Lesson video

Hello everyone.

How are you today? I hope you're feeling great.

My name is Ms. Afzal, and I'll be your art teacher for this lesson, which I'm very, very pleased about because we are looking at something really interesting today.

Our lesson is called Personal to universal: art as connection.

I'm very interested in this on how do we connect to others through art.

How do we find our place in this world? A lesson that comes from the unit of work Personal identity.

I hope you're feeling interested in exploring identity and connection today.

If you're ready with some interest, openness, and enthusiasm, we will begin.

The outcome for today's lesson is I understand how art can share ideas and emotions that connect people, even if they're from different places or times.

We have some keywords in our lesson.

Feelings, connection, and story.

Feelings means an emotional reaction.

Connection when people, places, or things feel linked together through feelings, experiences, memories or relationships.

And story, a way of sharing something that happened whether real or imagined.

These are our keywords.

Our lesson is called Personal to universal: art as connection, and it has three learning cycles.

Connecting through art, personal story to shared experience, and create an artwork to share a personal story.

Let's begin with connecting through art.

Have you ever seen a picture, artwork, or symbol that made you feel something, even if you didn't know exactly what it meant? Pause here and share with someone if you've had that experience.

Thank you for sharing.

I've had it countless times.

I find it a really wonderful thing to experience.

Humans have always used images and symbols to share ideas, tell stories, and express feelings.

They were a raw, instinctive way of communicating important human experiences, often tied to survival, belief, ritual, and emotion.

And we can see an example of cave art on the screen.

A painting, sculpture, or even a simple drawing can evoke feelings even if we don't speak the same language or come from the same place.

Art can remind us that, deep down, we often share the same hopes, worries, and joys, thus being human.

Everyone reacts to art in their own unique way.

Some artworks are meant to comfort, while others might challenge or disturb.

How does this artwork make you feel? Pause here and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing.

Let's hear from Sofia.

I feel excited looking at this piece.

It feels dreamlike.

I can imagine flying around on one of the chairs.

And here's Jun.

This artwork makes me feel a bit spooked, like being inside a scary story.

So we can see some very different responses to the same artwork.

Let's have a check for understanding.

True or false? Art can connect people.

Pause here and decide if this statement is true or false.

Well done if you selected true.

And now I'd like you to say a little more about your answer.

Perhaps you said something like this.

Art can connect people by expressing shared emotions, stories, and cultural experiences, fostering understanding and empathy across different backgrounds.

Many artists make artwork that transcends language and conveys universal feelings, including.

Kathe Kollwitz whose stark, emotional depictions of grief, war, and motherhood express human suffering and compassion.

Michelangelo who sculptures express awe, grief and human dignity and still admired across the world centuries later.

Emily Kame Kngwarreye whose work is an example of how Indigenous knowledge, spirituality, and connection to place can communicate powerfully across cultures and eras.

Edvard Munch who's painting "The Scream" channels anxiety and dread in a way that people across areas and cultures instinctively understand.

Universal themes are understood globally, even when expressed in different ways, including.

Love, warm tones, touch symbolism, connection.

Loss, negative space, muted colours, body language, fragments.

Hope, light, open space, symbols of life, resilience.

Conflict, aggressive linework, clashing figures, symbolic imagery, visual disruption.

And joy, vibrant colours, swirling shapes, movement, rhythm, humour, nature.

What theme could this artwork represent? Pause here and share with someone.

Here's Alex.

This image could be about loss.

The lonely purple figure could be someone who has become distanced from their family.

Or Izzy.

I think this artwork could be symbolising connection between people as the lines overlap each other.

Again, two interesting and different responses.

What could this artwork represent? Pause here and share with someone.

Here's Sam.

The artwork could represent loss as there are fragments of something more whole.

Almost like a jigsaw.

And Andeep.

To me, it looks like conflict as the shapes are jagged and sharp.

They look as though they are moving towards each other in anger.

I wonder if these are similar or different to the ideas you came up with.

Art can be interpreted in different ways.

Themes such as hope can be communicated symbolically in a variety of ways.

Sprouting plants, eggs, phoenixes, and butterflies, all symbolise hope, birth, and transformation.

Themes such as hope might also be communicated symbolically by using imagery of sunlight, glowing halos, rays breaking through clouds, or single light in darkness.

Themes such as hope might also be communicated symbolically by using imagery of expansive landscapes, distant horizons or open windows offer the viewer a visual way forward.

Themes such as hope might also be communicated symbolically by using imagery of colour, colour contrast.

Colour contrast, dark to light, can represent a journey from despair to hope.

Check for understanding.

What visual element might an artist use to show loss? A, bright, warm colours.

B, negative space or emptiness.

C, repetitive patterns.

Pause here while you decide.

Well done.

if you selected B.

Indeed negative space or emptiness could be used to show loss.

And now it's time for your first task.

I would like you to make an artwork to symbolise hope.

Select and gather imagery connected to the theme of hope to inspire your artwork.

Consider symbolic objects, views, shapes, patterns, or colours.

So pause here while you complete this part of your task.

Selecting and gathering imagery connected to the theme of hope.

Okay, good to be back with you.

How did you get on? Here's Jun.

I found a seedling in our art room by the window.

This is a strong visual symbol of growth and hope.

I also found images of light coming through cloud online.

And now create a line drawing of one or more elements to symbolise the theme of hope.

Pause here while you have a go at this part of your task.

Here's Jun.

I've drawn a sprouting seedling to symbolise hope.

New growth could represent new beginnings.

And Sofia.

I've sketched a butterfly to symbolise hope.

They represent transformation, new beginnings, and rebirth.

This could signify a positive change in someone's life.

Oh, I love that.

I love a butterfly.

And now we're onto our next learning cycle.

Personal story to shared experience.

Artists often transform experiences from their lives into artwork.

Even though a story is personal, the feelings behind it are often universal.

When artists share their stories through art, viewers from different cultures or times can relate and feel connected, even without knowing the details.

What could this artwork be about? Pause here and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing.

Here's Jacob.

This artwork could possibly be about the pandemic when everyone had to be in bubbles.

Communities connected during this time, despite being kept apart.

What a time.

Personal stories can include family history, traditions, or cultural backgrounds.

These enrich artwork with unique perspectives and help preserve and share heritage.

Check for understanding.

How can personal stories and art connect people from different cultures? Is it A, by using only words in the artist's native language.

B, by making art that looks exactly the same across cultures.

Or C, by expressing universal feelings like love, loss, or hope.

Pause here while you decide.

Well done if you selected answer C.

Indeed, it's by expressing universal feelings like love, loss, or hope that personal stories in art can connect people from different cultures.

Creating art from personal stories can help artists.

It provides a safe space to explore feelings and sometimes find hope.

It gives them a way to reflect, release, and make sense of what they're experiencing.

Personal stories can be full of feelings.

Artists use their work to express these feelings in a way that words sometimes can't.

This can be done through movement, rhythm, colour, line, shape, and composition.

Many artists use their personal stories as inspiration, including.

Sutapa Biswas who works with painting, film, and installation, and often draws on her childhood memories and her mother's experiences.

Her work explores being in-between cultures.

Mona Hatoum, who works in installation, sculpture, and video exploring themes of displacement, conflict, and the body.

Lars Lerin, a watercolour painter whose works often reflect his personal struggles with identity and mental health, conveying vulnerability and hope.

And Farwa Moledina whose work is concerned with the lived experiences of Muslim women through pattern and textiles.

Check for understanding.

True or false? Personal stories in art help viewers connect emotionally even if they have different backgrounds.

Pause here while you decide if this statement is true or false.

Well done if you selected true.

Now, I'd like you tell a little more about your answer.

Perhaps you said something like this.

Personal stories in art show universal emotions through colours and shapes, helping people from different backgrounds feel and understand those emotions.

Discussing an artwork helps us to see different perspectives and understand the work more deeply.

We can observe.

What stands out for you? We can look at intent.

What do you think the artist is trying to say? Theme.

Does it connect to personal or cultural contexts? Connection.

And how does it make you feel? And now let's move on to our next task.

I'd like you to observe and discuss an artwork that you feel is expressing a personal story.

Choose an artwork.

Look closely at the artwork and record your observations.

What story or message do you think the artist wants to share? Are there any experiences or emotions being shared? How does the artwork make you feel? You might record your responses as a voice recording, bullet points, mind map, or short paragraph.

Pause here while you have a go at this task.

Good to be back with you.

How did you get on with that? Let's hear from Aisha.

I've chosen an artwork called "Melancholy," also known as "Emptiness" by Albert Gyorgy.

The sculpture has a large, seated copper figure slumped over.

There is a large void inside the figure which could symbolise grief or loss.

The body language is very powerful and makes me feel emotional.

And Sam.

I've chosen an artwork called "Nightmare" by Shamsia Hassani.

There is a female figure with her eyes down, walking away from the dark figures of the Taliban.

She's wearing bright colours and holding onto a keyboard.

To me, it signifies hope.

The artwork makes me feel lucky that I'm not experiencing what she is.

Thanks for your observations and discussions.

And now onto our final learning cycle, create an artwork to share a personal story.

Art is a powerful way to share your experiences and feelings.

Making art about your own life helps you express what you might find hard to say, makes you understand yourself better, and can even boost your confidence.

Artists connect with their audience by sharing something personal that people can relate to.

They use imagery, colours, symbols, and stories that spark emotions or memories in viewers.

Art doesn't need to show every single detail to connect or express something important.

Sometimes using just a few key symbols, colours, or shapes can be just as powerful.

Let's have a check for understanding.

True or false? You have to tell every detail of your story in your artwork for it to be meaningful.

Pause here and decide if the statement is true or false.

Well done if you said false.

And now I'd like you to say a little more about your answer.

Pause here while you do this.

Perhaps you said something like this.

It's about sharing the heart of your experience, not every fact.

This leaves space for interpretation and personal connection.

Many artists share their personal stories through the use of silhouettes or figures, including.

Tammam Azzam, whose works often feature dark human silhouettes or anonymous figures juxtaposed with destroyed buildings or classical European art.

Kumi Yamashita uses light and shadow to create silhouettes, often of people, by carefully arranging objects or materials.

Harry Callahan, a photographer whose use of contrast and light emphasises the body's relationship to its surroundings.

And Auguste Edouart was known for his precise cut-paper silhouette portraits of 19th-century figures across Britain and the US.

In visual art, the images we choose to include, or even just the space around a subject, can tell a story.

What story might this artwork be telling? Pause here and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing.

The things we see in our everyday lives including our homes, nature, or city streets can become powerful symbols in our artwork.

By carefully choosing imagery, we can express parts of our personal stories.

Check for understanding.

What is one reason an artist might carefully choose a particular background in their work? Is it A, to fill up empty space.

B, to help express feelings or meaning.

Or C, to make the picture more colourful.

Pause here while you decide.

Well done if you chose answer B.

Indeed, it could be to help express feelings or meaning that an artist might carefully choose a particular background in their work.

For the next part of the lesson, you will need.

Some A4 or A3 paper.

Pencil.

Scissors.

Camera is optional.

Watercolours, oil pastels, pencil crayons, marker pens.

So pause here while you gather what you'll need for this next part of the lesson.

Okay, great to be back with you and with everything you've gathered.

There are many ways you could express your own story of love, loss, hope, conflict, or joy.

You could draw a figure outline.

And then cut out the figure to create a negative space.

The negative space inside a figure can symbolise hidden meaning.

You can position a negative space within the figure over a background which you think reflects your own story of love, hope, loss, conflict, or joy.

You might use a photograph, found imagery, fabric, wall paper, decorative paper or text.

This artist has taken photographs of actual objects or imagery to represent hobbies or interests.

So balls of wool could reflect a love of knitting or textiles.

A chess board could represent an interest in chess or games in general.

Textures, colours, and imagery can represent a range of different feelings.

Here's Izzy.

This artwork reminds me of grief.

Imagine when you're grieving, it feels like a heavy weight.

These stones symbolise it perfectly.

Well put, Izzy.

You could also paint the figure and add details such as patterns or mark-making directly into the figure.

So paint the figure.

And then add detail with oil pasts or markers.

You could draw an outline shape of a figure and draw imagery or a scene directly within the shape.

So draw imagery within a figure.

And apply colour using watercolour paint.

Check for understanding.

True or false? Textures, colours, and imagery all represent the same feelings.

Pause here while you decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected false.

And now I'd like you to say a little more about your answer.

Pause here while you do this.

Perhaps you said something like this.

Textures, colours, and imagery can represent a range of different feelings.

Art is open to interpretation and our personal experiences shape how we connect with and understand an artwork.

And now it's time for your final task.

I would like you to create an artwork to share your own story of love, loss, hope, conflict, or joy.

You could either.

Draw an outline of a figure and add imagery within the figure to share your personal story.

Or you could draw and cut out the outline of a figure to create a negative shape.

Add photographs, found imagery, text, fabric, wall paper, or decorative paper behind the negative space.

So pause here while you have a go at this task and I'll see you when you're finished.

Good to be back with you.

How did you get on? Here's Andeep.

This image represents hope, with the winding road leading to brighter colours.

The green starts off darker at the feet, gradually becoming lighter, as does the golden sky.

Almost like walking towards better things.

And here's Alex.

My artwork is about love.

I've included a figure holding onto a smaller one.

And Jacob.

I made a piece about conflict.

I used harsh jagged lines getting more severe in my head to show tension.

And thanks for having a go at sharing your own story of love, loss, hope, conflict, or joy through your artwork.

In our lesson, Personal to universal: art as connection, we've covered the following.

Art can connect people by expressing shared feelings, ideas, or experiences.

Even if we come from different places, seeing someone else's story in a drawing, photo, or sculpture can help us feel connected and understood.

Making art about our own stories helps us understand ourselves better.

It's a way to share who we are, what we felt, and what matters to us without always needing words.

Thank you everyone for joining in with this lesson.

There was a lot of feeling and emotion in this lesson, and I appreciate you joining in to whatever degree you felt able to and expressing whatever feelings or stories you wanted to be expressed.

Art can be so helpful in that way.

I'm looking forward to seeing you at another art lesson soon.

Until then, stay creative.