January 20, 2015
Encounters with works of art
The conversation here focuses on the essential transaction that occurs when one "lends one's life" to a work of art. Prof. John Toth at Hunter College (CUNY) and with Prof. Holly Fairbank BMCC (CUNY) assigned their education students to dialogue with one another focusing on this photo by Gordon Parks entitled "Emma Watson and her Grandchildren" (1934). This inquiry process in context of aestethic education practice is referred to as "guided noticing" wherein the facilitators support the comments of the students by responding, encouraging, and introducing questions along the way to deepen the noticing and inspire new perspectives.
This is an example of an aesthetic education brainstorming process that aims to develop a range of content objectives that may emerge through the close study of a work of art. The initial question that we are asking is designed to be open in a way that encourages a variety of content ideas. We will ask you to be as descriptive as possible when you are writng the details of what you notice in this photograph, or as Maxine would say, "notice what there is to be noticed".
Our questions are... What do you notice? What is going on in this photograph by Gordon Parks? What questions do you have?
Gordon Parks, "Emma Watson and her Grandchildren", photograph, (1934)
Gordon Parks, "Emma Watson and Bedroom Altar", photograph, (1934) Gordon Parks, "Emma Watson and her Grandchildren 37", photograph, (1934)
Other Gordon Parks links: 1 - 2 -
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