Materiality with Trespass 4416
Discussion through works of art encourage how to approach ambiguous and complex ideas, thoughts, and feelings. The MFAH offers a democratic space where students and teachers can develop, practice and articulate these habits of mind. Remember that the quality of the conversation is what is important, not finding the artist’s “answer.” Slow down and take the time to make careful observations. Talk about what you notice, and try to avoid jumping to conclusions and interpretations. Be sure to give enough time for silent looking and thinking.
Work of Art
This sculpture, a swirling vortex of wood and other objects invites students to investigate and observe details. Similarly, the presence of common materials offers a safe point of entry in analyzing the work.
Conversation
- As you observe the sculpture, what materials can you identify? What types of objects or structures do you associate with these materials?
- Describe the shapes that you observe in the sculpture? How does the shape of the overall form compare to the individual shapes of the materials used to construct the sculpture?
- What other objects have you seen that have similar shapes as this sculpture? Why might the artists have chosen to use this collection of materials to form this particular shape?
- How does the setting in which we see this object impact our interpretation or response to it? How might the experience of looking at this sculpture in a museum gallery be different from seeing it on the street corner of a demolition site?
- How does this sculpture and its title challenge us to think critically about the role of trespassing?
Subject Matter
Art I: With Trespass 4416 as a starting point, have students discuss public art and the impact public
works have on the community. Divide students up to create a public artwork.
- Observe the work of art. Brainstorm a list of observed materials.
- How would an artist find materials such as these? Canvasing the area in which the students live, discuss possible locations where similar materials could be found. How might the place inspire and enhance the meaning and message of a work of art?
- Collaborate in cooperative learning groups to design a public work of art that represents the place in which it will be exhibited. Incorporate elements of that place within the work of art by repurposing architectural elements and reflecting materials.
Advanced Drawing: Have students use Make Ink: A Forager’s Guide to Natural Ink Making by Jason Logan as a jumping off point for discovering and using local materials for drawing media. This artwork
could be used as an extension of that work and thinking beyond drawing/painting.
- Use as a Bell Ringer: Teacher reads a quote from Make Ink: A Forager’s Guide to Natural Ink Making by Jason Logan that correlates how street harvested materials from urban environments can be used in a work of art. How does Trespass 4416 echo this idea?
AP Studio: This would be an excellent work for a focus of the AP Studio course known as “Sustained Investigation.” The Havel Ruck Projects are an excellent example of how art can be used to explore a single idea yet manifest that idea in a series of possible iterations.
- Use the following steps as a guide to observation, research, and discovery (worksheet on next page)
- Observe and describe the work of art by recording 3 descriptive words, 2 questions, and 1 idea. Discuss as a class.
- Conduct research into the Havel Ruck Projects and Trespass 4416. How does this impact the initial observations?
- Using this information, revisit the work of art and repeat the process in step one, creating new responses.
Elaborate on how the new responses extend and heighten understanding of Trespass 4416.
Assessment
Analyze and synthesize relationships and information/compare and contrast/understand the micro and macro implications
Tracking this artwork’s journey from conception to museum collection is a wonderful exploration of the effects of contest/space on meaning. Additionally, students can take on various viewer perspectives within each context: neighborhood resident, property developer, exhibit goer, waste collection worker, museum curator, artist, etc.
Resources
Resources Available to Order
Check our online collection module for further information.
