THEME: COLLECTION
SUBJECT: VISUAL ART
ARTIST: JOHN MORRIS
GRADE: recommended 6th-12th grade

OBJECTIVES
Students will explore and look closely at everyday objects.
Students will use everyday materials as inspiration for creating new artwork.
Students will think about curation and how objects are displayed.
 
KEY QUESTIONS
1. What objects do we view as trash or not take much notice of, but have inherent beauty?
2. What associations or assumptions do we have about objects we see everyday, but don’t pay much notice?
3. Can mundane objects be beautiful?
4. How does our perception of objects change with time or through associations?
 
VISUAL REFERENCES
1. Life, Afterlife (2015), John Morris
 
ACTIVITY
For one week collect a series of mundane or everyday objects. These objects could be from the trash or things you see on a daily basis but have never looked at very closely. After you have collected the objects, brainstorm a way to create something out of these objects (or with one object) that will make your viewer look at the object in a new way. This could be a poem, short story, a short animated film, a drawing or a sculpture. You can use the objects to actually create the project or use them as inspiration. Throughout the process try to make the viewer (or reader), look at this mundane object in a new way. Can you make this every day object beautiful? Think carefully about how you will display the artwork or piece you created. Look at the projects together as a class. Will you look at these mundane objects the same way after experiencing your classmates’ work? 
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PENNSYLVANIA CORE STANDARDS
VISUAL ARTS
(9.1.3.A-9.1.5.A)
-know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities
 
(9.1.3.C-9.1.5.C)
-recognize and use fundamental vocabulary within each of the arts forms
 
(9.1.3.E-9.1.5.E)
-demonstrate the ability to define objects, express emotions, illustrate an action or relate an experience through creation of works in the arts