Unit

Theme:

Clothing

John W. Bartlett ADE 620 Fall 2010

Clothing is the subtheme of Feeling/Touch I have chosen to develop for my

unit plan. Clothing is a sufficiently broad concept with a great variety of potential for further explored subthemes. It has been exciting to find aspects of clothing in culture and art to explore and begin building units and lesson plans. My research has lead to other material that would be useful in different themes as well. Clothing is a good entry point to discuss such subjects as color relationships, materials, manufacturing, multiculturalism, recycling/ecology, and the questionable distinctions between high and low art. Clothing is of universal interest, especially for young people. They generally have strong feelings about style and personal expression that accompany clothing. I have directed the development of my sub-theme Clothing to high school age students. Viktor Lowenfeld describes the role of art class in the development adolescent students as venue for self-discovery as with teens no longer is a picture drawn without inhibition; no longer does self-expression flow freely; rather, a critical awareness of ones self as a member of society has taken over (Lowenfeld, V. & Brittain, L. 1987 p 388). As high school students are particularly conscious of popular culture and its preoccupation with clothing, I would try to tap into their interest, knowledge, and familiarity with visual culture through the theme of clothing. This is supported by Lowenfelds suggestion for the effective teaching of adolescents that the student needs to understand art as a reflection of the society and culture of the times, but that the establishment of values and attitudes cannot be imposed from without. Personal involvement is essential to a feeling for art (Lowenfeld, V. & Brittain, L. 1987 p349). We would look at pop icons and their style choices, and what those choices signify. We would explore the history behind contemporary clothing, and the complex layering and combining of styles that is prevalent today.

Clothing in contemporary culture would be interesting to approach from a postmodern perspective, and our readings have provided many useful points of reference to approaches in art education. In his Teaching in the Postmodern World David Williams describes the influence of postmodern theory that has created a more pluralistic approach to art making and students seem to draw upon both popular and more traditional sources with in their art making (Emery (ed.) 1999 p 50). Williams theories concerning the deconstruction of contemporary culture, exploring fine and popular art, or high and low art, craft and art, design and kitsch, as well as multiculturalism and complex systems of signs relate strongly to the rationale for the theme of my unit plan. He describes how postmodernism makes us aware that art concepts are contestable and unstable and because of this art educators need to vigilantly examine what is meant by, to use Howard Gardiners terms, truth, beauty and goodness(Emery (ed.) 1999 p 38). Art educator Thi Buis integration of a broad range of material from history, philosophy, pop-culture, and personal interests also relates to the justification for curriculum designed around clothing. Her interdisciplinary approach allows for embodied understanding of both historical and artistic concepts (Desai 2010 p 35). Though my lesson ideas will be developed for the art classroom, many of the concepts around the theme of clothing will wander into other wide-ranging subject matter, hopefully helping students find inspiration and contextual understanding through their own perspective in our contemporary culture. My research has included a wide variety of artists from both fine art and popular culture who have made clothing a significant part of their practice, subject matter, or presentation. Contemporary fine artists such as Nick Cave, Jim Drain, Yinka Shonibare, and Matthew Barney would grab the attention of high school students. They would hopefully inspire with their original use of materials, process, and design that combine incongruous materials and cultural references to raise many questions and interpretations. Kehinde Wiley would be another interesting artist to study with his combination of painting technique from antiquity and baroque patterning with the heights of contemporary urban culture and style.

In Visual Culture in Curriculum Stewart and Walker write that without the inclusion of visual representations beyond traditional fine art forms, art students would not be fully equipped to understand the contemporary world in terms of social relationships, politics, race, gender, sexuality, and class- all aspects of cultural understanding (Stewart and Walkers 2005 p124). Olivia Gude writes about her hopes for todays art classroom, art education as a field will continue to expand and shift, incorporating new artistic practices and important contemporary discourses such as cultural studies, visual culture, material culture, critical theory, and psychoanalysis (Gude 2007 p 7). Studying art through the theme of clothing could be a way to explore many of these aspects of cultural understanding as a context for exploring contemporary culture and art. My unit plan would explore clothing art from other cultures and time periods. Pop culture figures such as Lady Gaga, Andre Benjamin, and Gwen Stephanie will be great points of departure in looking at the complex messages communicated with their choices of clothing. The layering of styles within contemporary clothing would be a perfect way to explore the concept of postmodernism with high school students. Many particular articles of clothing and accessories have become symbol of their origins as they recur generation to generation. Many of the trends that the youth of today endow with the power of personal expression would be interesting to trace through their previous incarnations in history. American fashion staples like denim jeans or Converse sneakers have never faded from style could be studied in a historical context. It would be fascinating to plumb the lineage of particular styles, from urban styles in hip hop culture, traceable to their origins in the old-school of the 1970s, or the punk and post-punk styles of 1980s that drew from the 1950s and 60s, only to appear today in mainstream pop

culture. Innovative contemporary performers such as Andre Benjamin as a prohibition era southern dandy, or Gwen Stephanie as a Harajuku Japanese street kid, provide opportunities for analysis of style origins as well as multicultural cross pollination and postmodernism. The individual units within my unit plan would cover a variety of exercises, incorporating different media and approaches to researching both art and popular culture, and exploring the definitions and characteristics of both. The units would be project-based exercises that would at times stress cooperation, and at others focus on exploration of identity and personal expression. The unit plan would seek to strike a balance between the cultivation of a variety of art related skills. The units would have goals ranging from the development of observational skills and craft in different materials, to digital design. Research would be emphasized as an important part of the creative process, into art history as much as contemporary art, and always returning to the relevance of contemporary culture in a broader sense. There would be potential for integration with other curricula and subjects such as history and science. One such project would be an informational poster that diagramed the design, production, materials, and history of an article of clothing. Another would be a printmaking project of a self-portrait with symbolic background pattern based on Kehinde Wileys paintings. Others could be an observational drawing from projected video stills featuring contemporary performing artists or observational drawing exercises the clothed figure, either a model or the students themselves. In the words of teacher Kevin Tavin, while art educators place art from the museum realm at the center of their curriculum, their students are piecing together their expectations and dreams in and through popular culture (Stewart & Walker 2005 p 125). The focus on clothing as a subtheme for a unit plan would create valuable opportunities to connect with students on the subject of visual culture through subject matter that is meaningful to them.

 Bibliography Desai, D., Hamlin, J. & Mattson, R. (2010). Curriclulum as a creative process. History as art: Art as history. NY: Routledge. Emery, L. (ed.) David Williams in Teaching in a Postmodern World. Australia: Common Ground Publishing. (pp.74-84) Gude, O. (2007). Principles of possibility: Considerations for 21st century art and culture curriculum. Art Education, 60(1)6-17. Lowenfeld, V. & Brittain, L. (1987) Creative and Mental Growth. Englwood Cliffs, NJ: Macmillan. Stewart, M.G. and Walker, S. (2005) Visual Culture and the Curriculum in Rethinking curriculum in art. Davis: Ma.)

clothing

Merriam-Webster Definition of CLOTHING : garments in general; also : covering Examples of CLOTHING an expensive article of clothing We're collecting food and clothing for the poor. Only people wearing protective clothing may enter the room. Related to CLOTHING Synonyms: apparel, attire, clobber [British slang], clothes, costumery, dress, duds, garments, gear, habiliment(s), habit [archaic], rags, raiment, rig, rigging, threads, toggery, togs, vestiary, vestments, vesture, wear, wearables, weeds Online Etymology Dictionary clothes O.E. claas "cloths, clothes," originally pl. of cla "cloth" (see cloth), which, in 19c. after the sense of "article of clothing" had faded from it, acquired a new plural form, cloths, to distinguish it from this word. Thesaurus.com Main Entry: clothing Part of Speech: noun Definition: attire Synonyms: accouterment, apparel, array, caparison, civvies, clothes, costume, covering, drag, drapery, dress, duds, ensemble, equipment, feathers, finery, frippery, frock, full feather, garb, garments, gear, get-up, glad rags, habiliment, habit, hand-me- downs, livery, mufti, outfit, overclothes, panoply, rags, raiment, regalia, rigging, sack, sportswear, tailleur, tatters, things, threads, tog, toggery, tout ensemble, trappings, trousseau, underclothes, vestment, vesture, vines, wardrobe, wear

 Mash-up Style Collage

Style is a way of saying complicated things. - Jean Cocteau Over a series of four classes this project will explore style in contemporary post-modern culture, resulting in collaged posters made from found imagery. The focus will be on combinations of styles from different contexts and time periods that are prevalent in pop culture, fashion, and art today. The class will look at a variety of imagery from hybrid style combinations in contemporary culture including Harajuku Tokyo street styles, Lady Gaga, Andre Benjamin, MIA, and Gwen Stephanie. We will discuss and diagram the components of their styles and where they came from. This project will explore familiar reoccurring trends and trace their origins and various incarnations. Iconic and symbolic clothing such as denim jeans and Converse all-stars have appeared and reappeared and are still omnipresent today. Style categories such as punk rock, new wave, mods and rockers, and old- school will be explored and defined. The class will collect magazines and found imagery online leading up to and throughout the project. Journal entries and assignments outside of class will stimulate research and collection of imagery. Depending on access to computers much of the research could be done online. The students will be introduced to Photoshop and the basics of manipulating imagery. Students will learn to cut out and arrange imagery, by hand or digitally, and discuss possible combinations.

Students would be pushed to develop a theme within their selections and write in their journals about the personal significance of their choices and what they mean separately and in combinations. Students with less interest in fashion could develop imagery around sports, military uniforms, or relevant imagery in nature such as camouflage, plumage, protection, and other survival adaptations this could lead to an Animal Fashion Show side project, combining human clothes with animals and vice versa. The class look at work by contemporary collage artist Wangechi Mutu and other influential collage artists of the past such as Richard Hamilton, Romare Beardon, and Hanna Hacke. What is style? What are some examples of styles? Who has original style? Is there such a thing? What is collage? The students would be evaluated out of 5 categories for a possible total of 25 points. 5 - Journal Assignment 5 - Behavior / Participation (including discussions and final critique) 5 - Effort / Personal Growth 5 - Craft / Print quality Portfolio Print 5 - X-Factor / Flair/ Original Style 0 = unacceptable (much less than what is expected) 3 = average (average for what is expected) 5 = outstanding (much more than expected)

 Aoki, Shoichi. 2001 Fruits Phaidon Press, London; New York, NY.

Hannah Hoch Light and Shadows 1919

Wangechi Mutu Mask 2006

Andre Benjamin (aka Andre 3000) 2007 www.thecinemasource.com Jean Cocteau quote from - http://thinkexist.com/quotations/style/

Clothing Breakdown Poster

You can't explain much in 60 seconds, but when you show Michael Jordan, you don't have to. - Phil Knight - founder of Nike

In this project students would create an informational poster focused on a chosen article of clothing or accessory. They would be told ahead of time to bring in a favorite article of clothing. If they do not have anything they like, they could use something worn by a friend, or chosen from some provided samples such as sneakers, jeans, or school bags. They would do observational drawings of the clothing. They would draw the clothing from multiple angles and arrangements. They would draw an exploded diagram or pattern design of the clothings construction with as much detail as possible. These drawings and designs would be combined with written materials from their research onto a poster, either collaged by hand or arranged digitally and printed. They would research the clothings origins, history, materials, design, and marketing. They would be required to gather images of their clothing choice online and from pop culture and advertising. They would be responsible for a journal entry each week concerning new ideas and information about the clothing. This project will begin the clothing unit and would hopefully engage the students through the general adolescent interest in clothing and style. They would develop observational drawing skills. They would learn to conduct research online and in library facilities. They would learn to design and collage an informational poster either digitally or by hand. This project could be integrated with other curricula such as Computer Science or Social Studies.

 Why do you especially like this piece of clothing? Who made this piece of clothing? What materials is it made from? Where do those materials come from? The students would be evaluated out of 5 categories for a possible total of 25 points. 5 - Journal Assignment 5 - Behavior / Participation (including discussions and final critique) 5 - Effort / Personal Growth 5 - Craft / Print quality Portfolio Print 5 - X-Factor / Flair/ Original Style 0 = unacceptable (much less than what is expected) 3 = average (average for what is expected) 5 = outstanding (much more than expected)

Nike Wallowa www.bobbredemeier.com

 dress pattern advertisement http://barsbys.com.au

Mens shirt pattern - images.patternreview.com

http://wkdesigner.files.wordpress.com

Antiques clothing pattern - What does it make? http://commons.wikimedia. org/wiki/File:Sewing_pattern_superficies_messure.jpg

 Dead Wolf Pattern www.mediatinker.com Phil Knight quote from www.brainyquote.com

Kehinde Wiley Style Self Portrait Print w/ Pattern Background

I don't know exactly what the American aesthetic is. I think increasingly we are finding it harder to name things in that way. As we become interdependent you can see these things in other disciplines. My work is more concerned, not necessarily with what America is, but what America feels like, and increasingly what America feels like starts outside of America. Kehinde Wiley 9/5/07 Art Interview Online Magazine issue 009 This project would begin with looking at paintings by Kehinde Wiley and discussion about his subjects, techniques, and choices of ornamental patterning. The class would discuss the references that his paintings make to classical paintings from antiquity. The class would discuss the urban styles worn by the subjects of his portraits, and how they contrast with the old fashion poses and patterned backgrounds. What is the purpose of a portrait / self-portrait? Who are the subjects of Wileys portraits and why has he chosen them? What is the significance of their poses? What is the significance of the ornate (baroque) patterning in the background of his portraits? The next stage of the lesson would be developing personal pattern designs on 8x11 graph paper. We would look at textile pattern designs from various sources including Dutch Wax / African Print cloth textiles, Marrimecko and traditional Japanese textiles. Photographs would be taken of the students during this class and

will be printed out for them 8x11 in. These frontal portraits would be sized to allow plenty of room for the background design. They would be assigned to continue developing a background pattern in their journals representing something about them selves. They would cut out and combine their portraits with the background pattern. They would rub graphite onto the back of these prints and trace/ transfer them with ballpoint pen onto printmaking foam board; creating a visible shallow relief surface. They would cut out the portrait portion of the foam plate, roll ink onto the two parts separately with different colors, and then print together on black paper at least three times. The drawn indentation would remain the black of the paper, reflecting their original drawing. This project would inform students about Kehinde Wiley, an important contemporary artist, and his postmodern combinations of urban hip-hop culture with painting techniques and compositions from antiquity, as well as baroque and African textile patterns. They would learn to transfer an image onto a second surface, a design technique valuable in other processes. They would learn to print with a foam relief plate onto paper. The students would be evaluated out of 5 categories for a possible total of 25 points. 5 - Journal Assignment 5 - Behavior / Participation (including discussions and final critique) 5 - Effort / Personal Growth 5 - Craft / Print quality Portfolio Print 5 - X-Factor / Flair/ Original Style 0 = unacceptable (much less than what is expected) 3 = average (average for what is expected) 5 = outstanding (much more than expected)

 African Dutch Wax Fabric Prints http://thecraftbegins.com/wordpress/2010/02/05/african-wax-print-fabric/

African / Dutch Wax fabric prints

http://www.trueup.net/fabric-study/wax-prints-from-ghana/

Yinka Shonibare Space Walk 2002 http://blog.jamhuriwear.com

 Kehinde Wiley Ruben Singleton 2008 http://analoguechic.com Additional Sources include: Interview with MIA http://www.interviewmagazine.com/art/kehinde-wiley/ Yinka Shonnebare Artist Homepage http://www.yinkashonibarembe.com/present.htttp

New Identity / Disguise Film Stills

We are so accustomed to wearing a disguise before others that eventually we are unable to recognize ourselves. - Francois De La Rochefoucauld 1613-80 In this project the class would continue our study of visual representation through clothing into the context of identity and disguise. The class would look at the work of contemporary artists Cindy Sherman and Nikki Lee. We would discuss Cindy Shermans early work and her approach to recreating film stills from B- movies. The class would also talk about Nikki S. Lees Projects: her costumes and orchestrated photographs that raise questions about cultural and ethnic identity and authenticity. Students would also look at popular culture examples from Hollywood such as Eddie Murphys characters, the Wayans brothers in White Chicks, and Robert Downey Jr. in blackface. The class would discuss the cultural significance of performers and artists dressing up in disguises and the questions that can be raised about race and gender. The class would also view and discuss recent film Be Kind, Rewind in which the characters are compelled to recreate homemade versions of famous movies. Working in groups of four, the students would begin by planning their own set up photographs. These could be recreations of scenes from sources in pop culture such as Movies, TV shows, music videos, or commercials. These could also have themes that integrate with lessons from other subjects and portray scenes literature or history. They would sketch drawings of the scenes and plan how to create the background, costumes, and props. Restrictions on materials, such as allowing paper constructions only, could create interesting solutions. Projects could include multiple scenes. We would need access to a projector to view imagery and video clips as well as additional lighting, a camera, and a tripod.

When is disguise used and why? When would you want a new identity? Why is it interesting or entertaining to see people dressed up as someone else? Can this be inappropriate or offensive? The students would be evaluated out of 5 for a possible total of 25. 5 - Journal Assignment 5 - Behavior / Participation (including discussions and final critique) 5 - Effort / Personal Growth 5 - Craft / Print quality Portfolio Print 5 - X-Factor / Flair/ Original Style 0 = unacceptable (much less than what is expected) 3 = average (average for what is expected) 5 = outstanding (much more than expected)

Cindy Sherman Untitled (Woman in Sundress) 2003 http://www.wcma.org/press/07/07_Tuchman.shtml

Cindy Sherman Untitled Film Still # 10 1978 http://www.masters-of-photography.com

Nikki S. Lee The Hip Project (1) 2001 http://www.albrightknox.org/ArtStart/Corcia_l.html

 Nikki S. Lee The Skateboarders Project # 7 2000 - http://mocp.org

Eddy Murphy as various Klumps The Nutty Professor 2006 http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/images/families-klumps.jpg

 Eddie Murphy in Norbit 2007 www.eligr.com

Marlon and Shawn Wayans White Chicks 2004 http://carolinescomedy.ning.com

 Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder 2008 www.pollsb.com

Mos Def and Jack Black in Be Kind Rewind 2008 www.firstshowing.net

Additional Sources: Francois De La Rochefoucauld quote from http://www.quotes.ubr.com Nikki S. Lee entry c/o the Museum of Contemporary Photography Website http://www.mocp.org/collections/permanent/lee_nikki_s.php Cruz, Amanda, et al. (2000) Cindy Sherman: Retrospective. Thames & Hudson.

 Assessment and Evaluation Criteria

This unit is designed for a high school level elective art class, meeting for one double period a week for sixteen weeks. The unit is divided into four projects that would be further broken down into four lessons each. The students would have an opportunity to contribute to the development of criteria for evaluation in a group discussion at the beginning of the semester. This discussion would also include guidelines and rules for studio behavior and protocol. Weekly journal entries would be assigned to record process both in and outside the classroom. Students would write short essays of intent or letters to the teacher at the beginning of each project and a conclusion with self-evaluation at the completion of each project. Journals would also include preliminary brainstorming and sketches as well as research. Students weekly performance will be assessed in a quick tally format. The students would be evaluated out of 5 for a possible total of 25. These tallies would shape grades for each project every four weeks. 5 - Journal Assignment 5 - Behavior / Participation (including discussions and critique) 5 - Effort / Personal Growth 5 - Craft 5 - X-Factor / Flair/ Original Style 0 = unacceptable (much less than what is expected) 3 = average (average for what is expected) 5 = outstanding (much more than expected)

Group critiques would take place at the completion of each project. Individual critiques would take place at the end of the semester. The criteria used to assess student performance for final term grades would combine weekly tally results and project grades with the final portfolio evaluation. 50% Formative Attitude / Behavior Participation in class and critique Self-assessment Attendance / Punctuality Organization 50% Summative 4 project evaluations Final Portfolio evaluation During final individual critiques students would be asked to review their expectations for the class compared to their resulting work. They would be asked to self evaluate their performance by the criteria we set out at the beginning of the course. They