Lesson video

Hi there.

My name's Dr.

Jones.

How are you doing today? I'm delighted to be your art teacher for this session today.

We're gonna be learning all about objects in art, and this is part of our art and design unit foundation workshops.

I really hope you enjoy it.

Let's get stuck in.

So our outcome for today is to be able to review the range of ways artists have been inspired by objects in art.

I'm so excited to explore this topic.

It's absolutely fascinating.

So let's get stuck in straightaway.

So some of the keywords that we'll be learning and referring to throughout the session today include still life.

This is an artwork that shows an image of everyday objects that don't move.

Composition.

This is the arrangement of elements in an artwork.

Signify.

So this means to show, mean, represent or suggest something in an artwork.

So our learning today will be divided into three learning cycles.

To start with, we will look at the artists spotlight: objects.

Why do you think objects are a popular subject in art? Fabulous responses.

Well, objects can signify deeper meanings, allowing artists to convey complex themes and narratives.

Artists depict objects in many different ways, using varied techniques.

Artists depict objects in art for a variety of reasons as well.

So, for example, objects in art can be creating a still life, demonstrating technical skill, signifying deeper meaning.

So that means to suggest a deeper meaning or to represent a deeper meaning.

Exploring compositions.

So trying out different layouts with your artwork.

And, of course, for personal expression.

Some artists create still life works documenting objects with a focus on accuracy.

This kind of representation is very common in Western art history.

What other things though could be important when depicting objects in art? You can pause the video whilst you discuss this with somebody.

There's some fantastic responses there.

Thank you so much for discussing that.

Well, in some cultures, accurate depictions are less important than factors like stylized representation or objects which signify other meanings.

For example, the "Mural in the Tomb of Menna" in Egypt in 1422 to 1411 BCE depicts various containers of food in the idealised Ancient Egyptian style.

Chaekgeori, a still life form of Korea's Joseon period, features books as the subject, using altered perspective to show importance and uses a pattern-like composition.

So let's have a little check for understanding at this point.

True or false? Objects in artworks are always reproduced accurately to create a realistic depiction.

Is that true or false? You can pause the video whilst you think about this.

You're correct.

Of course it is false because visual accuracy can be important to some artists when depicting objects.

However, many find other aspects more important, such as using objects to signify meaning or using an idealised style.

Why might artists choose everyday objects for still life? Have a little think about that.

So some great responses here.

Aisha has said, "Artists had the items to hand so it was easy to observe them and practise skills." Great response, Aisha, well done.

Lucas has said, "The items might have a personal importance which adds emotion to the work." Well done, Lucas, that is certainly an aspect with the personal expression side of it.

And Sam has said, "The objects might be a common symbol for a wider concept or theme, such as a skull and death." Objects can be used in art to signify a deeper meaning or philosophical questions.

Skulls can be used in art to signify, therefore suggest, death or mortality.

Can you think of other objects that could signify a deeper meaning? You can pause the video whilst you discuss this with somebody.

Thanks for discussing that.

Well, let's have a little think about what topics each of these objects could signify.

So we've got a crown, a comb, a light bulb, and donuts.

What could each of those objects suggest or infer or mean or express? What could they signify? You can pause the video whilst you think about this.

Feel free to note down your ideas about what each of them could signify.

Well done for having a little think about that.

Of course there's an absolutely wide range of possibilities for what those objects could signify and what they mean or suggest.

So every person will be individual depending on your associations.

So still life objects can signify shared meanings as well, things that we all associate with those objects, such as Maerten Boelema de Stomme's "Still life "with so-called bearded man jar "and nautilus shell cup" made in 1644 signified wealth through valuable objects gained via colonial trade and exploitation.

Haylen Pigford blends the vanitas still life genre where objects like skulls signify life's brevity with his heritage and the cultural tradition of Dia De Los Muertos, which is also known as the Day of the Dead.

"Donuts, Coffee Cups and Comic," made in 1962 by Jann Haworth, uses donuts and newspapers to signify domestic life.

Artists can use the theme objects to signify or comment on important issues in society.

This can be part of a social action project.

Artists can use objects and the themes they signify to address important issues in the world.

Gordon Cheung's still life paintings can help us understand how history, money and power, especially China's growing influence, are connected in the modern world.

Susan Stockwell uses dressmaking patterns, tea and coffee to form a world map, which reflects upon the British colonial legacy of trade and exploitation in her work "Drawing" 2000.

Artists may use objects which have personal significance, rather than a shared meaning.

These objects can evoke emotions like nostalgia, joy, or reflection for both the artist and the viewer.

Can you think of a local artist who uses personal objects in this way? You can pause the video whilst you think about this.

Artists making personal connections with objects in their art include Marina Cruz who creates paintings of clothing worn by her close family, documenting and sharing personal memories.

Lucia Hierro and Stephanie H.

Shih who reproduce food, packaging or meals as objects to examine culture, gentrification and diasporic identity.

Jonathan Queen, who uses familiar domestic objects and toys in his narrative paintings, evoking feelings of nostalgia.

So a little check for understanding here.

Which of the following best explains why artists might use personally significant objects? Is it A, to express emotions that can connect with the viewer? B, to follow traditional art techniques and processes.

C, to make the artwork look more realistic and detailed.

Or D, to show that they own valuable important objects.

You can pause the video whilst you think about this.

And you're correct.

Of course, it is A, to express emotions that can connect with the viewer.

Well done.

So artists can work creatively with objects to produce unexpected results by rearranging objects in different compositions, changing viewpoints and angles, experimenting with materials and techniques, altering scale or proportion, combining found or unusual objects, using abstraction or distortion.

What other surprising approaches can artists take when working with objects do you think? Have a little discussion with somebody and pause the video whilst you think about this.

Artists developing their work using objects include Anwar Jalal Shemza who explored abstraction in his work "Still Life" made in 1957 by transforming objects into patterns.

Michael Craig Martin who uses bold outlines and bright colours to draw everyday objects.

He often uses overlapping in his compositions, challenging how we see and understand familiar items. Rachel Whiteread manipulates everyday objects through casting the negative space in or around them.

This transforms the negative space into tangible objects.

Artists may also use objects as a subject or material in art to challenge ideas of beauty through decay of objects, play with traditional compositions, tell stories through objects, use those objects as an art material.

For example, the readymades.

Reflect culture or history through objects.

So a little check for understanding.

Artists can use objects as a subject or material for their artwork.

Is that true or false? Well done.

It is true of course.

Artists use objects as a subject for their artwork in a variety of ways and for a variety of reasons.

Objects can also be used directly as a material to create artwork as a readymade or found object.

So now I'd like you to select two or three artists or specific artworks and compare them.

Consider these questions.

In what ways are the artworks visually similar or different? Are they different in their subject, their colour, their tone? Have they got similarities with shape, the style, the composition and layout, and the materials? What themes, symbols, or ideas do the artworks explore? Are there any connections between them? Do they both touch upon similar issues? Make sure to look at artists who use objects in their artwork.

You can pause the video whilst you do this.

Fabulous, so well done for having a little go at that comparison.

So you might have said something like Andeep here who says Jaylen Pigford's "El Negrito," made in 2022, uses smooth textures to capture objects like a skull, rosary and combs but Marina Cruz's "Whites and Blues Torn "and Mended by Dragonflies," made in 2016, focuses on accurate details of one garment.

Well done, Andeep.

Great analysis there.

Laura says, "Pigford's use of colour is highly saturated and his composition is surreal, subverting Western traditions.

However, Cruz used accuracy to create an enlarged section of the garment.

The fabric looks so realistic." Well done, Laura.

Great comparison of those two artists' works there.

So let's have a look at those similarities and differences between the artists' work.

Jaylen Pigford's has a surreal composition, highly saturated colours and smooth texture, bold contrasting tones and shadows, whereas Marina Cruz uses closeup composition, highly realistic documentation of colours and textures and soft, accurate tonal range.

Yet they do have similar ideas of decay, either using a skull or ripped elements in the fabric.

So they touch upon some similar issues that are signified in the artworks.

Well done for exploring artists who use objects.

Let's now look at visual deconstruction of objects in art.

What is the first thing you notice about this artwork? You can pause the video whilst you observe it.

Well done for having a good think about that.

Well, of course, artists use various techniques to communicate in their work.

The elements of art, including line, tone, colour, pattern, shape/form, and texture, are often used.

Also, composition, space and perspective are considered.

Materials and techniques.

Imagery and subject.

We can deconstruct these techniques to understand the work more deeply.

Which of the following is not one of the main ways artists communicate ideas in their work? A, colour, line, form, shape and texture.

B, imagery and subject selected and shown.

C, the materials and techniques used in the work.

Or D, the artist's age and personal information.

You can pause the video whilst you think about this.

Great reflection there.

You're correct of course.

The artist's age and personal information is not one of the main ways artists communicate ideas in their work.

Fabulous responses.

So going back to this original image, how are the elements of art used in this work? So the bottle, the fan fabric and the book creates strong lines, directing our focus across the work.

Organic forms in the bottle, eggs and fabric contrast with the geometric lines.

The colours in the work are warm and rich.

Texture has been added to the bottle.

Patterns create interest on the book cover and egg.

The high contrast tone creates the illusion of a shining surface.

How does the composition of these objects affect how we view each artwork? Fabulous discussion and thinking there.

So you're correct, it really can affect the outcome of the image.

Here on the right the objects are laid out flat, whereas on the left, they're arranged more thoughtfully and that completely changes the effect.

Artists can adapt how they compose objects to influence the way we interpret the work.

Composed like a traditional still life, it reflects traditional Western art, as well as ideas of wealth.

With an ordered composition seen from above, it feels like the objects are being documented or archived.

Did you interpret these compositions in a different way? Museums can alter how we view, interact with and think about objects.

The curation of objects can change them into something decorative, which may not be its original purpose.

Can you think of any visual similarities seen in this composition with traditional Western still life? Well done on reflecting on that.

Some brilliant responses.

And Sam has said, "Objects are often placed on horizontal surfaces and are often in a landscape format." Very good observations there, Sam.

Thank you.

Lucas has said, "Objects have a realistic sense of gravity and might be arranged in a triangular composition." Fantastic, Lucas, well done.

How can artists subvert Western traditions of still life composition? How can we break away from those expectations of still life that have been rooted in culture? Well, Laura says, "By changing the location of objects like Lucia Hierro grouping items in plastic bags." Well done, Laura.

Andeep says, "By presenting floating objects without gravity like Jaylen Pigford's work.

Through altering perspective, proportion or viewpoint." These are all great responses, well done.

Laura and Andeep are deconstructing the visual elements of a still life artwork.

They can see that different materials and surfaces create varied textures, objects all linked to the theme of food and drink.

Composition is in a traditional still life setup with some negative space.

Colours are brighter in the background, drawing attention there.

A wide tonal range with realistic forms has been created.

These are all wonderful observations.

Well done.

Andeep has an alternative interpretation of the same artwork.

Imbalanced composition with too much negative space.

All the techniques create similar tonal ranges and textures.

The brown paper on the bottle stands out in this kitchen-themed still life.

I noticed the pattern on the bottle.

This drew my attention.

Limited tonal range as line and shape are the focus.

So you can see there how the same image can be observed and interpreted differently by different people.

"What do you notice?" I wonder.

When visually deconstructing an artwork, it is important to remember that each person notices different elements in an artwork.

Opinions are subjective.

Past experiences shape our interpretations.

So let's check for understanding here.

How can the way artists compose objects in their work affect the viewer? Is it A, it can influence how the viewer understands the work? B, it helps artists avoid using real objects.

C, it makes the artwork more expensive to buy.

Or D, it only changes the colours used in the artwork.

Well done for thinking about that.

And you are correct of course.

It is A, it can influence how the viewer understands the work.

So now it would be great if you could select one artwork and deconstruct it.

I'd like you to describe what you can see in the artwork.

So that could be the elements of art, which include line, tone, colour, pattern, shape/form, and texture.

It can include the composition.

So thinking about the layout, the space around the objects, the perspective, any negative space.

You could also describe the materials and the different techniques that have been used.

And the imagery and the subjects.

So any themes and different subjects that have been depicted.

Also have a think about how the artist has used these techniques to communicate with the audience.

You might record this as an idea shower around an image of an artwork or write it as a paragraph.

You can pause the video whilst you do this task.

Well done for completing that task.

So let's have a look at this example.

You might have said something like this.

So if you had an image like this, you might have said that the objects are slightly abstracted with a focus on tone.

The textures of different media contrast to draw attention.

Shadows have been recorded clearly with a bold contrast.

The composition uses waves of fabric to separate the tiger from the background, creating depth.

Mark making is expressive and flowing.

Vibrant and unexpected colours have been used.

Now it's time to move on to our final learning cycle, which is personal connection in art: objects.

How can looking at an artist's work help us develop our own work? Well, Izzy has said, "Art with similar themes can develop my interests more than similar techniques or imagery." Fantastic response, Izzy.

Thank you.

Alex has said, "I'll look at techniques and compositions and try to apply them to my theme." Fantastic, Alex.

And Jun has said, "Work that has similar imagery or objects can inspire, even if the idea is different." That's a really good point.

Thank you, Jun.

So a little check for understanding at this point.

Which of the following is true about taking inspiration from art? Is it A, inspiration only comes from the theme of the artwork? B, you can only use the artist's technique for inspiration.

C, you can use any combination of imagery, theme and technique.

And D, you must use all three: imagery, theme and technique for inspiration.

Have a little think.

Well done for reflecting upon that.

You are correct of course.

It is C, that you can be inspired by any combination of imagery, theme and technique.

Any part of the artwork can inspire you.

Even if the images are different, there might be some themes that inspire you or some techniques.

There are a number of things which can cause us to have a personal connection with an artwork, such as use of techniques or expression of themes.

We can establish a personal connection to an artwork by interpreting how objects in a composition can signify deeper meanings or a theme.

We can often find links to our own work through deconstructing both the themes and techniques used in an artwork.

What objects are represented in this still life? What themes do you interpret from those objects and the composition of them in this artwork? Well done on reflecting on that.

Great thoughts and responses.

So Aisha has said, "This work inspires my theme of growth and decay.

I can add modern items into an older style of composition." Well done, Aisha.

Jacob has said, "My theme is religion.

I'll use objects which relate to faith celebrations, but arrange them in a Western still life composition." Great response, Jacob.

Thank you.

And Sofia has said, "I wanted to look at domestic scenes from different cultures and I will use beautiful dramatic lighting like this artwork." Thank you, Sofia.

Can you think of other theme interpretations? You can pause the video whilst you discuss this with somebody.

Thank you for discussing that.

Well done.

There are lots of different theme interpretations of course.

And now just to check for understanding, is this true or false? We can only establish a connection with a still life artwork if it contains objects that are personal to us.

Is that true or false? Well done for thinking about that.

It is false and that's because we can connect to an artwork by finding links to our own ideas and developing work.

We can interpret different themes from the objects and techniques used in a still life.

So now I'd like you to select one artwork and use the questions below to consider your personal connection to it.

What themes, symbols, or ideas does this artwork explore? Are there any symbols, imagery, or connections between them that help create a narrative, a story or show or suggest meaning? What do they signify? Which techniques, processes or creative decisions in this artwork inspire you? And how might you use those techniques or creative decisions in your own artwork? You could record this as an idea shower around an image of the artwork or write it down as a paragraph.

You can pause the video whilst you do this.

Well done for completing that task.

There's been some really good reflection there.

So you might have had an image like this and you could have said that, for example, the theme is memory and family.

That might be how you interpreted it.

And for you that this still life feels like a portrait of your grandmother.

It evokes feelings of nostalgia for tea time with her.

The traditional tea cup especially makes you think of that.

You could have said that you're drawn to the range of different techniques, like monoprinting, collage and drawing.

And that you will take inspiration by creating a still life composition using objects which link to somebody in your family, like your brother.

You could collage different items together and test different compositions before selecting the best one.

Also with this example, you could have said that the theme could be interpreted as home and away.

In this artwork, the tiger signifies the artist to me.

I feel like they are describing a journey and the fabric makes me think of waves.

The way the image is composed suggests a gap between the tiger and the background, which could represent the artist's past.

I will use my own objects from home and show how I moved house in year seven using composition to create distance.

I aim to use colour to create emotions.

Well, that's all we've got time for today.

I hope you've enjoyed our lesson about objects in fine art as much as I've enjoyed leading you through it.

It's certainly been eye-opening and I hope you've got a lot out of it.

So let's just summarise some of the key points that we've learned today.

Objects can signify, mean, infer, suggest deeper meanings, allowing artists to convey complex themes and narratives.

Artists can use the themes and objects to signify and comment on important issues in society.

Artists can choose objects that hold personal significance, creating works that resonates emotionally.

By composing objects thoughtfully, artists can guide viewers through a visual story.

Thank you so much for joining me today, and I look forward to seeing you again soon.

Well done.