Lesson Spark: The Ancient Future

Carlos Frésquez installation, part of Cuatro [4]: A Series of Artist Interactions.

This culture is still living. Just because we see something ancient and old that was created a thousand years ago, the culture is still existing today. And it’s in me.

– Carlos Frésquez

Guiding Questions:

How will you invite discussion around what cultural influences there are in students’ lives?
How would you have students explore their own cultural background? What about exploring other cultures?
How can you engage students in exploring culture (both contemporary and ancient) through art?
How can cross-cultural influences be explored to understand the ways the world has changed and cultures inform each other?

TIP: Have students create a piece of art focused on a culture they are inspired by through their exploration of cultures (ancient or contemporary). Have students choose a material to work with (ex: wood, paint, etc.) as a starting point.

Related Creative Activities

Gabriel Dawe, Plexus no. 36, 2016. Gütermann thread, painted wood, and hooks. © Gabriel Dawe

Lesson Spark

Perceptions

Ana Teresa Fernández, Erasure 4 (performance documentation), 2015. Oil on canvas, 60 x 72 in. Courtesy of the artist and Gallery Wendi Norris, San Francisco. ©Ana Teresa Fernández

Lesson Spark

Absence Through Colors

Lesson Spark

Invisible Artists

Lesson Plan

Weaving Words

Secondary (grades 6-12)

Students will look at the Bird and Cornstalk Rug in pairs and discuss Yellowhair’s inspiration from both natural and man-made forms. They will then engage in a creative writing exercise that develops their awareness of symbolism in their daily lives.

Lesson Plan

Triumph in Love

Secondary (grades 6-12)

Students will examine the artistic qualities of the paintings, identify different entities or elements which triumph in contemporary life, and develop and illustrate a written piece about an element or entity that triumphs in their lives.

Lesson Plan

Composite Picture of a Leader

Secondary (grades 6-12)

Students will examine the artistic characteristics of Summer; explain how Arcimboldo’s composite paintings convey multiple layers of meaning; and create a composite drawing or collage of a famous leader from history sharing the accomplishments, issues, and challenges associated with his or her tenure as a leader.