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Symphony in the Contemporary Visual Arts Curriculum

Symphony in the Contemporary Visual Arts Curriculum


Ginia Gowin
University of Missouri, Columbia. LTC 8740

Symphony in the Contemporary Visual Arts Curriculum

Bit by bit, putting it together...


Piece by piece, only way to make a work of art.
Every moment makes a contribution,
Every little detail plays a part.
Having just the vision's no solution,
Everything depends on execution,
Putting it together, that's what counts.
Stephen Sondheim, Sunday in the Park with George

In A Whole New Mind, Daniel Pink describes a seismic shift from the
Information Age, where left brain thinking dominated our economy and
society to the Conceptual Age, where developing right brain aptitudes are
necessary for success. Pink explains, The right-brain qualities of
inventiveness, empathy, joyfulness, and meaningincreasingly will
determine who flourishes and who flounders. (Pink, 2006) Pink suggests
complimenting left-brain reasoning with six essential right-brain aptitudes:
Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play, and Meaning. The 21st Century art
curriculum addresses learners of the Conceptual Age with lessons designed
to sharpen these senses.
Symphony in the Contemporary Visual Arts Curriculum:
Daniel Pink most eloquently describes Symphony as, the ability to
put together the pieces. It is the capacity to synthesize rather than analyze;
to see relationships between seemingly unrelated fields; to detect broad
patterns rather than to deliver specific answers; and to invent something

Symphony in the Contemporary Visual Arts Curriculum

new by combining elements nobody else thought to pair. (Pink, 2006) A


successful conceptual curriculum promotes the sense of Symphony;
opportunities for learners to work across boundaries, be inventive, and think
metaphorically.
In A Whole New Mind, Pink describes boundary crossers as people
who, instead of focusing on one specific skill set, acquire knowledge and
expertise in a variety of human experiences.(Pink, 2006) Developing an
interdisciplinary art curriculum, drawing connections between art and other
subjects, supports a whole-minded, symphonic approach to learning.
According to Renee Sandall, Professor of Art Education at George Mason
University, Excellent visual arts teaching helps learners make
interdisciplinary connections between art and life, while developing visual
communication skills leading to authenticity and multiple forms of literacy
will facilitate community interaction and global understanding. (Sandell,
2012)
Teaching Symphony provides learners with opportunities to invent, to
Experiment with novel combinations and to make the mistakes that
inevitably come with an inspiration-centered approach. (Pink, 2006)
Historical and cultural investigations should be designed to help students
make meaningful connections between art and life. Through these
investigations, learners experience a variety of creative interpretations and
expressions, cultivating their own imaginative solutions. Visual culture

Symphony in the Contemporary Visual Arts Curriculum

studies also improve learning by increasing the connections, attaching new


information to previously learned information. (Freedman, 2003)
Artists use a plethora of mediums to express themselves, including
language. Metaphors bridge the gap between cognitive and creative
processing, and through Symphony, visual arts education addresses
metaphorical thinking. Effective in communication and learning, metaphors
create images to illustrate comparisons and relationships. Complex concepts
are more easily discerned when associated with a familiar idea.
Metaphor Makers are able to think metaphorically and see relationships that
a computer could never detect. (Pink, 2006)
Art education has the capacity to span beyond the art classroom. The
cultural and social process of engaging with the constantly changing world
around us extends to curriculum development.(Thomas & Brown, 2011) A
contemporary visual arts curriculum should use inquiry-based, collaborative,
interdisciplinary learning to promote creative and critical thinking through
the inclusion of Symphony, and the other five senses in A Whole New Mind.

Curriculum Reflection of Senses:

Symphony in the Contemporary Visual Arts Curriculum

Design offers opportunities for students to work with a variety of materials,


making decisions about orientation, placement, and function. Learners
create and appreciate qualities beyond function, demonstrating an
understanding of utility enhanced by significance.
Story involves crafting and communicating narratives through art and
articulation. Learners may use visual and digital storytelling to communicate
their narratives as well as interpret the context of stories told by others.
Symphony encourages seeing the big picture. Learners create
collaborative works and practice problem-solving in new ways. Emphasis on
invention and metaphorical thinking drives creativity.
Empathy is the ability to understand the point of view and interpret the
feelings of others. Learners gain an awareness and acceptance of others
through the study of visual culture. Art making experiences are designed to
foster kindness and build tolerance.
Play fosters creativity. Learners engage in fun, collaborative, experimental
activities designed to spark curiosity. Activities incorporate games, humor,
and flexibility to encourage imaginative risk-taking.
Meaning addresses purpose, significance, inspiration, and responsibility.
Learners explore spirituality, mindfulness, and gratitude through the visual
arts. Activities are purposeful and invoke memory, reflection, and
contemplation.

Symphony in the Contemporary Visual Arts Curriculum

References

Freedman, K. (2003). Teaching Visual Culture: Curriculum, Aesthetics, and


the Social Life of Art. New York: Teachers College Press.
Pink, D.(2006). A Whole New Mind: Why Right-brainers Will Rule the Future.
New York: Riverhead Books.
Sandell, R. (2012). What Excellent Visual Arts Teaching Looks Like. Reston,
VA: National Art Education Association.
Sondheim, S. (1986). Sunday in the Park with George. New York: Dodd Mead
& Company.
Thomas, D., & Brown, J. (2011). A New Culture of Learning: Cultivating the
Imagination for a World of Constant Change. Lexington, KY:
CreateSpace.

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