Teaching and Learning Sequence
Task 1
Introduction and study of artists work
(2 A3 Pages)
Students are introduced to the work of Contemporary Maori Artist Shona Rapira Davies through viewing her work on the DVD in class. Students will initially view the clip through once without taking notes and then respond to the following questions in their visual diaries after a second or third viewing of the resource. Some key terms are noted for discussion and others may be included that relate to study of people undertaken as part of previous standard.
Time: 2-3 hours
Relevant Film Archive footage ON DISK programme:
Contemporary Maori Artists: Part 1 - Shona Rapira Davies 2
Key terms to discuss and define: Task One Handout Sheet
- Traditional/ non-traditional
- Fantasy
- Collaboration
- Aesthetic
- Scale
- Kaupapa
- Installation
- Maquette
- Scale
1. Why is this particular sculpture seen as ‘another way of working’ for Davies?
As a Sculptor Davies feels she is often working on her own, singularly responsible for what she does. This time she wanted to deal with the collaborative aspect of working.
2. Davies invited people to be in her art work. What aspects of the sculpture and process did she ask them to take responsibility for?
The people that Davies invited to participate in this collaboration had to collectively be both the subject and the directors. They had to take responsibility for their image, the position they were in, the way they were photographed and portrayed. They had to come back into the studio and select the photograph that they were drawn from. Participants had to select the clothing and have the final editorial decision including whether they even wanted to be in the final exhibition.
3. What aspects of the sculpture and process did Davies take responsibility for?
Davies wanted to be responsible for the aesthetics of the image and responsible for the drawing to be completed as accurately as possible.
4. Tim Walker (Museum curator) is one of the people invited to participate in this collaboration, how does he appear to feel about this representation of himself?
At first he appears to be ‘spooked’ by the image of himself. He is surprised at the likeness and that a drawing or painting can capture this likeness.
5. How does the life size scale of the figures add to the overall effect? How does this differ to the ways that we are used to seeing ourselves?
As people have come back into the studio to see themselves, most have reacted at first to the scale of the art work. Davies believes that it is because it is not a photo or something small in scale. The gallery context is also different; this is not an image of yourself in your own private home.
6. What materials and technologies are used in the making of this art work and how has this been a ‘discovery’ for Davies as an Artist?
Davies uses a camera to photograph the people and a projector to achieve life size scale. Tin has been used, different from clay which is so easy to manipulate. She enjoys immediacy of cutting the tin.
7. When the interview with Davies was introduced, a reference was made to cut out dolls. Explain this reference and how it adds to the humour of the Art work.
The clothing that goes on the figures has tabs that fold over and can be changed around or removed. This is a reference to the childhood activity of playing with paper doll cut outs. This element adds to the humour and playfulness of this art work.
8. How and where was the sculpture finally installed
Davies does not know how the work will look when finally installed in the public gallery window. Each piece is stood up and the effect is like a crowd scene. Clothes are put on the figures by the participants who themselves had no idea of how the piece was going to finally look.
9. Davies believes the sculpture has no Kaupapa to it. Explain why she feels it is not ‘great art’
Davies feels that the work is light hearted or humorous, without protocol or an established tradition attached to it. The humour element is something that Davies feels has lessened in contemporary Maori art and she feels it is a shame as her belief is that Maori are a humorous people. Davies is not making fun of the participants but is making reference to all of the ‘in-house’ issues and dialogue surrounding Maori art.
10. What is the title of the exhibition and what are the ways that the title could be interpreted?
The title of the exhibition ‘”Not Exactly a Maori Work of Art” is ambiguous in itself and deliberately provokes questions. It questions traditional beliefs about Maori Art and comments on views that curators, critics and galleries hold about Maori Art, particularly in relation to non-traditional materials and processes.
11. Describe the making process from start to finish including the aspects of collaboration and editorial by Davies and her participants.
Include Davies use of photography, image projection, drawing the figure, cutting out, using cut out as template for creating clothes, adding, colour tone and detail to the clothing, installation and arranging etc. Use sketches and diagrams where needed.
Handouts
Task One Handout Sheet
