Objective: Students will examine architecture through photography and create images of the Milwaukee Art Museum’s Quadracci Pavilion.
Materials:
- Cameras
- Printer and/or presentation
- Computer/laptop with editing software (optional)
Introduce: As part of the Building a Masterpiece exhibition in 2011, the Museum held a photo contest of images of the Quadracci Pavilion. Over 900 participants uploaded photos to the contest’s Flickr site where 18 finalists were chosen, and the public could vote for their favorite on Facebook. The finalists’ photos were on rotating display in the Galleria during the exhibition.
Ask:
- Is photography important to architecture? Why or why not?
- How can you use photography to view architecture in a new way?
- What do you notice about the contest photos?
Pre-Visit Activity:
- Use this activity to give students background information about the Quadracci Pavilion and Santiago Calatrava.
- Show students the photographs submitted for the original contest in 2011 on the contest’s Flickr site. You may also want to conduct a VTS on one or more of the images.
Gallery Activity
- Book a tour for your students and explore the Milwaukee Art Museum.
- Give students access to digital, film, or cell phone cameras and task them with taking creative photos of the building during their trip.
- Encourage students to zoom up close or go far away for unusual views of the building.
- If you are taking a docent guided tour of the exhibition, remember to plan extra time before or after the tour so that your class can focus while being guided through the exhibition.
Post-Visit Activity
- If this is a photo class or your school has the capabilities, have students use photo editing software to polish their photos.
- Download students’ photos or have them email their pictures to you.
- Display the photos in PowerPoint or print them out and hang them.
- Have the class vote on their top three photographs or have the school administration be the judges for your class contest.
National Standards:
- VA:Cr1.2.Ia Shape an artistic investigation of an aspect of presentday life using a contemporary practice of art or design.
- VA:Cr2.1.8a Demonstrate willingness to experiment, innovate, and take risks to pursue ideas, forms, and meanings that emerge in the process of artmaking or designing.
The Museum would be happy to supply Family Passes as prizes for your class contest. Email teachers@mam.org if interested.
Share your artwork with us on social media @milwaukeeart #MAMLearn or email pictures to teachers.mam.org. We’d love to see your creations!