A few updates. You all should have received invites to Dropbox for the Kate Lyman articles. I thought we would read one each day next week. They illustrate how an elementary teacher has taken some of the issues we have read about and turned them into pedagogy/teachable moments. I think you will enjoy them.
I hope these literary chapters from Rader haven't alienated you a reader, but this is how literary criticism is written about in academe. And he is quite accessible. I am hoping that if poetry wasn't that interesting to you, that the movies will be. But poetry is a method or medium that is like reading for art's sake--and all of the poetry examined here is all about historic and contemporary identity and place.
Keep in mind that museums don't sell work, they store it. Galleries sell work. When I asked about positive portrayals of Native Americans in media or cultures it reminds me that especially in movies, white people often see Indians as one group--not their differences; many whites are not interested in the lives or histories of Natives, much less how things are represented. Many whites seem to be very interested though in their own interests--if that makes sense, from what we have read.
Rader repeats, over and over, the privileges of being white in this culture; and having access to money--being middle and upper classes.
Keep in mind, that by this upcoming Monday, I asked you to send us addresses, so we can peek at your blog or site under construction. On Monday, I am asking that you leave feedback to each other--there is space for comments.
I hope you are enjoying most of the reads; I am learning a lot about the histories of art and artists.
Chapter 21 The Living, Breathing Embodiment of a Culture Transformed
ReplyDeleteI loved the way these programs were created. Chicago co-founded program because she had faced genders discrimination in her art education backgrounds. So, that is my first question: Can anyone think back to school and situations where you felt you were discriminated because of your gender/s? What are some of your experiences, past and present?
I appreciate the work from the reading about Feminist artist like Judy Chicago and her personal journey through her process. I am sympathetic to her experiences in being discriminated in her art education. I agree with my undergraduate education and even through grad school that there were not a lot of women artist discussed. … “the Dead White Guys” as everyone would refer them as. However, un like Judy, I had a lot of female professors in my studio and art history classes. I can imagine it being frustrating to have “female students not as encouraged to be professional artist [or] designers” (Lampert, 224). I even asked my step-mother, Jeanne, about her experiences when she went to college in the 1970s if she experienced discrimination of any kind in her art classes. She said that she had not experienced any discrimination; however, there was not a lot of information on how to be a artist professionally and where to go next. She ended up majoring in Biology and Geology instead of art because she was afraid she would starve as an artist.
DeleteDiscrimination: I have been fortunate to have been helped/mentored by some wonderful people. For me discrimination, is often in little things. For example, like complex, I do not like the word artsy. It's demeaning and would not be used to describe a man.
DeleteI did think it interesting that the women in the house felt like it was a true collaboration and slighted when Chicago received credit and moved on.
DeleteRecently, I have been yelled at and told, "what it is with you women?" by a recent male boss, so I have certainly seen sexism in the work force and seen the way men and women are treated indifferently.
DeleteIn school I was never discriminated against that I can recall. Like Sarah at Harmony, with most of admin being from Turkey, woman are looked down upon. Men are superior to women. I have one admin that has used sexist slurs constantly and I have found that until women stand up to him he will continue. He does not tend to do this to me after I put him in his place. I told him exactly what I thought and felt and he hasn't messed with me since but has been courteous and respectful. As far as other women they are still treating like this and I have told them to do the same so he stops. It's ridiculous to be treated like we are not as good because we are women. I wish he could walk in a woman's shoes for a day so that he could see what all we do and then maybe he wouldn't degrade women so much.
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DeleteWhen I was about six we were playing a scrimmage basketball game at the YMCA league. We were divided by Shirts vs No Shirts. I remember being really angry that I wasn't allowed to be on the No Shirts team. I had worn a turtleneck and was super hot!
DeleteGrowing up with feminist parents I never really felt discriminated against professionally or academically. I had the same opportunities as my older brother. I didn't notice women being treated differently than men in the workplace until I moved to Texas. It's super noticeable now. Perhaps I notice it more because I have a background that disregards gender but I get really worked up about it sometimes.
Chapter 21 Continued…
ReplyDeleteIf you can, check out the Waitresses. Also, and this is a blast from the past, google in Youtube, Donna Summer's video/song, "She Works HArd For the Money." Slightly dated, but an homage to working women and dancers at that time. One of the excited things about MTV and video in the 80s was that dancers could be employed in the genre--opening up many more job opportunities. It's also about the message--women work hard.
Have you been a part of a grip of artists that banded together to produce something that was based on a social idea or problem?
Womanhouse--love that idea. You can google it for images. Would a Womanhouse make sense today? If not, what other images might for women and/or men?
I am also in awe of the success of the Feminist project, Womanhouse. I like the idea of artist coming together and performing or displaying their work about feminism and the range of ideas or thoughts behind feminism. Dealing with the stages of life in being a woman, I find there are celebrations and curiosities that I still have and would like to attend this during that time. I was especially interested in seeing the film by Johanna Demetrakes on the Womenhouse. Therefore after searching up references, I discovered a short 3 minute clip from her 40 minutes film which is for sale for $250 to own and $ 75 to rent through a University at (http://www.wmm.com/filmcatalog/pages/c324.shtml ). Here is the 3 minute video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvxjDpv3l_o You will notice in the film, the women’s reaction to the work. They are curious and surprised. In the clip, I also noticed a man and his young boy’s reaction. I am not sure if I was a mother to a young boy, if I would take him to see such a thing. LOL.
DeleteDo you think the Vagina Monologues from the 90s might have its roots in Womanhouse?
DeleteI think Womanhouse would work today, especially with all of the healthcare reform surrounding birth control and abortion. I think public art about this type issue right now would be really interesting. I'm also interested to survey all woman attending the gallery, then all men, and mixed genders. Would that make a difference on reaction to that type of art?
DeleteI would love to be involved with a group of artists in a group art show. I was recently in a group show with art educators around San Antonio. It would be interesting to have a show that is all somehow tied together under a political theme expressed by the art educator group
I agree with Sarah. There are so many things especially about women's health and men trying to control what we do with our bodies. I think it definitely would work in today's society with these issues.
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DeleteI agree with Sarah and Andrea. I think some sort of art collective would be very effective on this issue. There is an organization called A Is For that held a huge comedy show earlier this year to raise money for a number of Texas women’s health funds. Stand-up comedy might not be the first art form you think of when it comes to social activism, but I think it was a pretty successful event. Here is a post about it from the A is For website: http://www.aisfor.org/1kposters/
DeleteWomanhouse also made me think of the Vagina Monologues. Mostly because of the way it empowers women. I still go see a VM show when I can, and I always leave feeling like I can conquer the world.
DeleteI have seen the idea of "waiting," page 228, acted out in lots of genres. Years back at a Genderland installation, a theater student set up a dining room table with a meal, all dressed up and sat there for three hours not moving--just waiting.
ReplyDeleteI also think of the idea of aging. There is a Dar Williams song that you can listen to, "You're Aging Well"--which address the discriminatory images seen in our cultures. Youth is valued over aging, wisdom and meaning. Everything connected to industries seems to focus on staying young--or how to reverse age. With age comes wisdom. That's what the song indicates. I worry that we are not preparing anyone in our culture for older ages. We just drop them off at nursing homes. I tell people, better pick one out, because that is all of our destinies if we don't change it. 100 years ago, the vast majority of people died at home. Today we die in institutions.
Other related issues that came up for you, as you read this chapter?
I admire Judy Chicago’s intention with her “Consciousness- Raising program” discussed on page 224- 225. I think it is great to have a group of women to discuss their experiences and reflect with a variety of media as an outlet. The whole process seems very therapeutic. Art therapy has always interested me, at one point I wanted to major in it. However, with the lack of programs in Texas or even the south was deterrent for me. It seemed like the major only existed in western or northern part of the US and you had to move to that location. I also respect the idea of the curriculum being open for students to have input to help guide what was learned or researched. In my experiences, students become more engaged when their interest lead their learning. I honor that idea so much that I have an art class that is geared that way, where the students individually tell me what their project is going to be and I teach towards their interest.
DeleteI read an article about the times that we traditionally wait. Those daydream moments are slowly disappearing. We no longer wait--we text or google. The article insisted that it was in those waiting, mind wandering moments where we find our brilliance.
DeleteI believe it was from a quote from Proust which I am looking for.
Waiting is sometimes the best part, or being still and listening is when we get the most clarity or when we hear if you are religious God speak.
DeleteMy mom constantly jokes about us taking good care of her when she gets too old, and how we better not stick here in a nursing home. There are so many ads that are about being good to your kids they pick your nursing home. I disagree with this because it's about catering to our children instead of teaching them morals, values, standards, respect, and how to handle life without sheltering them from everything. I'm sorry but we should not give into everything our children want because we are afraid to spank or discipline our children for fear of CPS being called. I will bust my sons butt anytime anywhere. He will not disrespect me or treat me however he wants to and I will not give him anything he wants just because. I expect him to be respectful to everyone and especially me. That's how I was raised and that's how I will raise my son.
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DeleteNote the statistics on page 231: In LA, out of 713 artists exhibited , 29 were women. Of 53 solo exhibitions, i was a woman. I think back to Lynn's post that maybe what we should do is make our curricula reflect our local and state demographics--and teach accordingly. That would be an easy formula based on social realties. So in reality if there were .5% Native Americans living in TX, for example, I would have to include the tin my curriculum. It would demand that at least 40-50% of all of my artists be female. That could really change things immediately. Your thoughts?
ReplyDeleteTeaching towards the demographics would take alot of change considering I have alot of Indians in my classroom. (Indians from India) I do try to cover all sort of artist from different cultures but only cover one Indian artist. I like covering a range of artist so the students are exposed to new things and ideas.
DeleteHow fun would it be (remember I am not in the classroom--so think of me as the out of the classroom museum person) to have your students tell you about the art of their homeland. Ask them, Interview their parents--who is the most famous contemporary Indian artist who is their favorite in the history of art.
DeleteI think that would really begin to level the gender inequality in not just the US, but internationally as well as see more art in different realms of time and countries. We would begin to see more working and successful women in various other cultures combined as well.
DeleteAt my school there is such a mix of students that would rather interesting for them to research an artist from their country. I think I may have to incorporate this into my lessons! That would be neat for them to do and display them for the school to see maybe make a box with each and a little bio about the artist! I am definitely going to do this!
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DeleteI think reflecting demographics in the curriculum is a good start. However, if you're teaching art history, for example, you probably need to teach about more than 50% men and 50% women, because more men were professional and documented artists in the past. Just a thought.
DeleteThink about the women inventing these spaces. Have you ever thought about creating a social space that doesn't exist?
ReplyDeleteIt is one of my passions to create a Worker's Center (I'm from a small industrial Midwest town on Lake Michigan) that would represent the stories and histories and lives of workers. Not a museum--I do not want a museum. But a living space where there would be exhibits of local folks; art exhibitions, a small eatery, books and a library, teaching classrooms; work with local workers; teach art classes valuing media that other spaces don't. In my mind, I am determined to create at the very least a storefront to begin. Keep thinking in my n=mind it has to happen back home, but maybe it could happen somewhere else.
Does anyone have a dream of something you want to create? Give back? Rethink? Reshape?
I have always wanted to buy the rundown pink motel. Turn the rooms into studios for artists to rent( there is water and a sink and good light from the plate glass window. and have exhibition space in the cafe and the lobby area.
DeleteThe pink motel is actually not its real name but it is really pink. It is down the street from where I grew up and have lived for many years--I believe it--is quite and active place as the rooms turn by the hour.
DeleteThe Pink Motel was the name of a children's book.
I love lynns idea! I would also like to build an artist residence and gallery show. Think of Junction, all year around, where people could collaborate with other artists and then show off their stuff to the public.
DeleteI have never thought of doing this but that would really cool to do! And it be a place where homemaker or people that do not have as pace to create to come and be an artist, maybe have daycare available for those that do not have childcare to come and it be covered in their rent or something so they do not have to pay even more. Thoughts...
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DeleteRader pp. 131-140
ReplyDeleteIn this section, I was struck with the poetry itself. Linda Christensen wrote an essay for Rethinking Our Classrooms, Volume 2, called "Inviting Students Lives Into the Classroom." She is a high school English teacher. She created a venue in the forms of poems so students could participate in the creation of poetry--"where I am From…" poems. That's where Future and I got the idea.
I loved the identity poems on pages 130-131. It gets me to think who I am and where/what I have come from. Which is very important.
Often I think that much mainstream media images of Natives is overly romanticized. On page 133 "A Postcolonial Tale," states: "Once we abandoned ourselves for television, the box that separates the dreamer from the dreaming"--that we struck me--I have always seen TV as a series of commercials--no matter what. If movies are ever shown, they are so overly edited that it isn't the same movie.
What about the poem on page 134 at the top:
"At the salvation Army
a clerk
caught me
wandering
among old spoons
and knives,
sweaters and shoes.
I couldn't have stolen anything:
my life was stolen already."
That reads to me as very deep meaning. That's the power of poetry. Especially the way the poet places words for emphasis. Beautifully written and beautifully visual. Outsiders to poetry to get that the visual, how the words look on a page are just as important as the message/words.
"The Indian Sports Mascot Meets Noble Savage" on page 136. On page 138, "Where archeologists are working,"--all of these describe/indict mainstream cultures and our histories--Natives are important enough to study in Anthropology but not in real life. These were just a few of my musings…
Your take or reaction to the chapter?
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