Art appreciation, or exploring and responding in Victoria, involves analysing and developing an understanding of arts works. As a teacher, we aim to educate our students about how to make an informed judgement about arts works, be it their own or someone else’s (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority [VCAA], 2006). By discussing arts works in terms of the conceptual framework, students are allowed to opportunity to explore the arts work in reference to its artist, the arts work presented or made, the subject matter portrayed in the arts work and why the arts work was made.
Shaun Tan has a number of arts works that can be appreciated through exploration and discussion. For the following lessons, I have chosen to focus on two of Shaun Tan's paintings, 'Norseman' and 'Dad and me'.
Art Appreciation Class – ‘Norseman’ (Level 2) Click here for PDF of the lesson plan
Artwork: ‘Norseman’ 1996
Focus Artist: Shaun Tan
Background and Introduction
‘Norseman’ was made as a landscape painting from materials that Shaun Tan found in the landscape near the town of Norseman in Western Australia, where he was visiting his brother who worked there as a Geologist.
As a class, we can discuss why Shaun Tan used materials that he found lying about. This discussion can link in with sustainability and recycling units that the students may be learning about, and children can be encouraged to make the connection about this painting and their previous knowledge about sustainability and recycling. Extending from this, students can then infer what message Shaun Tan was making when he created this artwork, was he simply recycling or was he upset about the amount of rubbish that was found on the land.
I would introduce this painting as an example of recycling, as Shaun Tan has used items that would otherwise be thrown away to make his arts work.
Development and Consolidation
The aim of art appreciation classes is to provide students with the ability to explore and respond to any arts works they are viewing. A way to allow this is by analysing arts works using the Conceptual Framework.
Once students have been introduced to the painting, we are able to direct questioning in a way that encourages students to explore, elaborate and develop their understanding of Shaun Tan’s painting, with particular reference to recycling.
To develop student’s appreciation of this painting, I would recommend that teachers use the following questions to direct discussion about ‘Norseman’ in reference to the Conceptual Framework.
-
Artwork
-
What is this painting of? (A desert…)
- How can you tell? (The sand…)
-
What do you notice about this painting?
- Is any paint used? (No)
- What is used instead? (Found objects, old tins, rocks and red dust)
- What hues (arts language for colour) can you see? (Red and silver)
- What is the painting about? (Rubbish left in the desert, recycling…)
-
What is the function of the painting?
- Why was it made? (To show a way to recycle, the artist doesn’t like rubbish being left lying around…)
- What is the focal point of the painting? (The objects, the sand…)
- Who made it? (An artist…)
-
What is this painting of? (A desert…)
-
Artist
-
Who is the Artist? (Shaun Tan)
- Do you know anything else he has created? (Artwork for the books ‘The Lost Thing’, ‘The Rabbit’, Worked on the movie ‘The Lost Thing’…)
- What do you think his message was? (That he was unhappy with rubbish being left everywhere, he is eager to recycle and help the Earth…)
-
Who is the Artist? (Shaun Tan)
-
Subject Matter
-
Do you think this is a painting about a place the artist knows or one he imagined? (A place he knows)
- Why do you think that? (He found the objects from the place he knows)
- What do we learn about the world from the time this artwork was made? (That there is a problem with rubbish being left everywhere and that people do not know how to recycle, or how they can recycle)
-
Do you think this is a painting about a place the artist knows or one he imagined? (A place he knows)
VELS - Learning Standards Achieved: Progression Point 2.5
Exploring and Responding:
- “Identification, using appropriate arts language, of the ways ideas and feelings are explored and/or developed in their own arts works.” (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority [VCAA], 2006, p.4).
- “Identification of selected arts elements, principles, skills, techniques, processes, media, materials, equipment and/or technologies in their own or other people’s arts works.” (VCAA, 2006, p.5).
- “Documentation of an investigation of the cultural or historical contexts of their own or other people’s arts works; for example, a collection of images.” (VCAA, 2006, p.5).
ACARA
Learning Area: Visual Arts
56:
Students will develop skills as they consciously start to experiment with equipment, materials, media and technologies. They will make choices in selecting codes and conventions to suit intentions, express ideas and practice art works. They will learn to present their work for others to view, and to understand that presentations have a purpose. In responding, students will discuss processes and meanings of their own and other’s artworks, offering opinions and preferences, using vocabulary appropriate to visual arts. Through learning about traditional and popular cultures, students will develop visual and aesthetic understanding, and begin to gain awareness of codes, symbols and meanings in visual culture. They will discuss the place and function of art, craft and design in their communities. (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA], 2011, p.16).
Learning Area: The Arts and the Cross-Curriculum Priorities (Sustainability)
- 78: “The Arts will investigate the concept of sustainability and the interrelated nature of social, economic and ecological systems. It will provide opportunities to consider the sustainability of practices and traditions in the Arts.” (ACARA, 2011, p.22).
- 79: “Using the exploratory and creative platform of the Arts, students will develop a worldview that recognises the importance of social justice, healthy ecosystems and effective action for sustainability. They will use the Arts to communicate their developing understanding of the concept of sustainability.” (ACARA, 2011, p.22).
Art Appreciation Class – ‘Dad and me’ (Level 2) Click here for PDF of the lesson plan
Artwork: ‘Dad and me’ 1998
Focus Artist: Shaun Tan
Background and Introduction
‘Dad and me’ is a painting that Shaun Tan based of a small photograph he found of him with his father, that he thinks was taken in Malaysia. Shaun Tan used both acrylic paints and pencils to create this painting.
As a class, we can discuss why Shaun Tan wanted to make a painting that would look the same as a photograph he found. From this, students can discuss if there were things in the photograph that Tan wanted to leave out, or if there where things he wanted to include. Students can also discuss what the focal point of the painting is and if it may be different to the focal point in the photograph.
I would introduce this painting following a unit or even a story on belonging, as Shaun Tan has made it known that this is a theme that underpins a majority of his arts works. This theme of belonging, and his cultural background that is seen in his arts work also allows this piece to be studied as a part of a unit on Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia as it represents the diversity of people and cultures in Australia, as the artist himself is an Australian with a Chinese background.
Development and Consolidation
The aim of art appreciation classes is to provide students with the ability to explore and respond to any arts works they are viewing. A way to allow this is by analysing arts works using the Conceptual Framework.
Once students have been introduced to the painting, we are able to direct questioning in a way that encourages students to explore, elaborate and develop their understanding of Shaun Tan’s painting, with particular reference to the focal point and the theme of belonging.
To develop student’s appreciation of this painting, I would recommend that teachers use the following questions to direct discussion about ‘Dad and me’ in reference to the Conceptual Framework.
-
Artist
- Who is the Artist? (Shaun Tan)
-
What do you think his intentions were?
- Was he concerned with the formal aspects of the painting (hue, line, texture, tone), about depicting beauty, sharing emotions and exploring themes (belonging, Chinese influence and background, father and son relationships…) or maybe concerned with both? (Uses the formal aspects of the painting such as hue and lines to bring across his message of belonging, acknowledging his Chinese background as a part of his identity and how both of these are used to show how much he value he places on loving father-son relationships)
- What do you think his message was? (Proud of his background, he loves and idolises his father, he belongs to Australia and also to his Chinese heritage…)
-
Artwork
-
What is this painting of? (A man and his child…)
- How can you tell? (The dad is holding the kids hand like my dad does when we are walking…)
-
Can you describe the formal qualities of this painting?
- Is any paint used? (Yes)
- What else is used? (Pencils)
- What hues (arts language for colour) can you see? (Yellows, blues and greens…)
- Do the hues used make the painting look old? (Yes, it looks like the old photos my grandparents have…)
- Is there any texture in the painting? (Can see texture is used on his clothes, in the background and on the grass to create shapes and to make the painting look real…)
-
What is the function of the painting?
- Why was it made? (So he could interpret his photograph to make us more aware of the parts he thought were important, to draw focus to particular aspects…)
- What do you think his message was? (Proud of his background, he loves and idolises his father, he belongs to Australia and also to his Chinese heritage)
-
What is this painting of? (A man and his child…)
-
Subject Matter
- Has the artist used past arts works as inspiration or subject matter in this painting? (Yes, it’s based on a photograph he found of him and his dad that he thinks was taken in Malaysia)
- Does the painting represent a particular event? (Yes, it shows him and his dad going for a walk in Malaysia)
- What do we learn about the world from the time this artwork was made? (That his dad enjoyed spending time with him, the dad loved him and wanted to enjoy the simple beautiful things in life with his son such as an evening stroll…)
VELS - Learning Standards Achieved: Progression Point 2.25
Exploring and Responding:
- “Awareness of ways they and others express ideas, feelings and purpose in arts works.” (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority [VCAA], 2006, p.4).
- “Identification, using appropriate arts language, of key features of their own and other people’s arts works.” (VCAA, 2006, p.4).
- “Contribution to discussion about the cultural and historical contexts of their own and other people’s arts works.” (VCAA, 2006, p.5).
ACARA
Learning Area: Visual Arts
56:
Students will develop skills as they consciously start to experiment with equipment, materials, media and technologies. They will make choices in selecting codes and conventions to suit intentions, express ideas and practice art works. They will learn to present their work for others to view, and to understand that presentations have a purpose. In responding, students will discuss processes and meanings of their own and other’s artworks, offering opinions and preferences, using vocabulary appropriate to visual arts. Through learning about traditional and popular cultures, students will develop visual and aesthetic understanding, and begin to gain awareness of codes, symbols and meanings in visual culture. They will discuss the place and function of art, craft and design in their communities. (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA], 2011, p16).
Learning Area: The Arts and the Cross-Curriculum Priorities (Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia)
76:
Australia’s evolving ethnic composition and the increasing national importance placed on our geographic location in the Asia-Pacific region brings with it a variety of cultural, social, and ethical interests and responsibilities. These interests, and the collective cultural memories that have accumulated around them, are represented in a diversity of Art across Australia. (ACARA, 2011, p.21).