Music is Art! The non-profit I work for, Community School of Music and Arts, also teaches Music to schools, along with art, for 1/2 of the year. Some students in this class are taking music right now, and I taught this lesson on a Friday (not the usual day), so the students who take music, joined the rest of the class for fun art making!This was an exciting lesson for these guys because this class is very fond of music. Whenever I put music on in class they stand up and dance, it's hilarious! Anyways...
I brought a fantastic book of mine to show examples of Picasso's revolutionary cubist style. I obtained this book from a private viewing at the 2011 Picasso exhibition at the de Young Museum in SF, "Masterpieces from the Musee National Picasso, Paris".
We looked at prints, "The Convent [First Plate]" - 1910, "Guitar" - 1913, "Guitar and Bottle of Bass" - 1913, and "Guitar and Score on a Pedestal Table" - 1920.
We looked at how he simplifies the shapes in his paintings, making them very angular, and to be viewed from many perspectives. I talked to them about maybe why Picasso started to paint in this style, and how this style is a reaction to the historical context of the time - with industrialization and war prevailing.
We started with a background paper, glued diagonally on white 12X18" paper. We collaged pieces of recycled cardboard that I brought, scrap decorative paper, newspaper, etc. Then we drew a guitar shape on brown paper, cut it out and placed it on top of the other layers. We glued pieces of string to suggest the strings of the guitar and a red circle for the opening.
I think this may be my favorite art lesson yet, as it is not so "objective" as many other projects, and the students have alot of control over how to compose their artwork. AND it ties in with music, that they will be learning in the next semester.
