Teaching Blog
A blog pertaining to my experiences and adventures as a pre-service teacher
"The garbage we produce comes back to us and persecutes us." Marina DeBris Brochure“Art can be a very powerful tool in reaching a broad audience, especially kids. I constantly struggle with trying to create a piece that delivers the message in a way that makes people think & act. That is the ultimate goal."
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ARC Gallery Experience with Ms. Haun and Ms. ZychGalleries play a crucial role in the exposing of multiple cultures, peoples, identities, ideas, and more. Without galleries, many students, and civilians, alike, would never have the chance to view the provided works. Galleries offer an opportunity, for all walks of life, to have a better understanding of wondrous past creations, as well as today’s contemporary talent. This experience opens people's eyes to new concepts and ideas in different lights that they might not have experienced before. It is especially important for art students to visit galleries because it shows support to fellow artists and it can also offer a sense of inspiration for the aspiring students. Because art galleries are offering contemporary artists a spot to display their work, they offer a good opportunity for students to see what is popular right now, the techniques current artists use, and different media.
The ARC Gallery’s mission is to provide “innovative, emerging, and/or experimental visual art to a wide range of viewers” to promote dialogue within the community. While visiting a variety of art galleries is largely beneficial for youth, galleries such as the ARC Gallery are crucial for students to visit. Students need to experience positive community centers that focus on equality for the artists and staff. Many galleries are largely filled with work from one demographic: white, straight, Western, cisgender men, and the ARC Gallery provides students the opportunity to see a multitude and plethora of diversity within the art community. Many galleries are “cookie-cutter” exhibition spaces that do not explore inclusion and equality to the extend the ARC Gallery does. Visiting progressive and alternative galleries not only opens up discussion for changes needed within the art community, but allows all students to visibly see themselves as being capable and worthy of exhibiting their work in their own community. Due to the ARC Gallery’s ever-welcoming environment, multiple programs, activities, and opportunities it provides for many innovative artists, the gallery offers an excellent way to teach about the importance of community, collaboration, creativity, and overall acceptance. This educational opportunity not only offers experiential and conceptual benefits to visiting students, but it also offers a way for civilians, alike, to learn about multitudes of cultures, peoples, and ideas. It provides not only a safe haven for those wishing to express their artistry, no matter the medium, but also an inviting area to view, discuss, and interpret the works of others. Due to the extensive community outreach, and overall opportunities, the gallery proves to be an exceptional learning tool, welcoming to all walks of life. Due to the mature conversations this gallery can hold, it would be wise for educators to consider the topic of the gallery’s present show before visiting with their students. The ARC Gallery in Chicago was a real hole in the wall. Upon our arrival, we actually walked past the building in our attempt to find it, because it was so modest looking. Walking in, was a completely different story. The ARC Gallery focuses on supporting women and different cultures; however, it also showed the work of men, offering an unusual role-reversal. Having been exposed to predominantly white, male, artists, we were shocked and enamored that there were so many female artists. Artists show in the ARC Gallery by submitting a proposal to the gallery detailing why they should show the artist’s work, as well as the concepts behind their proposed work. The gallery is a one level room with the capability of being three separate rooms, if desired. The art is displayed all throughout the gallery, some leaning on walls, some hanging, some mounted onto the walls. There was a variety of mixed media as well as a variety of different kinds of art, from photography to textiles. At the time of our visit, the theme of the gallery was “Red.” Everything incorporated the color red in some way- paint, wire, or something in a photograph. The next theme is set to be “Shock,” a political theme that is perfect when considering the current social issues. In fact, when we went to the gallery we viewed several intriguing and insightful pieces concerning our current political problems. Overall, the ARC Gallery is easily accessible and should be viewed by everyone at some point. |