Asking Critical Questions in the Secondary ClassroomDr. Judith Briggs • Dr. Ed Stewart • Dr. Colleen BrennanAndrew Adamczewski • Kristen Houlihan • Sam CookIllinois State University

The Advent of Formalism• Children and Their Art:

“The quest for a universal language that “lies at the core of all understanding” led to the articulation of elements and principles of design, or “form.” What mattered more than content was form—consequently the label “formalism” [was born]. (p. 32)

Formalist Dreams

Sequential Knowledge

Elements & Principles First

Access to Consistent & Adequate Art Instruction

The Hook for Teachers• Formalist approach =

how a work was/is made• Elements and Principles: • can be easily

identified in work • students can easily

be assessed on this knowledge• make for great lesson

objectives

Critical Questioning to the Rescue!• Students learn to read

images • Fosters independence• Natural curiosity is

honored and nurtured• Students’ interest is

piqued• Students can transfer

this thinking to their own studio practice

Growing Natural Artistic Thinking• start with content and concept• offer us tools to go deeper and broader

in aesthetics discussions with students• are inclusive of formalist qualities• start with questions you might naturally

ask yourself when viewing artworks

Starter Question Examples:• What is the

inspiration?• Why is it important? • What is/was the

artist’s intent?

• What is this work about?• What is the message

or meaning?• Why did the artist

make it?

The Frames

The FramesSubjective• Feelings & emotions

evoked• Intuitive reaction,

observation & deciphering meaning• Viewers’ personal

experience when encountering the work

Structural• Reading work as systems

of signs, symbols, codes• Visual and formal

qualities of work• Representations of rules,

conventions, values, traditions, beliefs

The FramesCultural• How work challenges

issues/culture of the time• Art movements, styles• Artists’ influences• Societal ideologies,

views, values, beliefs surrounding work

Postmodern• Exposing disjunctions

between texts in work• Recontextualization

challenging established patterns of authority• Relationships between

meaning & context• Tracing a history of

the text

Aaron Douglas

Dawoud Bey

Student Work Samples

Student Work Samples

Student Work Samples

Frames in Art Ed Courses

Subjective Frame“My still life evokes a deep understanding of Native American culture.” “My experience with the bracelet makes this work very meaningful to me… My mom bought me this Native American made bracelet for my birthday” “The dream catcher also reminds me of my mother. [She] has always been interested in Native American history.”

Structural Frame“In Native American culture, dream catchers were hung in the dwellings or homes of the natives… The code behind the dream catcher is protector.”“The symbol was very positive and appreciated in the Native American culture. The meaning can be read by the audience if they understand the history behind the dream catcher.”

Cultural Frame“My belief is that many people use the dream catcher as a symbol, but they do not give credit to the Native Americans.”“This contextualized work is influenced by modern interest groups. Today, the dream catcher has become a symbol [used by people who] don’t value it’s meaning in the Native American culture. “The [Edgar Allan Poe] quote is used to make the audience ponder the meaning. The quote… is a reference to consumerism and the “dream life.”

Postmodern Frame“[The] quote, from the poem A Dream within a Dream is very loving, and it goes along with the romantic notion of the dream catcher.”“The disjunction between the text and artwork is that Edgar Allan Poe had nothing to do with Native American culture, the only connection is “dream”. “This brings awareness of the dream catcher’s new context…many people do not have any correlation with the Native American culture, yet they feel entitled to wear or own dream catchers.”

Time to Frame!Use the handout provided to participate in a group discussion

Michael Dinges, Sampler, Dead Laptop Series 2007, engraved plastic and acrylic paint

Thank you!Dr. Judith Briggs jabrigg@ilstu.eduDr. Colleen Brennan ckbrenn@ilstu.eduDr. Ed Stewart eostewa@ilstu.edu