CONTEMPORARY ART, CREATIVITY, AND RISK-TAKINGCONTEMPORARY ART, CREATIVITY, AND RISK-TAKING

On a sheet of paper, respond to the following prompt:On a sheet of paper, respond to the following prompt:

“What is the number one experience, skill, or piece of knowledge you want your students to

leave your class with at the end of the year?”

On the other side of that same paper, On the other side of that same paper, respond to the following prompt:respond to the following prompt:

DEFINE THE WORD

CREAtiVITY

Product FocusProduct Focus

AffirmationAffirmation

AffiliationAffiliation

Novelty and varietyNovelty and variety

ChoiceChoice

AuthenticityAuthenticity

Content and SubstanceContent and Substance

Organization of KnowledgeOrganization of Knowledge

Clear and Clear and Compelling Product StandardsCompelling Product Standards

Protection from Adverse Consequences for Initial FailuresProtection from Adverse Consequences for Initial Failures

Schlechty Center’s 10 Design QualitiesSchlechty Center’s 10 Design Qualities

AP Studio Art Scoring RubricAP Studio Art Scoring Rubric

“We cannot envision and manifest new styles of art education without examining and reconsidering art education curriculum as it is currently taught. We must be willing to let go of some of the old familiar projects (and their myriad variations) in order to make room for other sorts of projects and other kinds of art experiences.”

- Olivia GudeNew School Art Styles: The Project of Art

Education

TAKING RISKSTAKING RISKSIn order for creativity to thrive in a classroom, students must feel

safe in taking risks with their artwork.

As art teachers, we owe it to our students to establish a classroom environment that rewards risk-taking and protects our

students from adverse consequences for initial failure. Furthermore, as creative people ourselves, we should feel safe

taking risks with lessons. Go out on a limb – try something new!

TAKING RISKSTAKING RISKSIn order for creativity to thrive in a classroom, students must feel

safe in taking risks with their artwork.

As art teachers, we owe it to our students to establish a classroom environment that rewards risk-taking and protects our

students from adverse consequences for initial failure. Furthermore, as creative people ourselves, we should feel safe

taking risks with lessons. Go out on a limb – try something new!

TAKING RISKSTAKING RISKSIn order for creativity to thrive in a classroom, students must feel

safe in taking risks with their artwork.

As art teachers, we owe it to our students to establish a classroom environment that rewards risk-taking and protects our

students from adverse consequences for initial failure. Furthermore, as creative people ourselves, we should feel safe

taking risks with lessons. Go out on a limb – try something new!

THE PREVAILING NOTION OF “AWESOME” ARTTHE PREVAILING NOTION OF “AWESOME” ART

“ I don’t know where he gets it… I can’t even draw a stick figure.”

INFLUENCESINFLUENCES: : PARENT EXPECTATIONSPARENT EXPECTATIONS

INFLUENCES: INFLUENCES: ADMIN EXPECTATIONSADMIN EXPECTATIONS

INFLUENCES: INFLUENCES: ART CONTESTSART CONTESTS

STUDENT ART vs CONTEMPORARY ART STUDENT ART vs CONTEMPORARY ART

““I want to make art that is important.”I want to make art that is important.”

Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, 1917

COMMON CONTEMPORARY ART HANGUP #1 : TIME

“This probably only took five seconds to make!”Michael Craig Martin, Oak Tree, 1973

COMMON CONTEMPORARY ART HANGUP #2 : FAIRNESS

“So why can’t I just go paint a canvas white and sell it for millions of dollars? It’s not fair!”

Zeit·geist    [noun] 

the spirit of the time; general trend ofthought or feeling characteristic of a particular period of time.

COMMON CONTEMPORARY ART HANGUP #3 : TECHNICAL SKILL

“It looks like someone just threw this together. My three year old sister could’ve done that!”

KEY COMPONENTS OF CONTEMPORARY ARTKEY COMPONENTS OF CONTEMPORARY ART

•Embodies historic RELEVANCE

•Emphasizes PROCESS

•Consideration of the SIGNIFIGANCE OF MATERIALS

Contemporary art embodies historic Contemporary art embodies historic RELEVANCERELEVANCE

Ai Wei WeiBanksy

JR KehindeWiley

FOCUS ON RELEVANCE

Contemporary art emphasizes Contemporary art emphasizes PROCESSPROCESS

FOCUS ON PROCESS

Contemporary art explores the Contemporary art explores the SIGNIFIGANCE OF MATERIALSSIGNIFIGANCE OF MATERIALS

Vic Muniz

Mark Bradford

Sarah Sze

FOCUS ON MATERIALS

Ongoing Experiments

MARK BRADFORD-INSPIRED MATERIALS COLLAGE

Process/Idea-Oriented Projects

“MAKESHIFT GALLERY”

INTERACTIVEPOST-IT WALL

SARAH SZE-INSPIRED TEMPORARY INSTALLATIONS