Poetry and Art Book Clubs

Poetry and Art Book Clubs

Art can inspire poetry, and poetry can inspire art. Poetry written about art is called ekphrasis. One example is “The Starry Night” by Anne Sexton which is in your poetry packet. To deepen our practice of interpretation and creative exploration in poetry, we will be working in book clubs to immerse ourselves in art and writing poetry about it.

OVERVIEW

In small groups, you will:

·         Read nonfiction books about a particular artist or period of art; take research notes

·         Find and read additional sources to help you better understand your topic

·         Have in-depth discussions in groups regarding the artists and their works of art; one of your conversations will be recorded and assessed

·         Write a reading response based on the artist

·         Individually write an original poem inspired by the artist or particular work of art. Use the mentor text provided or use another poem from this website: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5918.

CHOICE OF ARTISTS (on a sheet of paper, write down 2-4 people you would like to work with, and list your 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd choices of artists/time periods):

·         Michelangelo (3) ·         Picasso (4) ·         Andy Warhol (4) ·         Cezanne (3) ·         The Renaissance (2) ·         Claude Monet (3) ·         Frida Kahlo (2)

·         Ancient China (2) ·         Vincent Van Gogh (4) ·         Bruegel (2) ·         Marc Chagall (2) ·         Paul Klee (2) ·         Dorothea Lange (3) ·         Walker Evans (3)

Day 1:

• Get in groups; label your folder with your names and name of artist
• Create a KWL chart: What do you already know about your artist? What do you want to know? 
• Begin reading. Take notes on important facts and information about your topic. You may also take notes on post-its.
• Homework due Friday: Read and take notes on another outside source about your topic. It may be a book, article, essay, autobiography/memoir, video/film, etc.

Day 2:

Why is this artist important? What do you find most interesting about his/her life and his/her work? Create a poster about your artist.

HW: Choose a work of art by the artist, one that you feel strongly about and get inspiration from. Print out a copy. Write a paragraph describing it and a paragraph analyzing it. What does the artist want you to think, feel, and know?

Day 3:

Share and discuss the works of art you chose. Write a creative piece inspired by the artwork.

Day 4:

Work on final project: Create an interactive exhibit/installation on your artist. Choose a focus/perspective. You may use any media.

Examples of titles of current exhibits:

Edward Munch: The Scream (MOMA)

Inventing Abstraction, 1910–1925 (MOMA)

Impressionism, Fashion, and Modernity presents a revealing look at the role of fashion in the works of the Impressionists and their contemporaries. - See more at: http://www.metmuseum.org/en/exhibitions/listings/2013/impressionism-fashion-modernity#sthash.s54c19dr.dpuf

I offer the following thoughts:

1) Let’s make the room alive with the sounds and sights of art, poetry, writing, and writers.

2) Let’s make the room a laboratory for the study of art and poetry. That leads me to think that it will be important to have something in the installation for your “visitors” to do. Let them “make” and “take” something with them. A keepable!!

3) Read everything you can— the writing, interviews, critique, writing about writing or teaching; listen to tapes of readings; get on-line information or readings; find film or photographs, etc.

4) Tease us, humor us, make us want more!

Best of luck. I’m so looking forward to seeing what you create!

Day 5: Final Presentation/Museum Share

Retrospective Exhibit