Asia Education Foundation

Visual Haiku

cover image: Arts/Media Unit: Visual Haiku

Students will discover, adapt and present elements of traditional Japanese haiku poetry in non-traditional ways. They will develop ‘visual haiku’ – incorporating imagery and text to interpret and represent a haiku poem. In developing this visual haiku, students may use digital cameras (moving and/or still), electronic imaging software and traditional art-making techniques to construct a series of images. Sounds may also be used. Discussions about how art forms convey beliefs and values form an important part of this unit.

 


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Activities 5-6

Activity 5: Finalising artworks

  1. Although the students may plan their artwork early in the unit, they should be encouraged to investigate other possibilities for resolution. If students are using electronic media, this will allow a range of variations to a particular idea to be explored and several, resolved end-points may be reached. As students are working through their ideas, encourage them to follow interesting pathways that may not be true to their original vision. As students begin to find significant resolution in their images, intervene with a class critique. Invite students to:
    • briefly share what they have been investigating regarding imagery, media, technique and how this connects with their haiku
    • respectfully offer ideas regarding their classmates' artworks being presented. These could be alternative ways of resolving the works or options for further experimentation or for the final format of the artwork.
  2. While the students are working, remind them that they need to consider the final format for the artwork (see earlier suggestions and the list on the student task sheet).

Activity 6: Display, reflection and critique

As students are finalising their works and planning for the display and presentation of the work, remind and support them to:

  • outline their plan for display in the visual journal which describes the space proposed and its relevance in assisting communication of the work's meaning
  • evaluate the effectiveness of the completed artworks in communicating the haiku (see Resource sheet 4)
  • develop a curatorial statement for their work that describes the meaning behind their design, the tradition to which it belongs and any relevant technical information
  • consider including the developmental drawings and notes alongside the final product.