Embodying Cultural

Pluralism through ART

Abi Creech

What is Cultural Pluralism?

Not just tolerance within a society but ACTIVE SEEKING at
UNDERSTANDING across lines of difference
Not just diversity throughout a society but ACTIVELY
ENGAGING with that diversity
Required Dialogue

Both SPEAKING and LISTENING to reveal common understanding and real

differences

Using our differences in relationship to one another

Do you practice Cultural Pluralism?

What cultural groups do you belong to?
Where do you see differences in culture on a daily basis?
When confronted with cultural issues, how do you respond?
Why should we embrace difference? What benefits can surface?
How can we utilize differences daily?

Need for Cultural Pluralism

With advancements in communication and transportation, we
have a need now more than ever to be able to ethically understand
and engage with one another: cultural pluralism. Cultural
pluralism will allow for countries around the globe to work
together for the greater good of humanity; technologically,
economically, politically, and environmentally.

In what ways can we achieve

this seamless global
communication structure?

ART as a

segway visual dialogue agent for change

Through the use of creating, interpreting, and understanding
visual art, one can start to understand a culture that is different
from their own.

Path to Cultural Pluralism through ART

CREATING
When artists create work they tell a story of who they are and what they stand for, even if it is
unintentional. By creating visual art, we are communicating information about ourselves with the
viewer.
INTERPRETING
When looking at an artwork, one can distinguish the message that the piece communicates. Through
interpreting art, we visually read ones story.
UNDERSTANDING
The interpreter uses visual literacy to understand the creators point of view. This line of
communication between creator and interpreter allows for an effort of understanding one another.

Lessons for Art Educators

Carving Away at Our Fear

Lino prints
Introduction to Art

Whats NOT Trending?

Awareness Posters
Graphic Design

Genealogists Story

Alternative Books
Advanced Placement Art

Carving Away at Our Fear

Lino Block Prints - Introduction to Art
Students will investigate and reflect upon a personal fear through the use of
research and artmaking.
Students will be creating lino block prints representing their fear and will
literally be carving away at their fear.
Students will create print after print to face their fear over and over to
where it becomes lethargic and meditative.

Investigations
Fear Research: Compiling statistics, facts, and opinions related to their fear.
Investigating artists who create similar to or different from your work based on
concept or aesthetic.
Peer Compare/Contrast: Ask your partner 5 WHY questions about their fear.
Why should your partner NOT posses this fear? Why is it important to
overcome?
Culminating Activity: Argumentative Fear Presentations: Students will generate
an argument against their fear and present it to the class. This can be in written
form, slideshow, or video.

Fran Krause

Tetsuya Ishida

Joshua Hoffine

Whats NOT Trending?

Awareness Posters - Graphic Design
Students will interpret their personal values and beliefs about the modern
world in order to discover what they believe not only their peers should
know but what issues the whole world should be well informed about by
using photography and Photoshop to create a powerful advertisement.

Essential Questions
How can art communicate and illuminate personal and
global conflict?
How do artists demonstrate freedom of speech?
What mediums are beneficial for reaching a mass of
people?

Culminating Activity
For Awareness:
-Social media posts
-Printing and displaying around the school and
community

JR

RA/FSA Photographers

Shirin Neshat

Visual Venn-Diagram

Genealogists Story
Alternative Books - Advanced Placement Art
Students will be searching deep into their family history to inspire a book
that represents their interpretation of the information they have acquired
through research. Their understanding of where they come from will be
presented through imagery, text, heirlooms, and more.

Big Ideas

Investigations
Interviews: Students will interview an older family member to investigate their
family history.
Object Bag: Compile an array of objects that represent you and your families
past.
Time Capsule: Collaborative class time capsule for next years art students.

Do-Ho Suh

Robert The

Yusuke Oono

Ink Masters

VTS
What is going on in this image?
Wang
Guangyi

What do you see that makes you

say that?

What more can we find?

Kerry James
Marshall

Carrie Mae Weems

Kara Walker

Ai Weiwei

References
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Hoffine, Joshua. (2015). After Dark, My Sweet.

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