Symbols, Contexts and Interpretations

Stage of schooling

Upper Primary or Lower Secondary

Learning focus

Visual Arts

Elaborations

• VA4.2 Students explore how artists in Australia and Asia represent their world by comparing paintings, drawings and sculptures from different times and cultures.
• VA4.3 Students analyse elements and concepts evident in images and objects from a variety of cultural and historic contexts.
• VA6.2 Students explore spiritual beliefs evident in works from Australia and Asia in a variety of pre-modern and contemporary contexts.
• VA6.3 Students compare, analyse and interpret the context, meaning and characteristics of artworks that locate them in particular cultures, societies and periods.

Focus questions

• How do understandings of cultures help us understand and appreciate artworks?
• How does an in-depth focus on an artwork help us learn more about symbolism and values?
• How can we use this in our own artworks?

Overview

This unit aims to demonstrate the ways in which images, objects and contexts can be open to multiple interpretations. The unit addresses universal symbols, aiming to help middle years students read messages contained in unfamiliar works and understand that cultural symbols are not always immediately obvious or understandable.

Duration

The unit is designed to be flexible and can be chunked into a variety of time frames.

Note to teachers

The focus of this Visual Arts unit is on arts ideas and the arts in society. Fully read through the content as it is as much about thinking as making. Look at the suggested visual resources and substitute with similar resources to suit the specific school context.

A central point that should emerge from using this unit is that artists use objects around them or from other cultures in their work. Examining their works can teach us about communicating by using symbols. Students will learn how objects can be imbued with meanings that may be universal (eg a skull often indicates death). Artists often use everyday objects and add other meanings, which are not immediately obvious. The word 'symbol' has come to mean a concrete sign or image that represents some other, more abstract thing or idea by convention, analogy or metaphor. Words describe and interpret signs, but rarely substitute for them.

Signs and symbols are important ways of communicating (eg the use of maps in geography and notation in music). A symbol is at once universal, since it transcends history, but particular because it may relate to a definite period of history and place. Students need to be presented with ideas that will enable them to see that they should 'not judge a book by its cover'. Discussion should revolve around the fact that symbols may be open to interpretations, which are influenced by culture and context.

The steps of the unit are modelled around the Cognitive Acceleration model¹ that has been designed to maximise critical and creative thinking. There is also emphasis on the use of groups. You may need to remind the class of the rules of working in groups.

Remind them that this unit will emphasise the way they think so they will need to talk to each other and reflect on how they themselves think and whether that is the same or different from the way other people think in their group.

Resources

Essential

• Images on Resource sheets 1, 2 & 3

Optional

• Postcards or downloaded images/portraits of figures in a landscape or interior
• MacArthur, Ann, 2005, Inspirations: Art Ideas for Primary and Middle Years, Curriculum Corporation, Melbourne.

Discussion starters

• MacArthur, Ann, 2005, Inspirations: Art Ideas for Primary and Middle Years, Curriculum Corporation, Melbourne.
  Many of the posters in this series of A3 posters contain figures, symbols and artefacts from countries in Asia that could be used as discussion starters for this unit. The artworks presented offer a wide range of forms, styles and materials representing diverse societies across time. Each poster contains background information, relevant learning outcomes and cross-curricular activities.
• Hattenson, Stacey, 2004, Images of Asia: Symbols, Pattern and Designs, Curriculum Corporation, Melbourne.
  This resource contains eight double-sided cards and a teacher's guide. The posters contain figures, symbols and artefacts from countries in Asia that could be used as discussion starters for this unit.
• Voices and Visions CD-ROM (series), 2001 - 2003, Curriculum Corporation, Melbourne.
  Although labelled 'Texts for the Senior English Classroom', these CD-ROMs contain authentic primary source material from Visual and Performing Arts, Film and Television, Popular Publishing and Literature from the countries of China, Japan, India and Indonesia suitable for a range of age groups. Many of the images could be used as discussion starters for this unit.
• The catalogues and teaching kits produced to accompany the Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art exhibitions held at the Queensland Gallery contain a wealth of images of diverse recent and exciting artworks suitable as discussion-starters for this unit. www.qag.qld.gov.au/apt

Extension Activities

The My Place: Asia Australia project provide examples of students' artwork which explores values and lifestyles of young people in Australia and 3 countries of Asia.

1. This unit has been inspired by lessons in the text edited by Leighton, N. & Quinn, A. M., Think Ahead! Developing Thinking Through Visual Arts 11-14. (Manchester: nfer Nelson.)
   
   The Arts Reasoning and Thinking Skills Project team in Wigan, UK, which was behind this publication, aimed to promote cognitive acceleration in 11- and 12-year-olds using intervention lessons in drama, music and the visual arts. Cognitive Acceleration, a model that aids the development of students' thinking ability was developed at King's College, London in a series of research and development programs. Originally developed for science departments in secondary schools, the methods have now been extended to other subjects and to younger students. Think Ahead! is published by NFER Nelson (now GL Assessment).
   
   All Cognitive Acceleration programs are rooted in the cognitive psychology of Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky, from which has been derived a teaching approach which challenges students' current level of thinking, encourages the social construction of knowledge (students gaining knowledge cooperatively) and 'metacognition' (students' reflection on their own thinking and problem-solving processes). back to 1