Betye Saar
Saar’s work spans decades. Some of her works focuses on the violence and stereotypes faced by African Americans. I encourage you to read more about her extensive art career and her social footprint. She repurposed items as a “way of reclaiming images and artistic power.” Her work is intimate and powerful.
I found her “Keep for Memoirs” especially personal, so I thought I could make a lesson about holding a memory. The students would create a monoprint for the back ground and use found objects as accents. The found objects must relate to their loved ones in some way. (I used this term to clarify that family was not necessary and other people, pets etc. could be included.) The students can also press found objects on the printing plate. This lesson will connect memories with objects.
I think depending on the age some kids might not be close with their families or not have a solid home so it might be interesting to have them bring in things they have a strong connection to. If they have a favorite stuffed animal, place, or person. Who they consider important people and what experiences in their lives have the most importance.
Perhaps you could being this lesson by having your students lay out their materials and travel through the classroom and take a look at what everyone brought in to work with. I want to do this lesson!
I think this work really has an element of storytelling in it. I think be interesting to ask students to speak on the story they are trying to tell with their assemblages depending on how comfortable they might be with that.
Jess- I love the idea for this lesson! It is something I strongly relate to in my personal work. I think defining memoirs and legacy would be important – especially depending on the age group.