Iowa Public Television

Challenge Question Number 1 for Director #1079

Clearly describe what you expect from the students:
You have a room that is 15 feet by 20 feet and you need to put together an exhibition of art for that room. Pretend that you have a collection of art to work with. Using books about art, or websites for museums around the country (Art Institute of Chicago, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, the National Gallery, etc.) select work for your exhibition. Limit yourself to one book or one website as your “collection.” Otherwise the project gets too crazy.

Some of the ways you can organize your show: all works by one artist, all works about one subject or idea (trees, landscapes, cities, children, people working, people having fun), all works done around the same time (1500, 1880, 1920, etc.) or all works in one “medium” (paintings photographs, sculptures, works made of clay, etc.).

Remember as you are looking at a book or website that the real works of art are all different sizes. Some are very small. Some are very big. Think about the size of your room. Be sure you leave space between your works.

Also think about which of the works of art should be the most important and have the best spot in the room. And think about each work in relation to its neighbors. Do they get along or do they fight with each other?

Make a list of all the pieces in your show. Give the show a title. Then make a drawing or a model in a show box of your gallery to show where each picture or piece goes.

In order to give the teacher some guidance in evaluating the student's project(s); list some tips that may help to assess the student's work:
Do the works have a relationship to one another?

Is there a theme to the exhibition?

Can the student show how the works relate to the theme?

Asking for a title for the show sometimes helps give a focus.

Have they thought about the size of the works of art?

Is the space too crowded?

Do you, as the viewer, learn something from the show?