A D VENTURI N G THRO U HG theartmuseum
FirstEdition2024
Advice from Students in Ms. Osak’s Class at Holmes Elementary
826michigan Staff
Megan Shuchman, Executive Director
Kinyel Friday, Operations Director
Megan Gilson, Program Manager
Denise Ervin, Program Manager
Amy Sumerton, Development & Communications Manager
Cherise Morris, Volunteer & Program Coordinator
Eli Sparkman, Volunteer & Program Coordinator
Diamond Sharpe, Program & Volunteer Administrative Assistant
Alexa Carlozzi, Retail Administrative Assistant
826michigan Board of Directors
Maria Montoya, President & Secretary
Holly Hunt, Treasurer
Christopher Ankney
Abby Fanelli
James A. Hiller
Tanya Line
Denice Olson
Danté Richmond
Patti Wheeler
The U-M Museum of Art puts art and ideas at the center of campus and public life. UMMA creates experiences that enrich our understanding of one another, foster joy, and build a more just future. Through exhibitions, programs, research, and community partnerships UMMA is redefining what a campus museum can be.
UMMA Team
Adriana Alcala
Diana Galicia Heredia
Lynn Hayes
Kayla Hensley
Yingxue (Carina) Huang
Kafi Laramore-Josey
Njoki Kamuyu
Sonia Kraftson
Grace VanderVliet, Curator for Museum Teaching and Learning
Vicki Shaw, Marsal Family School of Education
The views expressed in this book are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of 826michigan. We believe in the power of youth voice and are thrilled that you picked up this book. No part of this book may be reproduced without express written permission from the publisher, except for small excerpts for the purposes of review or scholarly study.
By purchasing this book, you are helping 826michigan continue to offer free student programs. For more information, please visit: 826michigan.org.
What would happen if you could jump inside a work of art?
This isn’t an ordinary trip to the museum! During this two-part field trip to the University of Michigan Museum of Art and 826michigan’s writing lab, students imagined that they were shrinking down to the size of a paper clip and then jumped inside of different art pieces at the museum to imagine what the world inside of the art would be like. After their museum tour, students worked with volunteers to write creative adventure guides, giving instructions for how other museum visitors might travel through these different art worlds.
These guides were published in a book—the one you are now holding. We hope that these guides inspire you to look at the art in a new way through these third graders’ eyes.
This field trip is offered each year to every third grade class in the Ypsilanti Community Schools district. The program is a partnership between 826michigan, a local youth writing organization, and the University of Michigan Museum of Art to highlight the connections between art and writing.
We hope you enjoy reading these guides to visiting some very unusual settings!
Guide to Visiting Future Cache
oil, acrylic, gouache, ink, marker, and graphite on paper
Andrea Carlson
Future Cache, 2022
Ms. Osak’s Class
First, you should not drink out of the sea. There are crabs, fish, and seaweed. You can smell freedom because you are outside of the house. You can smell air.
Then, make sure you roll your feet in the sand but beware of the spiky sand. We recommend you get scuba gear but look out for sharks. You should definitely go swimming but it is cold. You can also play in the sand and play frisbee.
Next, don’t forget hot dogs, burgers and waffle fries in case you get hungry. You might also want to bring a winter coat just in case it gets cold.
Last, you might see trees and smell sap. You might also hear waves and taste the saltwater if you go in. If you have a chameleon, you should bring it because this is the perfect habitat.
Guide to Visiting When the Gods Speak, Heaven Listens
Frederick Ebenezer Okai
When the Gods Speak, Heaven Listens, 2022 clay, duvet padding, stringed lights, nylon rope
Group 1
First, you should jump onto the top of the vase and use a saw to cut the top open because inside, there are salty, good, Taki-flavored french fries with cheese on them.
Then, beware of the beehive inside of the vase. You should cover the beehive with vinegar so that the bees fly out and get stuck in the vinegar. Then, use sleeping gas to put the bees to sleep so you can steal some honey and go to the next part of the vase and close the door.
Next, there’s lava in the next part! You should pour freezing cold ice water on the lava so that it freezes. Then you will need three strong people to push the vase on its side so that you can scoop out the water and melted lava with an ice-cream scooper the size of a shovel. Then you can get to the room with the fries.
Last, grab your fries! Use an air compressor to pop open the vase and jetpack out with your fries.
Guide to Visiting “The House”
Matthias Weischer
Untitled, 2000 oil on canvas
Group 2
First, you should watch out for the Big, Bad Wolf. Listen for his footsteps—they might sound like cleats.
Then, you should look for tiny footprints because they will lead you to a mystery.
Next, make sure you have a flashlight so you can see—it is getting dark outside!
Last, ask the little pig if you can come inside so you will be protected from the wolf. You can hide under one of the beds.
Guide to Visiting Dark Presence III
Louise Nevelson
Dark Presence III, 1971
painted wood
Group 3
First, you should be careful because there is probably a lot of fragile stuff in the art and you don’t want to break it. There are a lot of sharp glass edges so be careful because you might get cut.
Then, try not to get hurt because you could spike yourself with the wood. The wood is a maze—you can open doors to find new tunnels. But, if you don’t go through the right door, you might fall to the bottom of the art.
Next, watch out for spider webs because spiders can crawl on you and then you would get itchy. If the spiders get on you, take a bath to try to get them off of you, otherwise they might crawl in your ear.
Last, beware of the shark teeth because they are hard and sharp. But don’t worry too much because there are no live sharks.
Guide to Visiting Father and Son Reunited: a scene from Utsubo Monogatari [Tales
of a Hollow Tree]
Japanese Artist
Father and Son Reunited: a scene from Utsubo Monogatari [Tales of a Hollow Tree], circa 1820
color woodblock print with gauffrage
Group 4
First, look at the people around you. You will see that the father has a horse because he traveled a long way. You will hear the horse say “neigh!” And you can see the man is wearing a black kimono that feels soft.
Then, you should give the monkeys bananas so they are happy. You will hear them go “ooh ooh ah ah.” But don’t run with them down the mountain, you will go too fast and start rolling.
Next, you can pick some flowers and smell them. The flowers will smell like strawberries and watermelon. The flowers feel soft, unlike the rough tree. You should also get some cherries, oranges, and apples because they taste sweet.
Last, you should listen to music from the flute. The flute is orange and looks like a long tube. The music is happy because they are reunited!
Author Name:
Guide to Visiting:
First, Then,
About the Author
826michigan gratefully acknowledges the incredible generosity of its Board, individual funders—including our recurring givers, our “Hero Bots”—and foundation and corporate partners that make its work possible in providing free quality writing programs to the students of southeastern Michigan. Lead supporters of our Washtenaw County-based work include the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, and the Leinweber Foundation in addition to the Flagstar Foundation, the Hawkins Project, the James A. & Faith Knight Foundation, the May Family Foundation, the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, the Michigan Humanities Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the United Way of Southeast Michigan. 826michigan also recognizes Domino’s, EOTECH, the First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor, Galens Medical Society, the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor Foundation, the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor, Warby Parker, and Zingerman’s Mail Order. Thank you!
To help ensure that 826michigan’s work is sustained in the future, please contact Executive Director Megan Shuchman at megan.s@826michigan.org.
UMMA programs for K-12 students and educators are generously supported by Michigan Medicine and the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor Foundation. The University of Michigan Marsal Family School of Education partners with UMMA in training Gallery Educators.
WRITING
We create a safe place to be ourselves and try new things
We support the ways that writers work (like thinking, sketching, talking)
We study the writing we want to do so we can try it
We learn how to change our writing for genre, audience, and purpose
We work with a group of writers who help and support each other
www.826michigan.org
Share your Adventure Guide with your teachers, friends, and family. Show them the art that inspired your writing.
