Strand
Art History
Objectives
Identify several contemporary Latina artists and investigate their contribution to popular Latino culture. Write a brief docent pamphlet, a document designed to introduce three artists to an audience for the first time.
Historical Perspective
The female artists presented here represent a broad scope. These artists are varied in the ways they identify themselves and their cultural heritage. At the same time, they share a common bond. As art historian Shifra Goldman states, “Their shared heritage comes from two major conquests.” The first conquest, according to Goldman, is “Europe over the New World.” The second, she says, is the later conquest of “the U.S. absorbing the Philippines, Cuba and Puerto Rico, to add to its earlier conquest of independent Mexican territory which now forms the U.S. Southwest.”
Through their work, the visual artists explored in this lesson speak to their audience about issues that are universal and specific, big and small, issues that challenge us. They inspire us to look at the world through a different lens.
Pacing
Two class periods
Materials
Expository Writing
Students have the opportunity to write an Analytical Essay (see Extension below).
Key Questions
- Who are some contemporary Latina artists?
- What in their art identifies it as Latino?
- What makes their perspective of society particularly unique?
- How do these artists convey their point of view?
- What medium do they use?
- What might be their greatest contribution as female artists?
Latino American Experience Research
Each student will create a pamphlet containing information about three contemporary Latino artists. Students will research the biographies of several artists and select three to work with in their written pamphlet. Have students research these topics using the provided links.
A landscape by Myrna Baéz
Document-based Questions
To start students thinking about art and the themes of Latino Art, have them look at the painting above and answer these questions:
- What do you see in this painting? Describe it.
- Are there images that suggest where the artist is from?
- How does the art medium lend itself to the expression of the message?
- What are the themes expressed in the artist’s art work?
- What other artists/events/stories from the Hispanic tradition have possibly influenced this work?
- What impact does this work have on the viewer?
- Who is the artist? What is her background? What images or symbols reflect the background of the artist?
Directions
Distribute the Student Activity sheet or ask students to access it via the Classroom Resources site. Have students observe the works of art listed as links. Have students select three to work with. Encourage students to use the questions from the brainstorming session to analyze their paintings.
Tell students to take notes. Remind students that their pamphlets should include a brief biography of each artist, a summary of their work, and any comments the artist might have about her work (quotations). The pamphlet should incorporate specific details about the artists’ lives and names of some of their artwork and, if possible, a reproduction of a work. Tell students that they will present/share their pamphlets to the class.
Assessment
Use the General Writing Rubrics to assess students’ performance. Have students reflect on their performance and use the list of expectations to judge how well they met the criteria.
Extension
Have students use The Latino American Experience to research and write an analytical essay on one of the selected artists.
(May be copied for classroom use.)