Mainstream Media Identifies the Importance of Art Literacy in Education

This image caused a bit of controversy on a NSW exam paper where students were perplexed at answering questions about what the image represented. Students found the literacy based task overwhelming as they struggled to know how to approach writing about an open ended topic and felt unsure of the process.

Literacy within the Arts at Mordialloc College

This is something Mordialloc College can pride itself upon! The Arts Team have been introducing these concepts to students to help them to identify subject matter within an artwork and link it specifically to conceptual meaning. As Year 12 students are expected to be able to write fluently about artworks and how they are perceived, students as early as Year 7 are exposed to tasks which link strong literacy processes to creative thinking.

Here is an example of a Year 8 written piece analysing Rona Green’s print Hud and Mugsy 2008

“Rona Green has created an artwork titled Hud & Mugsy which explores the idea of how humans and animals are still the same and we should remember that the earth was not made especially for us. The hybrids have small, dull red birds and little blue flowers imprinted on their bodies to convey the connection between all living things. The birds are small because in real life they are being overlooked and ignored. The pretty blue flowers symbolise that as the earth evolves and changes, nature will always be there in some small way.

The subject matter of the hybrid magpies are the colours black and white. The white is a dull colour, a light shade of grey. The black is a rich, dark shade. The bleakness of the colours indicates the real world today. Humans destroying the world bit by bit, with no regard for the small creatures that live there. One of the magpie’s eyes seem to be uncaring and relaxed, and the other’s alert and ready. This represents the human and animal views on the world. The humans do not care about what happens to our wildlife, and so they are laidback and relaxed. The animal’s eyes are alert and tense, ready to run from the dangers that the humans have created”. 

Logan

The Arts Team at Mordialloc College enjoy this aspect of teaching, as they know how important it is to be a creative thinker in the world. Being able to identify and articulate story lines about imagery stimulates deeper thinking and higher order learning. Our students are being guided to open their minds, form their own view, and to justify and articulate that view.

Well done Mordialloc Art Team. We know we are creating great thinkers and helping students to forge ahead with their futures.

Virtual Art Show

Our annual art show kicked off virtually on Tuesday. Access to the show will be available for two weeks. 

We have some wonderful artwork exhibited, and invite you to put your feet up and take your time in perusing the talent on display.

For access to the Virtual Art Show, please click this link.

The password is: mcartshow2020