MOPA museum of pinney art
Wish… Knew… Project identity
State Standards
Perceiving/Knowing
The fourth grade students are spending the year exploring identity. They are
exploring the many different aspects of the identity formation process. To begin this
year long journey, we looked at the work of Lui Bolin. Bolin is a contemporary artist
who deals with issues of identity in his work. We focused on one of his pieces and
went through the thinking routine of See, Think, Wonder. In this process, the first
step is to state everything you see in the artwork. This trains the eye to notice the
• 6PE Identify and name the
sources for art making ideas
(e.g., self, environment and
other people).
Producing/Performing
• 2PR Experiment with art
details. The next step was to state what you think about what you see. This step
materials by using them in
allows the students to see multiple perspectives and gain new insights to the work
unexpected and creative ways
and ask new questions as well. The last step is to ask, “what does this make you
to express ideas and convey
wonder?” This step is all about growing curiosity, questioning and making new
meaning.
connections. All three of these steps are essential to the art making process and
can be transferred to any discipline. These skills will help these students as they
move through school and move onto future careers as well. We also looked at the
work of several conceptual artists to discuss which was more important, the idea or
the product? After a rich discussion, the students were then challenged to create a
piece of art about their own identity. They had to create a list of things they wish
people knew about them. The “Wish/Knew” project, was a chance for the students
to dig deeper and look within themselves to see what they wish others knew about
them.
Responding/Reflecting
• 1RE Identify qualities that
contribute to the design and
meaning of their artworks and
the works of others.
COMPANY Name
As a class, we talked about symbolization in artwork as well. We practiced using concealment and illogical techniques to add
deeper meaning and use more symbolization in the artwork. The students selected a wish/knew they wanted to focus on
and then begin to think of all the ways they could create a piece of art that could connect to their idea. In the middle of the
project, the students stopped creating and pressed the pause button on the creative process. I asked them to take a small
sheet of paper and write down a burning question they had about their own artwork that they wanted advice on. This could
have been a question about a tool, technique, next step or how to symbolize something. It represented a creative roadblock
they had hit. Then, silently, the rest of the class went around the room and wrote down advice they had for their classmates
burning questions. Once we were finished, the students went back to their seats and had 4-5 fresh ideas to think about.
This quick activity was a great way for the students to practice asking meaningful questions. They were able to use flexible
thinking to see their problem in a new way based on others feedback. It also was a form of collaboration as many students
commented on how helpful other students ideas were. Too often, students think of what they could have done to their
artwork once the project was over. This activity represented a way for the student to get valuable feedback in the middle of
the creative process and make adjustments as needed. Once the students read through the comments, they were back at it,
creating away. The students put in a great deal of thought and effort. Each artwork represents a part of their identity. For
some students it was a chance to express something about themselves they wish certain people knew about them and for
others, it was a chance to express a part of their identity to the world. What do you wish people knew about you?
COMPANY NAME OFFICES LOCATED AT: 1234 Main Street, Anytown, State 54321
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