Session 7: Pilsen Mural Tour

On May 5th we were guided by Jose Gutierrez on a tour of the murals in Pilsen.

Session 6: Art Institute of Chicago

This will be our third and final visit to The Art Institute of Chicago.

Session 5: Art Institute of Chicago

Today we made our second visit to The Art Institute of Chicago.  Our focus for the day was on organization/categorization.  To address these ideas, we visited the prints and drawings exhibit, as well as the European Decorative Arts gallery. 

The students were asked the following questions: 

1. What kinds of artworks are contained in this gallery?  
2. Why are these artworks contained in the same gallery (i.e. what connects them?)? 
3. Think back to one of the galleries that we visited at the Dusable Museum or the Smart Museum.  How does this gallery differ?
   

Session 4: The Smart Museum

On March 18, we visited the Smart Museum on the University of Chicago campus.  Here are some of the great works of art that we saw...

Session 3: Dusable Museum

On March 11, 2009, we visited the Dusable Museum in Hyde Park, where we were welcomed by Dr. Davenport and the rest of the museum staff.

Our goal while at the museum was to compare it to the Art Institute. To facilitate comparison, we asked the following questions...

1. What type of museum is the Dusable?
2. What types of objects are contained in the Dusable?
3. How is the activity of looking at artifacts at the Dusable different from doing so at AIC?
4. Compare how artifacts are presented and arranged at both museums. How is that similar/different?

Session 2: Multicultural Arts School

Today we considered the school as an exhibition space. We walked through the hallways and asked the following questions...

Is student artwork art? Does it matter where artwork is located?
Does exhibition space matter?
How does exhibition space change the experience for the viewer?

We also discussed Elizabeth Catlett and walked through the Elizabeth Catlett Wing at MAS.

Session 1: Art Institute of Chicago

On February 4, 2009 we took our first field trip to the Art Institute to examine the questions:

What is art? What is the purpose of art? How do we look at art in a given space- like the Art Institure of Chicago?

What is Art?