Monday, March 24, 2003

How to Do An Art Galllery Field Trip for 6th, 7th, and 8th Graders Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, March 28, 29, and 30th, 2000. The purpose of this field trip is to introduce the students to the economics of art and to get them thinking about careers in art. We focus on art dealers, artists, and art critics while also teaching some fundamental concepts about economic geography and the capitalist economy. The day begins @ 8:30: with an in-school presentation by Queens parent Dan O’Neil (773) 583-9261. First we lay the foundation for the economics of art: We define "economy", which can be then broken down into “sectors”, of which the art trade is one of them. Then we talk about the activities and roles that make up the art trade: Artist make art, dealers sell art and deal with artists, and buyers buy and contribute to marketing and valuations. Critics criticize, report, and help build opinion. Art Handlers, Restorers, Framers, Movers, etc. sell the goods and services that surround art. The kids are then prompted to choose one of the careers and write about why they chose it and/or actually come up with something like a drawing or a poem or a plan for how they are going to make money selling art or some criticism. As they write, go through the room and find out about what the kids are interested in being. Artist, Art Dealer, and Critic are popular. The tangential roles-- framer, handler, eupplier, etc. don't weem to appeal to them all that much . Remember what they say about why they like that career and try to address it somehow at the gallery. The Dealers are told they will meet with a real art dealer who will tell them the tricks of the trade and what it takes to succeed. Their assignment is to write down what they learned. The Critics are told they should say whatever they want but they have to back it up with the facts-artist, title, price, etc. Their assignment is to criticize some of the art, whether it is the current show or another artist. The Artists are told that they should make art while they are at the gallery. Because that is what artists do. We also talk about the fundamentals of economics and the inherent conflicts in the economics of art: Supply and Demand Training/ Education Publicity And cover some of the inherent conflicts in this economy: Artists want to make what they want to make Dealers want Artists to make things that sell Critics want to impress their vision of art on the world and have influence At 9:30: we travel by school bus to a working art gallery, the David Leonardis Gallery, 1352 North Paulina, 773-278-3058. Along the way we point out areas of art interest. When we pass the police station we talk about prisoner art, where they fashion wallets and jewelry from gum wrappers. This is an example of folk art. The artists use whatever material is available. When we go over the new Damen Street Bridge we point out the great civil engineering. Then we stop in front of the Double Door on Milwaukee at Damen and teach the kids about economic geography. The fact that people live where they can afford to live--where they can get a job that pays enough to live there. Artists moved into Wicker Park about 20 years ago because the rents were cheap enough for them while they took the necessary time to get experiences, learn the trade, and build the publicity it takes to make a lot of money as an artist.It’s not like a doctor or lawyer, where you make a certain amount of money upon graduation. These are more speculative careers w/ more risk that takes more time. Then dealers find the artists. And art buyers find the dealers. And critics find them all. And other people come in to sell to the whole lot of them. (This is the “let them dig for gold; I’ll sell them the pick” approach.) Point out art spots visible from the bus: The Flat Iron Building has lots of artists in it (to the left side of the bus). The Idao Gallery is behind them.The Double Door, a rock club (for musical art) is to the right of the bus. I saw the Smashing Pumkins there in Feb. 1995. At 10:00: we get to the gallery. David Leonardis gives a short presentation on the gallery and what he does. Explain the layout of the gallery, the “current show” gallery space, storage, other artist’s work, etc. Talk about the different styles, methods, materials, etc. Pop, contemporary, folk, photography, 19th century French lithographs. The kids are guided around the gallery. The Dealers go off with Dave and he talks to them about what he does. Geri Paige, gallery employee, and Dan talk to the remaining students and talk about each of the genres & careers, taking care to address each student’s interest. At 10:45: we re-gather in the main gallery and share examples from each of the three careers. Kids share their drawings, poems, dealer lessons, and criticisms in front of the group. Only kids who want to present their work do so. At 11:00: we finish it off by telling the kids that no matter what career they choose “in art or not” it’s a great thing to participate in the economics of art. © 2003 Daniel X. O'Neil 7:21:00 AM    comment []