Digital Photo Album: "LEARNING FROM THE LAND"

BubbleShare: Share photos - Easy Photo Sharing

I have a deep appreciation of art. When I come across a sculpture, intentionally or by surprise, I stop and ask myself a few questions. What am I looking at ? Who produced this? What is it saying to me? Learning occurs outside of the classroom. Analyzing sculptures is an enjoyable pursuit that is enriching and meaningful. To explore autobiographical moments of learning, I have used BubbleShare to upload various images of sculptures which have moved me. To follow, are written descriptions and analyses which explain the significance of each learning moment. Since I am an educator, below each of my personal reflections I will also include how I could incorporate these encounters in my future classroom. My personal growth is always causing me to be a more critical and creative teacher. 

1. "Girl in Wetsuit" was created by Elek Imredy. It was given to the Vancouver Park Board in 1972. Upon biking through Stanley Park this summer, I came across the beautiful figure. At first, it reminded me of my childhood fascination with water. For example, many children can relate to the lovely fantasy life of Ariel, being a mermaid swimming, through the sea and communicating with animals. In fact, the artist was inspired by the famous Copenhagen mermaid. The rock has a water ring. This is because at high tide, the water level covered much of the bolder. The piece is symbolic of Vancouver's dependence of the sea. 

Classroom Connections: water currents, exploration, trade, ecosystems, folk tales and fairy tales

2. Here we see eight totem poles produced by First Nations People. These sculptures are messages from the past. They could be truthful and/or mythological in nature. These sculptures surprised me! I was walking through lush greenery, when I came across a huge crowd of tourists snapping away. When looking at a totem pole, the viewer is amazed by the amount of time and effort that would have gone into carving each piece. 

Classroom Connections: Design a personal totem pole (symbols to represent family, way of life).  Research a tribe or totem pole to present to the class. 

3. Michelangelo's David, is a magnificent Renaissance work. Produced in 1504, we see David contemplating his challenging opponent, Goliath. This photograph is of the smaller version located in the Piazza Della Signoria, Florence. I encountered this work when studying in Florence for a summer. David's dominating presence is felt, when seeing the gigantic production in the Galleria dell'Accademia. The imagery is symbolic of the political message of the Florentine government. 

Classroom Connections: What is a hero? Biblical lessons. Provide examples of visual imagery and propaganda today (TV. Advertisments etc). 

4. "The Munchkin" is a funny sculpture I came across when approaching the Villa Rotunda, outside of Vicenza. The architect of the palace is ofcourse Andrea Palladio. The final stretch of pathway had a long fence with numerous "characters". Each sculpture was amusing. This munchkin in particular made me laugh. The work was produced to signify the exact opposite of admirable leadership traits. Rather than a tall, strong and robust male figure, we see the jovial, silly, jester. These palaces provided a retreat from the rigid life in Venice. Wealth among the common folk could not be expressed austentaciously (to compete with the leadership). Perhaps the many munchkins are symbolic of the retreat and takeover from below? The sculptures all make you laugh and provide entertainment.

Classroom Connections: Personality traits. Moral Education. 

5. LOVE was a symbol for peace after the Vietnam War. Robert Indiana produced this work with simple symmetry, colour and form in the 1960's. This photograph was taken in Manhattan. I have enountered this popular pop-art work in many other cities as well. The reading of the piece evoke different feelings in each viewer. While the intent was politically rooted, I am drawn to think about the human condition. 

Classroom Connections: 

Moral Education: What is love? How is the meaning of "love" different depending on the speaker/ subect matter ("I love you Mom." or "I love grilled cheese.")

Holidays: Valentine's Day (Commercial vs. Religious). 

6. Henry Moore is an English sculptor. I was first introduced to his work as a young child at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto. I later learned that this is actually the world's largest collection of his work. My fascination with his work was due to the fact that the pieces were abstractions of the human figure. The pieces were suggestive and allowed me to use my imagination to speculate about the artist's intent. As I grew older, and learned about Moore in school, it became clear that the gigantic pieces were to resemble natural objects. I have always found the pieces to be "bone-like". Over the course of my life, I have come across Moore's pieces in Montreal, New York and other big American metropolises. This past summer I went on a ten day travel excursion to Israel. Without knowing anyone, I decided to embark upon a travel program. Upon viewing this sculpture, at the Jerusalem Museum, I felt really close to home and really close to my youth. I was so thrilled to remember my childhood moments when I first viewed Moore's work. 

Classroom Connections: Ask students, "What special memories do you have with your parents?", "When looking at this piece, what does it make you think of?", "What do you think the model would have really looked like?" 

7. On my first day in Israel, I came across this landmark. There was an unusual street post as well as numerous cut-outs of soldiers. I immediately began thinking about how lucky I am to live in such a safe and peaceful country. Each day I wake up, listen to the radio, and then embark upon my day. The thought of fighting and war never seems like a possibility. I asked people around me about the very spot I was standing at, "What is this place?". I quickly learned that it was an ancient battle site. Below ground were tunnels for soldiers to protect themselves. This moment was a rude awakening for me. The "perfect" world was tarnished. 

Classroom Connections: "Why do people and countries fight?" , Remembrance Day connections, "Compare and contrast your life here with how your life would be if you were born in _______ country."

8.  Paul Lancz's sculpture "Tenderness" is located at the corner of Peel and Sherbrooke. Last summer I took a sculpture class, where for the first time I took a hammer and chisel and got dirty! As part of the class, I was supposed to walk around the city and search for an inspirational piece that spoke to me. I looked high and low. I spent days at galleries and walking the streets. Upon returning home exhausted, I encountered "Tenderness". The mother and child are depicted as deeply devoted to each other. The figures are deeply connected and resonate mother-child memories in the viewer. This piece made me think about how all animals on earth require emotional nurturing as well as physical support before becoming fully independent.

Classroom Connections: Cycle of life, Explore a species and its growth (maturation stages), Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"

 

9. I came across this sculpture in Yorkville. The piece is of a large hockey player. Immediately, it made me think about how athletics bring about such simple joy in the athlete. Hockey is merely the movement of a puck into a net. Basketball involves tossing a ball into a basket. Tennis involves keeping a ball in motion between two or four individuals. Despite the fact that our world is constantly being transformed by new technological innovations, our recreational games have remained simple. This piece also made me think about how passionate so many Montreal inhabitants are of hockey. Being a fan is deeply engrained in many people's identities.  

Classroom Connections: Importance of recreation for health (discussion); Sports and Identity; Comparison of games that students enjoy versus parents (generational changes)