I like the Who Is the Artist? Series by Crystal
Productions.... I got blasted by someone else who did
not these the last time I posted...so just hear me
out. I think they are excellent for getting kids to
see similarities and differences between artists who
were contemporaries. I would not let the consultant do
all of the talking. I would probably turn her down and
do the talking myself at times....and I would just
keep sound off and let the kids talk and interact with
the images.
This is the first Pop Art video (Who is the Artist?
Lichtenstien -Thiebaud -Warhol) I have seen that I
would purchase for my students that has Andy Warhol
featured. I have liked every Lichtenstein video I have
seen but have not seen any with Thiebaud. This Who Is
the Artist? features a total of 24 master works from
Warhol - Lichtenstein - and Thiebaud - each presented
individually (in that order) - then giving students a
chance to decide which artist made the work by
comparing. Students will like the selection of images
and I hope questions of copyright come up (in
reference to Disney - images - and others - used by
Lichtenstein).
What I like is they show a self portrait by the
artists (at least on all the ones I have seen) - and
they give students an opportunity to see different
interpretations of self (Lichtenstein's is really
interesting - get the kids talking about how it is a
different kind of self portrait). What does the
portrait tell us about the artist? is a question I
would ask.
I would use this with a lesson I did on "Signs of the
Times? - a lesson a did on business sings around the
community and I would combine painting styles - some
of our compositions would be done by transferring
enlarged photocopies of signs (since Lichtenstein
projected his images) -others would use grids. I did
several different projects that tied in Warhol over
the years. I lost interest in him though after I saw
the video biographies. One fifth grade lesson used
fruits and vegetables done if four different color
plans (cut paper) - then done a another year as cans
(four different combinations) for our canned food
drive posters. Many lessons are online for Lichtentein
and Warhol - as well as Thiebaud's desserts.
Who Is the Artist? Series is on page 27 in Art Video
World - 1-800-644-3429 (if you need a catalog). I
really liked the American Scene one, too - that might
even be one you could show high school (but let them
do most of the talking).
