SPSU Arts2001: Guide for visit to the High Museum of Art, (Read this General Information)
Wyeth Spring 2006; (High Museum, 1280 Peachtree St., Atlanta, 30309, 404-733-4400; www.High.org)
Assignment: Visit the High Museum of Art, view art, answer questions/activities and type a report.
(Expectations: read these sheets, understand specific activities and plan before you go! Bring a pencil and
notebook Only wood pencils are allowed (not mechanical). No clipboards, pens, markers or
mechanical pencils (Approval is required for pencils and photos of High collection only, at security desk)
*****Save your admission sticker attach to your typed report.**Must have for credit/grade**
Time: 2+hours, allow a minimum of 2 hours to visit the High. (A 2 hr. visit is just a highlight, quick survey of
the collection and special exhibitions. In-depth viewing will require additional time and is recommended.)
Suggested visit schedule: (1 hr. 15 min in Weiland Pavilion & Chambers Wing; 45 min. in Stent Family Wing)
Suggested Route: Start in Lobby go up by elevator to 2nd Level of Wieland to view Wyeth Special Exhibition.
Walk up stairs to Skyway level of Weiland and tour galleries 411-421. Cross over bridge to Chambers building
top floor galleries 422-424. Return over bridge and backtrack though Skyway Level of Wieland. Stay on the top
floor and Cross skyway to Stent Family Wing. (Tour each floor of the Stent Wing) Starting on the 4th floor walk
through each floor using ramp to get to each lower level, 3rd floor, 2nd floor, then atrium. Visit Children’s area
then walk back to Lobby Level of Wieland then visit Lower Level of Weiland. (African Art, wks on paper)
Return to lobby then exit main lobby and go to Chambers building. Go to 2nd floor –Renzo Piano Workshop.
It is recommended that you enter no later than 2 hours before the museum closes. Travel time, depending on
time of day, is approximately 30 minutes one way from SPSU to the High via car on Interstate 75S. Public
Transportation, Cobb Community Transit (CCC) has express busses from Cobb (S.Marietta Parkway Transfer
Station) to the Marta Arts Center Station directly behind the High. (Check bus routes & times)
Expenses: Museum Admission, ($12 w/student ID). Transportation-parking (app.$10 - $15) or public trans. (?)
[Option: An alternative assignment that does not involve a visit may be coordinated with instructor in adv.]
What to do at the museum: (Note: These are basic guidelines that could be followed for any museum.)
Gather information to answer the specific writing assignment questions. (Another sheet)
Look at all the artworks. You will be drawn to artworks based on your interests and preferences. You will
need to pay special attention to the wall texts and a few specific artworks, which will be identified
Read the Introductory Wall Texts (IWT): Provides broad overview of an exhibition. This is at the entrance
of an exhibition, also at the beginning of a collection or special section of a gallery.
Read the Secondary Wall Texts; Provides general information for artworks in a gallery or section. The
Secondary Texts are usually at the entrance to a gallery or are between galleries/rooms. (Read through them
(quickly is ok) to find out why the artworks have been arranged or hung together, and what the art works are
about, such as themes, subject matter, technique, time period, time created etc).
Look at labels for individual artworks. Provides information on the specific artwork. They will include;
artist, title, date, medium, and sometimes more background or detailed information regarding that specific
artwork and/or the artist. An individual artwork label is next to an artwork usually to right just below eye level.
Read labels that are specifically identified in assignment. Read others per your interest and available time.
Look carefully at the artworks. Notice things about them that you can only see in real life looking at the
original artwork. Move closer to (but not closer than 3 feet) and back away from individual artworks. Look at
artworks from across the gallery/room; scan a gallery to notice relationships between the images, etc.
****Notice such things as: photographs: clarity, details, contrast, values, gloss; Paintings: brush strokes- the
way the paint has been applied, thick or thin, wide or narrow, texture or none; light source, highlights,
shadows, reflection on the canvas; colors-palette selection, darks, lights, dull, bright, primary, pastel etc;
Subject matter-image itself; image-clarity, close-up and from farther away how does the artwork change to the
viewer; picture plane- 2-D vs. 3-D quality, depth, perspective; size-scale of artwork. Sculpture and 3-D:
height, depth, width, type material(s), surface texture(s), proportions, scale, etc.)
Notice similarities with art works & time periods in the SPSU Arts 2001 curriculum, textbooks,
classroom presentations etc.
Walk through the galleries to view the High’s Permanent Collection primarily American Art form 19th cent to
20th C. Many of the artists featured are in the texts and will be discussed during the class. Seeing original
artwork created by them will help you. Some galleries have different types of artworks from the same time
period displayed together, paintings, sculpture and decorative arts- (furniture, ceramics, silver, glass etc.)
Museum Visit Outline: Take notes/write on this paper at museum then Type Report 12 pt., sequence
information as requested by part and number (Check course web page; may be able to data enter information
and print out) Attach museum admission sticker to report, top right corner. ___Date visited__________
Student: ______________________________ row______ Class Time: 10 or 11
Due Fri. Feb. 10, 2006 (may submit earlier____),[On time___Late___date___Points___Grade____]
Self guided Tour for Arts 2001:
Part I Exterior: Notice the sculptures and buildings.
1. Sifly Piazza Sculptures. Bronze Shade by Rodin, House 111 by Lichtenstein. What is your impression
of, what do you think about House III?_(colors, scale, relationship to other buildings,) ___________
2. The architect for the 1983 High, now the Stent Wing was Richard Meier. The Architect Renzo Piano
designed a master plan for the Woodruff Arts Center that included the new Chambers Wing and
Wieland Pavilion. Where do you see repetition and/or pattern in these buildings?_________________
Part II: Entrance: Lobby Level of Wieland Pavilion
Enter building; get a permit for a pencil and (if you brought one) a camera permit from the security desk. Look
at sculpture outside the lobby, Balzac/Petanque by Oldenburg & van Bruggen, (Peaches & Pears)
Start in Wieland lobby queue line by elevators: Take Elevator to 2nd level Wieland Pavilion–(galleries 211- 214)
Part III: 2nd Level Wieland Pavilion, Special Exhibition, Andrew Wyeth *
(20-30 min in Wyeth Special Exhibition.) Gal. 211-214. The objects Wyeth paints fall into 3 categories: still
life in nature, vessels, and thresholds. Galleries will also be devoted to works on paper & the painting process;
portraits introducing the dead or absent owners of the objects; the artist’s wife Betsy. (There are free
headphones/audio guide for the exhibit. Try to use them on your visit- but note that the assignment may be done without
audio guide –just read the wall text and labels on the wall.) Select a few artworks to look at read/listen more closely.
Try to select one from each section. *(May do an expanded report on this exhibition for extra credit)
3. Enter the gallery 211. Read Title wall and Introductory Wall Text. Who organized the exhibition? (The
exhibition is organized by: _____________________________and___________________________)
4. *Identify an artwork that you liked or found interesting and explain why.
Title__________________ Date_____Medium__________, Subject_________________________
Description_______________________________________________________________________ ,
Why selected._____________________________________________________________________.
5. What are your reactions to the exhibition in general? (One paragraph)___________________________
Part IV Skyway level Weiland 20th Century Art- Walk up stairs or elevator to Skyway Level, (notice
artworks colors, size, scale and how you respond to them) (20 minutes Weiland galleries 411-421 (A few
artworks have information cards by them, called A Closer Look, to help explain the artworks.)
6. Look at gal. 413 to the right, artworks by Keifer. What is the surface like?_______________________
7. Look at Untitled by Tony Smith in gal. 412. What do you notice first?___________________________
8. Look at Marilyn by Andy Warhol gal.411. How many images of her are there?____________________.
9. In Wieland Pavilion look at the ceiling and skylights. How does the natural light, height, gallery size,
space between artworks effect, the way you view the art, and the way you feel in the space?
____________________________________________________________________________________
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10. Stop in gal. 421 near bridge look at artwork by Chuck Close. Then cross bridge to galleries 422-424.
Part V-Skyway Level. Chambers Wing (10 minutes) There are several instillations in the Chambers wing.
11. Look at the light boxes in Alfredo Jaar’s “ The Fire Next Time” what are your reactions, thoughts,
questions raised? __________________________________________________________________.
Cross the bridge and backtrack through the Weiland Bld., then cross the other bridge to Stent Wing.
:
Part VI Stent Family Wing 4th Floor; Permanent Collection Galleries: in original Meiers Building
After crossing bridge to Stent Family Wing allow 45 minutes in this building which is only 15 minutes per
floor. The Galleries include works from the High’s Permanent collection, fine and decorative arts including
furniture are displayed by time periods and/or styles and chronological time line.
Start in gallery 401. Walk through gal 401 to 410. Notice folk art in 406-409, sculpture & Craig artwork in 410.
Part VII 3rd Floor; American Art, Mid to Late –19th Century
Walk down the ramp to the 3rd floor. Walk through galleries 301 to 310.
[On this floor notice the subject matter for the artworks: Portrait, Religion/Mythology, and Scenes from
everyday life-Genre, Historical Events, Landscape, Still life. Try to identify the time period, and /or styles]
12. Go to Gallery 303, just through the doorway to the right look at a painting of a violin by Harnett, The
Old Violin, 1887. This is an example of Early Photo Realism specifically called Trompe l’ oeil, a
detailed style of painting that gives the illusion of photographic reality. Look on a nearby wall for
another painting by Harnett, c 1890, title Still life with Bust of ___________________?
13. Continue on the 3rd floor to Gallery 306. Try the fun activity of “cropping” or “framing” a
photograph. Look at the original by Steiglitz, Winter-5th Avenue, 1892. AML Text pg 153, used
“Straight’, undoctored photography. Photos focus is derived from what is kept and what is eliminated.
14. Go to Gallery 307. Enter to the right and on the long the outer walls are portraits. Look artworks and
notice the way they were composed and the different styles of the artists who created them. Look at the
brushstrokes, some paintings have wide and bold others not very noticeable. Find the Portrait of Ann by
Bellows (a little blond haired girl in a blue dress). What is the artist’s first name____________?
Part VIII 2nd Floor: Permanent Collection Galleries: European Art, 14th –16th Centuries
Walk down the ramp to the 2nd floor then go through galleries 201 – 210.
15. Look to the left of the entranceway to Gallery 201, there are examples of Byzantine style
(Characteristics include the use of gold leaf, almond eyes, and appearing flat with no depth). Look to the
right Italian Renaissance. Find the artwork with green drapery by Bellini, Madonna and Child. Date it
was painted ___________?
16. Look at the far wall directly across from the entrance at the artwork by Nicholas Tournier, The Denial of
Saint Peter, C. 1630. The artwork has characteristics similar to the Baroque artist Caravaggio who was
known for his innovative use of light as “spotlights”.
17. Between Gallery 202 and 203 are sculptures notice the material/medium made of/from.
18. Gallery 204 Neo-Classicism to Impressionism. In the center area Corot has two paintings on the same
wall that represent nature as it appears so it is called Realism. Monet’s painting Houses of Parliament in
the Fog is an example of an Impressionist painting. Impressionism paintings incorporate looser more
visible brushstrokes with softer colors than Realism. Stand about 3 feet in front of the painting then
slowly back up, watch the painting ‘come into focus’. What year was ‘Fog’ painted in____________?
19. On the outside back wall is a painting Port of London, by Luce. He was a follower of Seurat and it is
painted in a Pointillist style. They portrayed scenes from everyday life using small dots of pure color.
20. Gallery 205, American Art, 18th to Mid 19th Centuries. On the wall straight ahead and just to the left
find a portrait of a woman by John Singleton Copley. He is considered one of America’s finest portrait
painters. Compare this to other portraits across the room.
Part IX: Return to Wieland Pavilion
Walk down the ramp to the atrium then, if time, stop in the Greene Family Gallery.
Go to the Lobby Level of Wieland.
Go to Lower Level of Wieland to visit galleries 100-102, Recent gifts, Works on Paper, African Collection.
Exit Wieland Bld. and go to Chambers Bld. 1st & 2nd floors; Renzo Piano Workshop on 2nd floor.
(15 minutes) with Renzo Piano Workshop exhibit.
21. Look around. What did you find interesting?___________________________________________
Part X: Personal Observations and Reflections; Identify during visit, write up immediately after.
(Type answers/explanation in a few sentences.) Class 10 / 11 Name___________________date vsited_______
22. What artwork anyplace in the museum caught your eye? Made you stop and look, question, think.
Artist:____________________________________Title_______________________________________
Medium___________________year made_______Subject matter______________________________,
Description:_________________________________________________________________________
Where was it located? Floor and section_________________________________________________
What was your immediate reaction when you first saw it?___________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
23. a.Why did you select it? –b.What did you find interesting? c.How did it make you feel? Be specific:
____________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
24. What was the artwork you liked the best? Title_________________________
Artist_______________ Medium______year_____ location in Museum ________________________
Description- .________________________________________________________________________
25. Why did you select this artwork? _______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
26. One word or phrase to describe the Museum experience? ______________________________
27. Would you recommend the museum? Yes-Why? No-Why-not? ______________________
28. What advice would you give someone before they visited? .__________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
29. Which area of the museum did you like better, why? _______________________________________
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30. Was it your 1st visit to the High? Was this visit a worthwhile experience, worth your time and effort?
Yes or no Why? ..__________________________________________________________________
.___________________________________________________________________________________
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31. Explain in one paragraph- what would you like the museum to know about your visit? (What made it
good or bad, what helped you to learn about the artworks, what you would have like the museum to add
or change, etc.). ______________________________________________________________________
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32. Explain in a minimum of one paragraph how the museum visit relates to, supports and/or reinforces
the Arts 2001 course you are currently taking. What did you learn? What new questions did you have? _
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33. Explain in one paragraph your impression, reflection of viewing original artworks at a museum.
Explain how viewing original works of art was different than seeing the art as reproductions in class.
What surprised you? What did you notice? How did having artworks together in galleries influence the
way you looked at them? .______________________________________________________________
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34. Other comments you would like to share:
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