What is the purpose of museums? What is the purpose of art museums? How do your answers differ?

Module 1: Get interested

STAKEHOLDERS – Curator sponsor

– Teen program manager

– Museum docents

– Arts education teachers LEARNING GOAL The objective of this first module is to introduce the teens to the overall arc of the role that they will be taking on. They will learn about what a curator does and begin to become familiar with the role and activities of art museums. Critical to this project, they will learn about why their engagement in this program is important to the museum.

EXPERIENTIAL GOAL The teens may not be familiar with the museum. This first module begins the process of embedding them in the organization and helping them to fully own the spaces of the museum. Teens get that the museum is a white space and that patrons do not look like them. Having this conversation openly together helps them move towards being able to feel like the museum is their own.

Allocated time per activity

= 1 hour

Curatorial Study Hall

An opportunity to learn from and work with Museum curators and other staff.

1 hr PROGRAM INTRODUCTION

Curator overview of the job of the curator and the process of organizing an exhibition. Discussion of how museums are organized, permanent collections, and modern art.

1 hr CLOSE LOOKING INTRODUCTION

Focusing on 3 works from Axelrod Collection, teens and curator explore what can be learned from a work of art just by looking at it and words used to describe art. Reading & Looking

Rich material to help build the context and language for

conceiving an exhibit.

1 hr OBSERVING THE SPACE

Touring spaces in the museum to observe how they are used.

2.5 hr ESSAY

“The Power of Patience” by Jennifer Roberts

2 hr CURATORIAL ACTIVISM

1 hr ANALYZING ONE WORK

Gauguin: Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?

1 hr ANALYZING ONE ROOM

Using the Curatorial Activism reading as a lens for the analysis of one room in the museum. Reflecting

Building in time to think about the big picture, build perception and insight, and strengthen communication.

1 hr PURPOSE OF MUSEUMS AND OF ART MUSEUMS

1 hr HOW CAN ART BE USED AS LEARNING TOOL

1 hr IDEAL MUSEUM

What would it have on view? What kind of art/mediums? Which artists?

1 hr WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO PUT ART “IN CONTEXT”?

Making & Doing

Synthesizing and applying the skills and knowledge gained by interpreting the museum. Other

Additional activities to access the Museum and their own creativity.

1 hr CREATIVE ACTIVITY

1 hr MUSEUM TOUR

1 hr MUSEUM TOUR

Three Masterpieces from Asia

Vocabulary Sheet: Principles of Art

Balance, emphasis, movement, proportion, rhythm, unity, and variety; the means an artist uses to organize elements within a work of art.

Rhythm

Balance

Emphasis (contrast)

Proportion

Gradation

Harmony

Variety

Movement A principle of design that indicates movement, created by the careful placement of repeated elements in a work of art to cause a visual tempo or beat.

A way of combining elements to add a feeling of equilibrium or stability to a work of art. Major types are symmetrical and asymmetrical.

A way of combining elements to stress the differences between those elements.

A principle of design that refers to the relationship of certain elements to the whole and to each other.

A way of combining elements by using a series of gradual changes in those elements. (large shapes to small shapes, dark hue to light hue, etc)

A way of combining similar elements in an artwork to accent their similarities (achieved through use of repetitions and subtle gradual changes)

A principle of design concerned with diversity or contrast: Variety is achieved by using different shapes, sizes, and/or colors in a work of art.

A principle of design used to create the look and feeling of action and to guide the viewer's eye throughout the work of art.