Printmaking: What Do you Want Others to See?

What’s Happening in These Photos?

WHAT:

Grade 9 MYP Visual Arts students engaged in a deep provocation to launch their printmaking unit.  By inquiring around sustainability, well-being, and social justice issues that they cared deeply about, students were left with the question “What do you want others to see? 

Learners were introduced to the idea that they would be creating prints for public display designed to draw others attention to issues in our local and global communities, and how creative expression through printmaking can be a way to influence pertinent dialogue and inspire action.

WHY:

In Art for Impact learning experiences, students develop transformative skills connected to the Empathy to Impact system for transformative learning:

Greater empathy through connecting to a community issue
Critical thinking through interpretation and research around mentor artists
Application of interdisciplinary skills and expressive communication in preparing an art piece and community exhibition
Resilience in having to adjust exhibition settings due to the pandemic and also in creating multiple drafts of prints to be capture the spirit of the artistic process and power of the advocacy component

Watch below to hear how students worked to bring Empathy to Impact in this endeavor:

HOW:

Launch provocations about local and global issues that might be relevant to students and provide mentor models of artists and activists that provoke thought and impetus for change through visual representation and print media.

Have students investigate these mentor models from influential artists and activists related to printmaking.  Utilize mini-lessons on the necessary technical skills but also unpack and analyze how other artists express making meaning, both interpretive and expressive communication: “What do they want others to see and why?" Through a richer understanding of art for change and printmaking, students can now begin to design their pieces, craft artist statements and prepare for community action. 

Thank You

Harrison Creech for his reflection, perseverance, utmost care for student well-being during COVID protocols and to the students for sharing their learning journeys.