Rauschenberg's "Bed" Is it art?

The following art criticism post is adapted from page 210 and page 37 of the book,  Puzzles about Art by Battin, Fisher, Moore & Silvers.

Image from creativegames.org uk

Robert Rauschenberg's 1955 "Bed" (see at right)  is a portion of his bed in a "work of art".  One may question:  Is this really art?  Using linens, a quilt, a pillow and paint, Raushcenberg has attached parts of his bed on a stretcher, framed it, and entitled, the piece, "Bed".

The book, Puzzle about Art tells that in 1958, Rauschenberg was asked to participate in an exhibition in Italy. Wishing to participate, he submitted "Bed".  The curators of the show were taken aback at his submission, and were very disgruntled to say the least.  They would not display this "artwork" in the main gallery of the show.  The "Bed" was instead put in a storage area.  What was the reason the curators were so shocked about this work of art?  Given that this was 1958 and 55 years has passed since, do you think this type of art is now acceptable for a show?  Or, do you think that it is still a questionable submission for a show?  What would you do as a curator of the show?

Would you say it is a conceptual art?  Conceptual art meaning that the viewer or audience forms their own opinion about the artwork. The audience forms an idea or their own concept about what the artist's message is to the art world about the piece or about himself?

Most importantly, is it art?  What exactly is art?  George Dickie, the writer, argues that the term, art is undefineable.  He originally stated that art is based on whether it is seen as an artifact or based on a set of creteria by the artworld.  This definition did not suffice; and then he reasoned this--his "new" definition of art --catergorized into five criteria:
 1) artists create and understand making art
 2) artwork is an artifact that is created and seen by the public
 3) the public are people that are able to decipher with some intellect what art is being shown
 4) the artworld is the sum of all artworld systems
 5) the artworld system is a set of criteria for presenting art to the artworld by the artist

Confused?  Does this really define what art is?  I think we might all agree on #1?  The other four, I'll leave up to you to decide for yourself.  Consider this:  Are any of the statements facts or opinions?  Remember, one can have an opinion about art, which is stating their feelings or interpretation of the art; but to state a fact, means it can be proven or is in fact, true.  So, I would consider Dickie's criteria opinions.  For myself, though, I would say that artists definitely create art (fact) whether they understand their own art could be a (fact) or (opinion).  A fact about the artwork:  There is tactile texture, color, pattern, and other elements and principles of art per se.

So, is Rauschenberg's "Bed" what?  Art? Conceptual Art? Not sure? Expressionism? an aesthetic dilemma?
Acceptable?  Unacceptable?   You decide. 


Please do not copy or use this post for your own blog or website or send electronically to anyone without contacting me. Thank you. 

Art Teacher Sub Plans

Welcome new blog friends from Russia, Romania, Netherlands, France, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Belgium, China and Zimbabwe.

Art Teachers sometimes fail to have sub plans. Especially emergency sub plans.  This then presents a problem.  Don't fall into this trap by being unprepared.   I have 5 sets of emergency plans just in case already prepared.  Here are some sites that you can check out that might help you prepare, and some tips from me.


Think about using a book as a starter to stimulate ideas for sub plans.  I have a set of elementary age books I use just for emergency sub plans that are different than those for regular art plans.  For example, for the book, Gift Bear for the King by Carl Memling; Illustrated by Lillian Hoban, copyright 1966, I would have the book read to them, then have students draw their favorite part of the book that shows the bear doing something they liked best:  washing dishes, singing on the road, in jail, arriving at the king, etc.  Then, have students line up in order of the drawings in the class: Which drawing shows the beginning, middle or end of the book.  Teaches sequencing and stimulate their thinking.  Good for 1st-2nd grade.

Check out this wonderful website:  http://www.incredibleart.org/lessons/SubPlans/subelem.htm
and this one, too
http://msmalonesartroom.blogspot.com/2010/08/substitute-lesson-plans-for-art-room.html

1)  Create an Emergency Art Plan folder which contains, copies of all your class lists; a copy of your rules, what to do in case of fire or tornado, etc.; and sub plans.  Explain where to find paper, etc., that will be needed for the plans.
2)  Make copies of the plans and put in a folder. Give to the school secretary.  Tell her to use only in an emergency situation (like your were in an accident and now in the hospital, death in the family, etc.), NOT for your regular substitutes. 
3) Make another copy and put in a folder and then in a box  (see #4)
4)  Create a box for the plans with all the paper, supplies the sub will need to carry out the plans.  Put the folder in the box on top.    Label the box, Emergency Art Plans Only!

My favorite sub lesson plan is this:  Draw an Expression of  a Word

Randomly write a bunch of  adjective words on a piece of paper:  beautiful, funny, frightening, wonderful, inspiring, adorable, alive, smoggy, sparkling etc., Tear or cut into strips. Have each student randomly pick one. 
Hand out paper, pencils.  Have students draw images only (NO WORDS) to express what they think the word means.  Pass out markers for them to color images.  I did this with 6, 7, 8 graders, and it was amazing what they came up with!
Would work with 3,4, and 5th graders, except try using verbs: wondering, thinking, teaching, helping, sharing, give, grow, answer, measure, etc.

Good luck.  Remember the idea is to keep it simple, but fun.  I have learned that the simplest projects are the ones kids remember the most.  I'll never forget how they kept talking for weeks about that squirrel named Merle. LOL. 

Art Teachers: Planning for the Year

Planning yearly projects and sometimes around special days or holidays can be like a roller coaster ride; or like looking over the mountains to an unseen future.  I've been there.  Made plans only to start and never finish some projects, never get to the projects because of school schedules, and simply can think of anything for a certain grade that I haven't done before.  

I came across this in my art yearly plan folder.  When I read the list, I remembered using these in my YCAT (Youth Creating Art Together) afterschool program.  And I plan on using these ideas in my art classes--possibly as a little corner in my room to highlight these special days and/or students will do an art project. 

Here's the partial list:  (I don't know where I got the information, but it certainly helped me plan for the year.)

September
National School Success month
National Chicken month
16th-H.A. Rey Birthday (author of Curious George books)

October
Vegetarian month
12th-Scream Day 
Halloween

November
International Creative Child month
National Diabetes month
No TV (television) month
20th-William Cole (nonsense poet)
Thanksgiving

December
Read a New Book month
21st-Winter Solstice
Christmas

January
Hobby Month
15th-Elementary School Teacher Day
Martin Luther King Jr Birthday

February
African American History month
Valentine's Day
15th-Student Volunteer Day

March
Youth Art month
17th-Saint Patrick's Day
Easter?

April
Recycling month
22nd-Earth Day
3rd full week-Ocean Week
Easter? 

So, how will I integrate these special days/months?

Primary color and pattern ice cream cones; create a medal (Curious George),  Scream portraits ala Munch, pos/neg Valentine cards for nursing homes;  Vegetable person/drawing comic; Graphic organizer, plus a drawing about Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? poems using William Cole and other nonsense poems/artist; Martin Luther King Jr birthday cakes and other African American artists for African American History; Celebrate in March with Youth Art Month projects; and create with recycled materials and oil pastel drawings of Deep Sea Discoveries in April.  

Hope this helps you, too.  Not too soon to start planning!  

IF you are interested in learning more about these art projects, you can always email me: lydiagates90@yahoo.com. 

Recycled Scrap Paper Art

This is a great art project anytime you have an abundance of scrap construction paper!  

This was revised on  July 25, 2016 to make instructions more clear. Note:  I am not saying save every scrap of construction paper, but pieces that are large enough they could be used again.  So, at least a 4 inch square piece could be saved.  If you have a 9 x 12 or 8 x 10 piece of paper you've had students cut out half of it, save the part that isn't cut up. I usually start saving about the last few construction paper projects we do--especially if they are projects that require multiple colors. If you do construction paper projects with several grade levels, it wouldn't take long to fill up a box! You will be recycling!!

Another option is to have your classroom teachers save their construction paper scraps for you (if they have any.)  Nothing like working together toward a common goal.  It is a good lesson for classroom teachers! (They thrown most everything in the trash! and I'm usually there to get it back out. LOL!!!) Check the recycle box or trash can in the office/teacher workroom by the die cut outs--I have found snowmen, leaves, etc.  that are great for using for a "negative" shape or for kids to trace the inside of the "negative".

Art Standard:  1 Media, techniques and processes;  3 Choosing symbols ideas

Math Standard 5:  Geometry; Sort/Name/Describe/Construct basic plane shapes. 

Materials: 

•  Big  Box of  mixed colors scrap construction paper
• 12 x 18 inch BLACK or WHITE  construction paper (for background)
•  Glue sticks
•  Scissors (optional) Students (especially Kindergarten tear better)
• Pencil, Crayon-black or white for drawing 

Geometric Shapes Plan

Procedures:  

• Review geometric shapes:  Circle, Square, Rectangle, Oval, Diamond (Rhombus).  
• Using white board or document camera, draw the shapes on your own paper to demonstrate.  Have students name shapes.
• Next, cut a triangle, square or circle with scissors.  If you want, tear one with your hands. (see below)
• Demonstrate putting glue on the shape you cut out, then gluing to a black/white background paper.    Make a simple object or animal.  (PLAN THIS AHEAD OF TIME.)
• Pass out a white crayon if using black construction paper  or pencil if using white construction paper per student.  Ask students to write names on one side of the paper.  Turn paper over.
• Have students draw or trace templates of shapes if you are using them. 
•  Collect crayons.
• Dump paper onto the table and let students go wild!
• Tell students they can cut, OR tear the paper  (no scissors) for a real challenge! to make their geometric shapes or tear paper to fill in the shapes or whatever your assignment is.
• Let students create. 

I had my kindergarteners use 4 big rectangles and trace them onto 12 x 12 paper.  Two rectangles were vertical side by side at the top with about a half inch space in between them; then the other two rectangles were below the ones on top.  Spaced out, they looked like a window. 
Students were told to tear paper and glue it INSIDE the rectangles.  These turned out great.  Even special needs students enjoyed this. Two of these "windows" ended up in the art show!

"Stamp" Ideas

Welcome readers from other countries:  Germany, China, Africa, Sweden, France, and others!  
 
My favorite relaxing thing to do besides work crosswords, jumbles, play piano or read is to sit and cut out "stamps" from Philatelics.  What is that you ask? The Philatelic is a catalog of stamps you can order from the US Postal Service.  They feature new stamps, and other items you can buy that are images of stamps or about stamp collecting.  Not only because I am a recycler, but because I am an artist, I love the images and seeing what our US Postal service is doing to share art!!!  Yes, every stamp is a work of art. 

The images are small, medium, medium large and large. As I cut the "stamps" out, I categorize them into these sizes.  I put them in a sandwich bag, and label them.  I have thousands of these "stamps."  Best of all they were free and given to me by just asking at any post office.  Our post office receives 2 Philatelics and gives me one every month or so.  (They just throw them away--literally in the trash can! but I "recycle" them. LOL)  Another way to get other catalogs is to dig through the trash cans at the post office, but be wary of doing it without gloves. Ha.

What do I do with these "stamps"?  They aren't real, they are just images.  But useful images.  I have compiled a list of ideas in which these "stamps" can be used.


Following my post is a photo of one of the ideas I used for VBS this month.  

Did you know you can get a free stamp collecting Philatelic catalog, too?  Here's how:  
https://store.usps.com/store/browse/productDetailSingleSku.jsp?productId=P_012007&categoryId=subcatC_CS_CatalogsGuidesYearbooks 

Now, here are the ideas:  REMEMBER GIVE CREDIT WHERE IT IS DUE if you use!  (Me)

These projects/activities require RANDOMNESS!  Random=without planning, just grabbing it without looking, or just picking from the pile and taking what you get!

Math

•  Have students randomly pick from a pile of the small, medium and medium large stamps.  3 small, 1 medium, 1 medium large sizes.  Have them line up the stamps in a horizontal or vertical alignment on a piece of paper.  They can glue them down if you want.  Ask them to write the numeral of how much each stamp is worth underneath each stamp, and add a plus sign; then add the sum of all the stamps.  NOTE:  Forever stamps:  There is no numeral, so I just use the CURRENT amount which is 46 cents.

Science

• Sort through the "stamps" and find only one that feature scientists, landforms, flowers, earth images, etc. that are science-related.  Randomly choosing as mentioned above, have them choose one or whatever number you want them to have.  Ask students to write a description of the objects in the stamp or write a paragraph to answer questions you have prepared in advance. 

Art

• Trace left, right and/or both hands on paper.  Randomly choose 5 or 10 small stamps.  Use these for the "fingernails". 
• Ask students to randomly choose stamps from pile.  Use the stamps for fill in a pre-drawn black line object. 
• Find a template for a postage stamp. Enlarge.  Use the stamps to create an object inside the post stamp.  

Music

• Randomly pick stamps from each pile.  Ask students to line up the stamps on their desk/table.  Give them paper and pencil.  Ask them to write the words for a song about their stamps. 

Language Arts

• Randomly pick or hand students 5 stamps. Line up the stamps.  Ask students to write a poem about their stamps. 

• For younger students:  Randomly pick and give students 5 stamps.  Have them write the first letter and/or the name of the objects in the stamps. For example, F for flower; 

Student Work (PreK)

The Importance of The Big Picture

I've been teaching an adult Sunday School class now for the last month and a half. It is challenging. However, it would be more difficult for the students to understand our
 lessons if: 1) there were no outside resources used besides the Bible study lessons; 2) I provided no visual images'; 3) there were no stimulating or challenging questions to talk about other than those in the curriculum; and 4) I didn't summarize and give examples to try and explain the big picture about the lesson.   

:

Portion of sculpture from Central Riverside Park, Wichita, KS.

We're studying Isaiah-which if you know your Bible, covers 66 chapters. The church has provided us with the quarterly Bible lessons. We have four lessons for  Isaiah this month.  We began with Chapter 6; then skipped to 12, 29 and will end with 65 this Sunday.  My challenge has been how do I cover the spaces between these chapters?  My students need to know the big picture.  How can the whole book and what happens somehow be tied together? I consulted my books:  Matthew Henry's Commentary, 3 versions of the Bible, an art book on the Old Testament, and  have found some info on the Web to use.

So, thinking about planning, organizing materials, and teaching:  Are your students lost without knowing the goals or objectives of a lesson? Think about it:   Even as adults, we need to know the ultimate reason for what we are going to learn, or study.  I find that even good teachers fail to tell and show students the big picture.  What is the big picture?

For me, it is providing exactly what is the purpose/reason; the goal/objective; the why-we-are-here-and- what-we-are-doing-it- for statement. The quarterly gives the purpose of our lesson and a key Bible verse, yet I use more.  I have been using graphic organizers--which is a great visual that compares similarities/differences (Venn Diagram, Flow charts, pie charts, etc.) I  then add an extra an section of how we can relate it to today. I use visuals that give short summaries and images that connect to the lesson or story. I use outlines, maps, anything that will help students see how it all connects.  No one wants to read a lengthy document in small print or just sit there.  Involving the students in inductive thinking, and doing something--writing, drawing, teamwork. There are many possibilities. I'm without technology, but may bring some in, just to aid in the lesson. 

Copyright 2013 Lydia Gates All rights reserved

So, what will my students see for the Isaiah lesson?  A map of the kingdoms, an outline of the book of Isaiah with important events summarized in the chapters, and a page about who Isaiah was, and art prints of Isaiah, etc.  This is in addition to the quarterly curriculum.  Is this a lot of work?  No, it's setting the ground work for the study.  It's helping provide the big picture.  The important big picture.  

Do you think providing the big picture is not worth it?  Try teaching your students and not tell them the big picture, they will fail, and you will be failing your students. Teaching means you have to not only tell them what you know, but you have to show them, too!  Aren't we supposed to help them achieve? Think about it.  And if it doesn't seem to work, then formative instruction begins (the adjusting to make it work by the teacher to ensure students get it--you have to change your methods.)

Wish we luck!  I'm hoping to have a good lesson for them on Sunday.  

Easy Tissue Paper "Sewn Quilts"

Whew!  I just finished a week of Vacation Bible School.  I spent about 3 weeks making plans, and creating art examples, plus buying and organizing supplies, then actually teaching the art.  About 90 1st-6th grade students were taught by me every day. Each class session only lasted 25 minutes, so I had to do a lot of prep work to make ready made copies for students to color, cut and/or glue.  I also had prepared lesson plans for pre-K and Kindergarten teachers to teach while I was teaching the 1st-6th graders.  I thought it would be fun to share the easy tissue paper quilt lesson plan.  Note:  This idea deserves credit where it is due, so read at the end of this post, and I'll tell you where it came from.

Supplies:

• 1 inch tissue paper squares in various colors, patterns (you can also use wrapping paper as suggested from the source book)
• Glue sticks
• Blue or Black Ink Pens (the book suggests black sharpie)
• Crayons or Colored Pencils (the book suggests chalk pastel)
• Background paper: White copy/bond paper or white construction paper  8 1/2 x 11 (the book suggests 12 x 18 drawing paper)
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Example

Directions:

1. Prepare an example.  With the ruler, measure 1 inch border all around the paper, and mark it.  If you are making a ready made copy to copy for students to color in and add the border, draw in your drawing.  Make a copy, then use the copy to make your example. (I pre-drew the drawing of a horse in the desert with a rescue blanket. See photo.) 
2. Color your example.
3. Add glue to small sections of the border, and add tissue paper squares all around the border.  Only add glue to areas of 3-4 inches at a time.  You'll need to stress this to your students, too.
4. Once tissue paper border is done, use a ink pen to add X's on the edges of the squares to resemble stitching/sewing marks.  

When sharing this with your students, stress writing their name INSIDE the picture, NOT in the border, cause it will get covered up.  Stress using glue in small areas at a time.   
Enjoy your Tissue Paper Sewn Quilts!

Note:  
The book suggests students write a sentence that explains what they have read about in a story and drawing a scene that matches the sentence.  I didn't have time for this.  It took about 1.5 sessions to finish  our pre-made copy horse pictures completely:  coloring, adding the squares, and the stitching marks.  Students also chose to write, God is Our Rescuer!

Student adding stitching/sewing marks

Student Work

Credit:  How to Teach Art to Children Grades 1-6 Evan-Moor EMC 760, page 132-33, Story Quilts. ISBN 1-55799-811-6
Available by calling:  1-800-777-4362 or visit their website at: http://www.evan-moor.com. The book is also available in an E book version.