Contemporary art

Look at each of these works and note your initial response. Select one work and research the historical events or people it references. Does this knowledge change your opinion of the work? If so, how? Research an event from history and create an artwork to represent it.

What does history mean to you? Research your family history. How many generations can you record on your family tree? What significant social and political events occurred during this period and how did they impact your family? Create a visual journal of personal and social histories and present your work to the class. In what ways does your history differ from others in your class?

Describe the types of materials used by each of these artists. What impact do the materials have on your understanding of the work? Appropriate the style of one of the artists and create an artwork using materials from your personal world.

Consider the role of the viewer. What types of histories might they bring with them when viewing an artwork? Choose an artwork from the list and ask people from different generations to respond to it. How does the artwork trigger personal responses? Do different generations respond differently to the same artwork? Discuss.