) http://www.art21.org/videos/episode-power
Social Justice in Group Work: Practical Interventions for Change By Anneliese A. Singh, Carmen F. Salazar
48 Things Women Hear In A Lifetime (That Men Just Don't): Watch 80 years of subtle sexism in under two minutes.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/48-subtly-sexist-things-women-hear-in-a-lifetime_566595d2e4b08e945feff668
Stop Telling Women to Smile, http://stoptellingwomentosmile.tumblr.com/
Who's the Protester Who Stares Down Police? Meet 16-Year-Old Lamon Reccord By Ed Komenda and Kelly Bauer http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20151203/chatham/whos-protester-who-stares-down-police-meet-16-year-old-lamon-reccord
Hundreds From DuSable Campus Stage Sit-In To Keep Library Open By Andrea V. Watson http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20151211/bronzeville/hundreds-of-dusable-hs-students-stage-sit-in-protest-library-closure?utm_source=Chicago&utm_campaign=c1585a1c5c-Mailchimp-CHI&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4061d3bea7-c1585a1c5c-175205961
Power - A Practical Guide for Facilitating Social Change, Raji Hunjan and Jethro Pettit , 2011, CarnegieUK
Tactic Analysis Chart is a product of a collaborative effort between Hoyun Son Richter and Nicole Marroquin, artist and educator at School of the Art Institute of Chicago