Muralistas
MexicanOs
Introduction
This lesson is about the three great Mexican muralists: Diego Rivera,
José Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros. It is a Web-based activity in which
you will learn about Mexican murals by reading biographies of the artists,
studying their works, and becoming a master art historian and critic. You
will collect information, images, and insight from the Internet in order to
create your scrapbook. In order to share what you learned with the class,
you will present to the class one example of one of the artist’s pieces and
your interpretation of what the sequel would be.
You will be working in teams as you research the artist and study the works. When your group does the presentation, you will assume the role of the artist and the murals in class. You will actually become the mural through the use of costumes, props, and the help of the artist.
The Task
The task is to research one of
the artists thoroughly and create a scrapbook with the information. Then you
and your group members will present your research by “acting out” one of the
murals that you have researched, as well as the sequel that you will create
according to your own interpretation.
As a class presentation, you will assume the roles of the people, things and
the background in the murals.
The Process
1.
Brainstorm with your group members to see what you already
know about the artist assigned to you.
2. Research
his life and works through the exploration of the sites provided, additional
sites you find through your own research, and books in the library. The following
sites will provide you with a plethora of information.
Diego Rivera
Diego Rivera
http://www.diegorivera.com/index.html
Diego Rivera Portraits and Biography
http://www.fbuch.com/diego.htm
Museo Mural in Mexico City
http://www.arts-history.mx/museomural.html
Museo
de Arte Moderno in Mexico http://www.artshistory.mx/museos/mam/home.html
David
ALFaro Siqueiros
Siqueiros and his works
http://www.adanigallery.com/Siqueiros/main.html
Siqueiros’ Paintings and Biography
http://www.uol.com.br/bienal/24bienal/nuh/enuhsiqueir01.htm
Siqueiros’ Paintings
http://www.barriolife.com/artists/siqueiros.html
Siqueiros’ Biography
http://digilander.libero.it/webpainter/indice/sezioni/text/siqueiros.html
José
Orozco
Orozco’s paintings
http://www.barriolife.com/artists/orozco.html
Orozco biography
http://www.slider.com/enc/39000/Orozco_Jose_Clemente.htm
José Orozco
http://www.barriolife.com/artists/orozcobio.html
3.
Individually, create a colorful and artistic scrapbook about
the muralist. In the scrapbook include an essay in Spanish about the artist’s
life, influences and art. The essay should be approximately 200 words. Include
pictures of 3 of the artist’s murals: two of your favorite works and the mural
that you will present to the class. You should include a description of each
of them. Lastly, draw a picture of a mural that would have been the artist’s
next. When you have completed the scrapbook, it will have the following: an
essay, 3 copies of murals with descriptions, and a drawing by you of the next
mural.
4.
As a group, you will present one of the murals to the class
through the use of simulation. You will have to dress up in costume and become
the mural. One member of the group will be the artist and she/he will talk
about the mural. The other members will say what they represent in the mural.
When you are finished, show the class a picture of the actual mural. After
presenting the artist’s mural, you will also present what you think the next
mural in the series would have been. Follow the same procedure for your presentation.
Before simulating the mural, write
a list of any and all new vocabulary words that you have learned. At the end
of the presentation, there will be a quiz of the information and vocabulary.
Initial Steps
Before beginning this project,
check that everyone in your group is familiar with the muralists. Use the
links to answer the following questions:
1.
Who are they?
2. When and
where did they create their art?
3.
What did they express and why?
4.
Who were their inspirations?
5. Why are
the pieces that you have chosen important? What do they mean to you?
Advice
When researching information, take notes about the muralists. Write down important dates, facts, and influences. Take notes in Spanish in your own words. Ask yourself if it is important information in the formation of the artist. When you choose the mural that you will act out, make sure that there are enough people, animals, or things for each person in your group. Use the following sites to learn more about Mexican history.
Evaluation
You will be evaluated on your booklet and the presentation. The booklet
and the presentation are worth 50 points each.
Closure
By the end of this project, you will have developed a personal understanding and appreciation for the tradition of murals in Mexican history. Not only will you understand the importance and prevalence of the murals created during the first half of this century, but also the murals that are created today. This will be realized through the research and the simulation. You will be enriched once again by another understanding of this rich culture that we are studying through the acquisition of a second language.