Romare Bearden expressed his African American culture through his collage work. Symbols come through like trains and musicians alluding to allegories in the African American experience. Romare also fractures the faces of many subjects to anonymize them; so instead of a face representing a specific person, the fractured face represented a member of the cultural.
We spent some time learning about the artist and his work. The first part of THIS VIDEO by art teacher Jennifer Zwelling was a helpful resource.
My students wrote 5 facts about what they saw using their workbooks.
We spent some time learning about the artist and his work. The first part of THIS VIDEO by art teacher Jennifer Zwelling was a helpful resource.
My students wrote 5 facts about what they saw using their workbooks.
After sharing many examples of his work, we focused on these ideas to incorporate into our own work:
1. It must be connected to your personal culture
2. It must include cultural symbols and people
3. It must include some "fractured faces"
4. It must have a "sense of place," and not just floating, disjointed images
We used the following worksheet to brainstorm ideas.
1. It must be connected to your personal culture
2. It must include cultural symbols and people
3. It must include some "fractured faces"
4. It must have a "sense of place," and not just floating, disjointed images
We used the following worksheet to brainstorm ideas.
| Culture Exploration Worksheet |
Though students only had to focus on one or two aspects, all had to research and find a cultural hero (Ethnic, Religious, Communal, Cultural, Etc.) for their culture. They did not have to use that person in their work, but I wanted them to know that everyone has some cultural heroe(s).
We had recently finished a large painting project and had lots of leftover hand-mixed paint. We spent a day just using up all those colors on paper to be used on this project.
We had recently finished a large painting project and had lots of leftover hand-mixed paint. We spent a day just using up all those colors on paper to be used on this project.
We added in a few other options like newspaper, printed photos, magazine images, and cardboard if they desired. Some students even used some 3D materials like cotton balls or tissue flowers. We had traditional Elmer's glue, glue stick, hot glue, and I had some spray glue available for large pieces. It was helpful to glue everything down to a base of railroad board, oak tag, or another thick paper if it's available.
I encouraged students to compose their work before gluing anything down permanently. One way to do this was to create characters like paper-dolls, gluing those to copy paper, cutting those contours and using it like an element to create a composition. Some final works are actually made from several smaller compositions of figures glued to copy paper. Some students just glued as they went and faced a few composition issues.
My goal in this project was not to reproduce Romare Bearden's work, but to use it as a theme to explore our own personal cultures. Each student had to finish their project with a bit of writing that hung under the work and explained the cultural connections they were exploring. By exhibiting all the work together, we could see the joy of the melting pot we call the United States and celebrate our diversity.
I encouraged students to compose their work before gluing anything down permanently. One way to do this was to create characters like paper-dolls, gluing those to copy paper, cutting those contours and using it like an element to create a composition. Some final works are actually made from several smaller compositions of figures glued to copy paper. Some students just glued as they went and faced a few composition issues.
My goal in this project was not to reproduce Romare Bearden's work, but to use it as a theme to explore our own personal cultures. Each student had to finish their project with a bit of writing that hung under the work and explained the cultural connections they were exploring. By exhibiting all the work together, we could see the joy of the melting pot we call the United States and celebrate our diversity.
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