Thanks to a grant from Open Minds -Campus Calgary, we have gone downtown daily for a week to look at public art.
We asked questions around:
- What art is in our city (Calgary) creates a culture of kindness?
- What impact does it have?
- Does it serve the community? Do we need art?
Current news:
- Public Art:
- Art Stolen in Calgary:
We chose one piece of public art to research and share with the class telling:
https://maps.calgary.ca/PublicArt/
We had a conversation about what is the difference between:
- Where it is found.
- What the artist concept and purpose is.
- Why care that it is there?
https://maps.calgary.ca/PublicArt/
We had a conversation about what is the difference between:
- public art
- monuments
- memorials
- sacred spaces
- natural spaces
- architecture
We observed how people react and interact with the art when we were downtown. We made tallies of the amount of people who walked by and if they stopped, looked, or interacted with the art. The students found that art that was interactive was more impactful.
We also talked to artist, curators, and Arts Commons employees about the positive impacts of art.
We also talked to artist, curators, and Arts Commons employees about the positive impacts of art.
We made art using recycled materials with artist Verna Vogel.
We put it in a public space to see what impact it had. We got to display our own art in one of the professional art displays for the Arts Commons. It was amazing to learn how to consider HOW the display portrays the art. The students looked deeper into what their art was trying to convey and what an artist concept is- it was great day!
“Artists respond to materials, rather than trying to control” Verna Vogel
“When I make art I want people to think something they had not thought before” Verna Vogel
We put it in a public space to see what impact it had. We got to display our own art in one of the professional art displays for the Arts Commons. It was amazing to learn how to consider HOW the display portrays the art. The students looked deeper into what their art was trying to convey and what an artist concept is- it was great day!
“Artists respond to materials, rather than trying to control” Verna Vogel
“When I make art I want people to think something they had not thought before” Verna Vogel
“I want to make a bottle fish with one eye -with some plastic inside so people think about not polluting in the water. Plastic turns to pellets in it’s stomach which is bad. I want to see if my message can be shared as public art. -Qi Xuan
“We were thinking with our hands” Nemu
“We were thinking with our hands” Nemu
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When we returned to school the week after, we made a personal map of our week. (we drew what we remembered of our week downtown). Analysis of space, place, and interconnections between people and place.
- What is your personal map of your downtown experience?
-How does that compare to our map on google maps that we had created before we went downtown?
-This showed us what art had a personal impact on us.
How did art downtown impact people.
The student took the data they had collected (including drawings, writing) and create a info drawing showing how public art impacts people.
- What is your personal map of your downtown experience?
-How does that compare to our map on google maps that we had created before we went downtown?
-This showed us what art had a personal impact on us.
How did art downtown impact people.
The student took the data they had collected (including drawings, writing) and create a info drawing showing how public art impacts people.
In our classroom we have been debating about if we need public art.
We also have been wondering if things like a pop bottle is a piece of art?
Students wrote a persuading paragraph about whether or not they felt we need public art.
We also have been wondering if things like a pop bottle is a piece of art?
Students wrote a persuading paragraph about whether or not they felt we need public art.
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We presented out ideas to an artist who has worked with the city (Dawn VandeSchoot) and asked her to clarify some of our questions. Afterwards many of the students revised their thinking. It was interesting to reflect on how accurate information can inform and change our perception on something.
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During the next step I want the students themselves to reflect on the skills they have. I know they are outgoing, silly, artistic, and caring. I really want the students to come up with what they can do to take that artists process and information we have gathered to develop an idea to where to go to next.
We asked:
Can we make a difference (positive impact) in our own school community through art?_________
How can we use these projects to make something that creates a culture of kindness and impact in the school community? My class wants to do a service-learning project for our community through art. This experience will not only bring social issues and events to life, but will lead students to becoming more empathetic, empowered learners.
BE CURIOUS AND ASK QUESTIONS:
In our school the lost and found was so full! It had jackets, snow pants, shoes and much more! We thought about all the kids that were missing their good clothes, but also all the items that will get put in the garbage.
WE DECIDED THAT WE COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR SCHOOL TO STOP LOST CLOTHING AND STOP ALL THE CLOTHES IN THE GARBAGE.
ASK QUESTIONS AND WONDER:
Why do you think all of this stuff gets lost?
Why do kids think their clothes and containers are not valued (important)?
COLLECT DATA AND PROOF:
"We learned that there are much more items in the lost and found than we thought! The pile of stuff in the lost and found are way too big and it’s only the beginning of December! People lose their headbands more than any other objects. People also tend to lose their bags often as well. The graph also shows how we are not paying enough attention and putting in enough care to our personal belongings."-Kerry
"This graph represents the environmental impact of each piece of clothing in our lost and found including each family per year. This will show people that you don't only lose stuff and it costs money, but that we are also impacting the environment."- Sadie
"We learned how to search for price and estimate the price of something. We also learned that the lost and found is worth a huge amount of money." -Danil
"Our graph shows that there are lots of black hats in the “other” category for brands. I want to know why. I basically want to know why things on our graph occur? We should do more research. We can also look at other people’s graphs and try to interpret what use their data is too. For example, if we look at other people’s graphs about the mitts, then we can ask ourselves, “ Why is our data like this? ” We basically have to visualize our data. It’s the next step. Some people have already finished that step, so then they have to take action." -Ethan
GET HELP:
We asked: Who would know more about the lost and found?
We considered the difference between qualitative and quantitative information.
We interviewed all the classes in our school with questions we still could not find answers to in the objects of the lost and found.
Questions included: "Have you ever lost something and not looked for it?", "Do you loose more items in the fall, winter or spring?"
We also interviewed out Principal to see what has been done in the past and what she has found helps.
We loved her quote: "You cannot just tell people what to do, people will always loose or forget things and there has always been lost and founds in schools. We can’t just tell them, we have to find a way to make a personal connection to their own lives, and then we have to make them care about the issue by connecting to their heart".
Our full conversation can be seen here:
Our full conversation can be seen here:
SHARE THE RESEARCH:
What will I do with my research to help solve the lost and found problem?
"If you show others this graph and explain to them about it we may raise awareness of people being irresponsible and not caring properly for their personal belongings. People may also tell their friends about our graphs and everyone will start paying attention to us and the lost and found problem we have in our school community." -Fei
Visualizing the Information:
This has been the most challenging part. Asking questions, creating graphs and collecting data was fun and engaging. What we can get from the data, and what to do with it, has taken time and thoughtfulness.
The students came up with the idea of a school campaign called: ARE YOU THE MISSING PIECE? All materials for the art instillation needed to be recycled or considered "garbage". Students put facts about our school's lost and found and the impact onto painted cardboard and left those in classes to bring to the lost and found. They also created puzzle piece art displayed by the lost and found so students and families would go there and look for their lost 'pieces'
REFLECTING ON THE PROCESS AND SEEING WHAT IS NEXT:
What did you learn?
How can we tell if there is a continued problem or if we are making a difference?
Resources:
http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Recreation/Pages/Public-Art/Percent-for-Public-Art.aspx
https://maps.calgary.ca/PublicArt/
https://globalnews.ca/news/4110800/city-of-calgary-public-art-program-survey/
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/art-worth-500-000-stolen-from-calgary-gallery-police-1.4101001