This review of current resources aims to assist teachers in locating relevant and significant books (and websites) about contemporary visual and media arts education practice. Bob, an OAEA board member, provides insights and perspective about their value and pertinence to Ontario classrooms.
imagination first: unlocking the power of possibility by Eric Liu and Scott Noppe-Brandon (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2009). ISBN# 978-0-470-38248-6
"At the heart of imagination first is a set of universal practices for opening minds at work, home and play. These 28 (and a half) practices, with titles like "Think Inside the Box," "Break the Hand," and "Routinize Randomness," are designed to enable anyone… to get unstuck, to reframe challenges, and to help others to the same." (from the book jacket) This book will provide teachers, who are looking for ways to actualize and make concrete the "creative process," with a myriad of ideas and suggested actions for classroom application.
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (New York: Scholastic Books, 2007).
ISBN# 978-0-439-81378-5
If you haven't seen Martin Scorcese's latest film HUGO, then run to your nearest theatre for a delightful visual treat (and take the kids—from home and school). The 3D effects are integral and gripping. However, if you haven't read and viewed the book that inspired this film, it will provide insights into the film's splendid narrative. Selznick's 'graphic novel' (I use that term with hesitation) is filled with beautiful pencil drawings and reproduced movie stills by the early 20th century filmmaker Georges Mélies, around whom the story revolves. Limited text (1/3 of the book) accompanies these drawings, which at times, when rippled through quickly, replicate filmic motion, like a large flipbook. The book will captivate children and adults, alike.
An Introduction to Nineteenth-Century Art by Michelle Facos (New York: Routledge, 2011). ISBN# 978-0-415-78072-8
"Using the tools of the "new" art history (feminism, Marxism, social context, etc.) An Introduction to Nineteenth-Century Art offers a richly textured, yet clear and logical, introduction to nineteenth-century art and culture.… Michelle Facos goes beyond existing histories of nineteenth-century art, which often focus solely on France, Britain, and the United States, to incorporate artists and artworks from Scandinavia, Germany, and Eastern Europe.… Chapters take a thematic approach combined within an overarching chronology and more detailed discussions of individual works are always put in the context of the broader social picture, thus providing readers with a sense of art history as a controversial and alive arena of study." (from the book's cover) Great teaching resource, especially to assist in locating those iconic works like David's Oath of the Horatii or Gericault's Raft of the Medusa within their cultural milieu (critical analysis process).
Rethinking Contemporary Art and Multicultural Education by New Museum of Contemporary Art (New York: New Museum and Routledge, 2011).
ISBN# 978-0-415-96085-4.
This is actually the revised version of the excellent and practical book Contemporary Art and Multicultural Education (2001). The fully revised edition highlights different artists and re-organized themes for merging art-making practices with culturally-inclusive contexts and socially-activist purposes. Lesson plans are organized under themes like "Negotiating Space/Negotiating Self," "Activism and Democracy (Politics)," "Commodities, Exchange, Waste and Obsolescence," "Conflict: Local and Global," and "History and Historicism." Recognized and lesser known contemporary artists are cited and their works are well illustrated. There is also available a companion website with over 250 colour reproductions of artworks. Essays in the book address social reconstructionist art education, museums and education today, and the standardization of American education which has placed arts education in jeopardy. Many of these same issues are in our neighbourhood, too!
Christ to COKE: How Image Becomes Icon by Martin Kemp (New York: Oxford University Press, 2012). ISBN# 978-0-19-958111-5
I haven't finished reading this new book yet, but what I have read and skimmed provides for fascinating insights into visuality, popular culture, and art interpretation. Respected art historian and Leonardo Da Vinci expert Martin Kemp plays 'fast and loose' with art history (much like James Elkins does) as he examines how certain visual images are transformed into ubiquitous cultural phenomena. His choices are quite engaging and cross-disciplinary (although Western in bias, which he readily admits): Christ, the cross, the heart, the lion, Mona Lisa, Che Guevara, Nick Ut's horrific 1972 photograph of napalmed Vietnamese villagers, the U.S flag, COKE's bottle design, the DNA model, and Einstein's E=mc2 formula. A great volume to contribute to the larger conversation about our visual culture and the various meanings of images, including integrating visual interpretation with other areas of knowledge.
Tuned Out: Engaging the 21st Century Learner by Karen Hume (Toronto, ON: Pearson, 2011). ISBN# 978-13-802013-2
Attention… motivation… student engagement… all eventually lead to greater success in learning. Well, this is the best book on motivation and engagement that I've read since Daniel Pink's DRIVE. Karen Hume gathers current ideas about establishing optimal student engagement under five headings: competence, creativity, community, context, and challenge. What I particularly admire is her ability to weave together ideas and anecdotes about both student and teacher engagement—after all, if we aren't "with-it" in the classroom, why should we expect it in our young charges? Hume also condenses much of the current research about "gradual release of responsibility," effective uses for instructional technology, and inquiry-based learning in meaningful, lively approaches.