Total Workshop time: 2 1/2 hrs.
| Time |
Activity |
Materials & equipment |
| 5 min. |
I. Introduction of Object Observation |
student handout |
| 10 min. |
A. Practicing object observation
- Ask participants to focus on Portrait of Billie Holiday.
- Each records observations (objective & subjective) of portrait
on .
- Object Observation Sheet
Each lists 3-5 questions about the photograph on the worksheet.
|
Portrait
of Billie Holiday,
Creative Americans, 1932-1964
Object Observation Sheet
|
| 15 min. |
B. Group sharing
- Round robin sharing of objective and subjective observations.
(Some observations may be in wrong column giving an opportunity
to further refine difference objective and subjective.)
- Group compares and discusses their answered & unanswered questions.
- Group considers the process for additional research (closer
observation, seeking labelled copy of photograph, artistic
statements, biographical information, etc.)
|
filled in Object Observation Sheets |
| 10 min. |
C. Research about Carl Van Vechten, the photographer
Participants consult Van Vechten Biography and an occupational
index of his subjects to learn more about the nature and scope
of his work.
(This abbreviated step stands in for what would normally be a longer
period of student research.)
|
Carl
Van Vechten Biography and Chronology,
Creative Americans, 1932-1964
Occupational
Index of Van Vechten's subjects (excerpt),
Creative Americans, 1932-1964
|
| 10 min. |
D. Discussion
Group shares information and insights about Van Vechten and his
work, and discusses how this additional information altered their
understanding of the protrait we studied.
|
|
| Break opportunity (incorporated
into searching activity) |
| 45 min. |
II. Searching for Portraits/Curating a Mini-Collection
Participants search selected American Memory collections that contain
portraits and select 4-6 portraits to tell a particular story.
|
student handout
computers with internet connections
printers & paper
|
| 30 min. |
III. Analyzing the Portraits
- Pairs arrange portraits to tell a story, applying skills from
the Object Observation exercise.
- Round robin discussion by pair groups of photographs in terms
of what they found about the purposes of the portraits, intention/goals
of the artist, and intention/goals of subject.
- Pairs may also develop list of conventions or tools of portraiture
(e.g. busts or half-length, full-body, pose, dress/costume,
composition, lighting/light source, facial expression, hands/gesture,
surroundings, props) that communicate information.
|
Pairs' photograph collections |
| 30 min. |
IV. Presentation and Reflection
- Pairs present their "exhibitions" and discuss organizing principles
of their collection.
- Group considers the appeal of portrait photographs, and the
kinds of information revealed about the subject, the artist,
the collector/curator, and the viewer themselves.
- Group discusses the value of understanding how choices are
made - by an artist, a celebrity, and a collector/curator
- to present a particular idea or image.
|
pairs' photograph collections
student handout
|
