THINKING ABOUT PLACE

Students understand the meaning of site-specific and create their own site-specific artwork.
Students research other artists who create site-specific artwork and understand their choices and meaning.

KEY QUESTIONS

1. What does site-specific mean?
2. How does a piece of artwork that is site-specific differ from other artwork?
3. What considerations does an artist need to think about when creating site-specific artwork?
4. Why do you think an artist chooses to make artwork that is site-specific?

VISUAL REFERENCES

1. Garden Installation (on-going), (1993) by Winifred Lutz
2. Untitled, (1986) by Jene Highstein
3. 610-3356, (2008) by Sarah Oppenheimer

ACTIVITY

Choose a place in your home, school or neighborhood to create a site-specific piece of artwork. First of all, think about the space you have chosen. What normally happens in that space? What is the history of that space? Why did you choose that space? Who uses that space? What times of day is that space used? Keep the answers to all of these questions in mind as you move forward with your planning. In creating your piece of art think about if you need to making drawings or a model to fully understand how what you make fits into the space. Think about why this piece of art makes sense in that place and nowhere else. What will happen to this piece of art once you are gone? Think about if your artwork needs any label or explanation.

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PENNSYLVANIA CORE STANDARDS
VISUAL ARTS

(9.1.6.A-9.1.12.A)
-know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities

(9.1.6.B-9.1.12.B)
-recognize, know, use and demonstrate a variety of appropriate arts elements and principles to produce, review and revise original works in the arts

(9.1.6.D-9.1.12.D)
-use knowledge of varied styles within each art form through a performance or exhibition of unique work

(9.1.6.E-9.1.12.E)
-demonstrate the ability to define objects, express emotions, illustrate an action or relate an experience through creation of works in the arts

(9.1.6.H-9.1.12.H)
-handle materials, equipment and tools safely at work and performance spaces