Visual Haiku

Stage of schooling

Lower or Middle Secondary

Learning focus

Visual Arts and Media

Elaborations

• VA5.1 Students create images that express imaginative and personal responses to Asian artworks within and outside their community.
• VA6.3 Students compare, analyse and interpret the content, meaning and characteristics of artworks that locate them in particular cultures, societies and periods.
• Me5.1 Students use media elements, principles and/or conventions found in one or more art/ media texts from Asia to design and produce a contemporary media text.
• Me6.2 Students explore how values and beliefs are communicated through a range of media texts produced within a country or countries within Asia.
• Me6.2 Students explore how values and beliefs are communicated through a range of media texts produced within a country or countries within Asia.

Focus questions

• How can artworks communicate the sensory information presented in haiku?
• Do artworks need to contain words to accurately communicate the essence of a poem?

Overview

Students explore, adapt and present elements of the traditional genre of haiku in non-traditional ways. They develop 'visual haiku' incorporating imagery and text to interpret and represent a haiku poem. In developing the 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 that present the haiku. Sounds may also be used in the artwork.

Opportunities to discuss how art forms convey beliefs and values form part of this unit.

Duration

The time needed for this unit will vary depending on the choice of media and materials selected. If this is mainly a photographic and electronic imaging unit, a month of regular classes would be sufficient. If students are developing artworks using more traditional media and materials, the unit may take longer.

Each 'activity' is not necessarily a lesson but a series of lessons relating to a stage of student orientation and their subsequent development of artworks within the unit.

Notes to teachers

In preparing for this unit of work, it is important for the teacher to select a range of haiku for the students to initially explore. Traditionally haiku deals with the natural world, especially capturing an impression of a season, but contemporary versions may deal with any sensory 'impression'. A focus for the analysis of haiku should be the contrasting sensory references found in the poems.

Teachers should encourage students to use the language of art when planning, experimenting and evaluating artworks. This will include discussion of aspects such as style, symbolism, the elements and principles of art and design, etc. The States and Territories each have their own curriculum nuances and requirements that should be acknowledged.

Experimenting with media, materials and techniques is an important part of this unit, including digital cameras and electronic imaging software. Teachers make decisions about experimental approaches and where their inclusion would be relevant and meaningful for the cohort. The final product may be as simple as a PowerPointTM presentation. Electronic imaging software used need not be complicated or expensive. For example, Picasa is free to download from Google and has several interesting functions. A painting program is also available on most computers.

Although it is intended in this unit that students develop digital based artworks as visual representations of student-devised haiku poetry, teachers may wish to deliver the unit using traditional media, materials and techniques.

Resources

• MacArthur, Ann, 2005, Inspirations: Art Ideas for Primary and Middle Years, Curriculum Corporation, Melbourne. This series of A3 sized cards contains several artworks with calligraphy or references to poetry in the images.
• Access Asia Secondary Teaching and Learning Units, 1996, Curriculum Corporation, Melbourne. This publication contains some contemporary haiku written by Australian teenagers responding to understandings of Japanese society.
• National Geographic February 2008 issue has an article and photo essay that traces the journey of Issa, the Japanese haiku master.
• Ainsworth, Geoff, 1998, Hanabi, Curriculum Corporation, Melbourne.
• www.toyomasu.com/haiku/#whatishaiku provides an overview of the history of haiku with many historical and contemporary examples.