Gabriel Orozco believes that "very simple gestures and actions" can transform any experience, even the most mundane, into a work of art. These actions often result in objects that either cease to exist or change over time. In this way, Orozco challenges the accepted definitions of art and artistic practices. The vast majority of his work, which varies broadly in media, results from slight interventions in or interactions with his immediate environment, whether a supermarket, a beach, the streets of a rural village, or an urban landscape. To make Piedra que cede (Yielding Stone), Orozco shaped nearly 150 pounds of plasticine (equal approximately to his own body weight) into a ball and pushed it through the streets of New York City. In the process, dirt and detritus from the streets were embedded in the surface of this malleable material. Orozco references many art-making traditions in this work: Arte Povera's recycling of prosaic materials, Earth Art's exploration of sites beyond the gallery or museum, and the engagement of the artist's own body in performance art.

Gabriel Orozco believes that "very simple gestures and actions" can transform any experience, even the most mundane, into a work of art. These actions often result in objects that either cease to exist or change over time. In this way, Orozco challenges the accepted definitions of art and artistic practices. The vast majority of his work, which varies broadly in media, results from slight interventions in or interactions with his immediate environment, whether a supermarket, a beach, the streets of a rural village, or an urban landscape. To make Piedra que cede (Yielding Stone), Orozco shaped nearly 150 pounds of plasticine (equal approximately to his own body weight) into a ball and pushed it through the streets of New York City. In the process, dirt and detritus were embedded in the surface of this malleable material. Orozco references many art-making traditions in this work: the recycling of ordinary materials, exploration of art spaces beyond the gallery or museum, and the engagement of the artist's own body in performance art.

This tour looks at the theme of identity by examining works by artists who have lived in more than one place or culture. This activity could be used in the Walker Art Center galleries, Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, or in the classroom with a selection of images from Art Collector. The artworks included in the activity are suggestions only and instructors may choose different artworks to accompany the discussion questions.  This particular activity comes from the section of the Tour Guide Tool Kit called Living in Our Time.

Living in Our Time Activity Title: A Foot in Two Cultures Theme: Who Am I? Age: Grades 8–Adult Overview: This tour looks at the theme of identity by examining works by artists who have lived in more than one place or culture. This activity could be used in the Walker Art Center galleries, Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, or in the classroom with a selection of images from Art Collector. The artworks included in the activity are suggestions only and instructors may choose different artworks to accompany the discussion questions. Procedure: Setting the Scene What does it mean when we say we live in a global world? It can mean many things economically, politically, and culturally. In our world today people move between places and cultures more than ever before. They move as immigrants, refugees, or visitors and travel either physically or virtually, through the media and the internet. Ask (Note: Some of the following questions may be too personal for some people. Let them know that they can just think about these ideas. You could also ask if they have traveled to a different culture.) Have you ever lived in a country other than the one you were born in? If so, where did you live? How was that place different from where you live now? Or have you ever lived in two cultures simultaneously, such as here in the Twin Cities and in another place? Perhaps you experience different cultures at home and at school or work. Have you ever been with a group and felt like an outsider?  The United States, Minnesota, and the Twin Cities, for example, have become more culturally diverse because of movement between cultures. For many people, including artists working today, their identity is a mixture of two or more cultures. On our tour today, we are going to see how some artists express this in their art. Begin Looking Begin the tour in the Pop gallery to develop a shared understanding of how culture can be expressed through art. Ask: What do you know about the culture of the 1960s in the United States? Who were important people? (Think about musicians, politicians, celebrities, and artists.) What places were important (New York, San Francisco)? What activities typified the 1960s art world? (Answers include happenings, blurring the boundaries between high art and popular culture, and technologies such as photo silkscreen, Polaroid, and video.) What ideas were key to the 1960s art world (experimentation, sexual freedom, protest, counterculture)? Discuss with the group one or two works of art that reflect some of these elements from the 1960s. Select works by three or four artists who have lived in more than one country or culture. (See the list below for ideas.) Discuss each work with a focus on how the artist’s multicultural background informs his or her art. Some topics to include: •    places that have been part of this artist’s experience (for example, the artist’s birthplace, traditional cultures, where he or she was educated, places where the artist has immigrated or traveled) •    people (such as other artists, cultural figures, or celebrities) who are part of their art world •    activities important to the artist (for example, art forms, techniques, and media; traditional practices; contemporary practices) •    ideas (such as religious, political, and philosophical) with which the artist is familiar How do these things help us to understand the work of art? Ask What do you see in this artwork? How can we learn about the culture (people, places, activities, and ideas) of these artists? What do you know about the artist’s home country or current place of residence? Does the artist include cultural references in this work? If so, what are they? Does the artist’s experience of bridging or coming from contrasting cultures inform this work? How? Why do you think the artist chose to make this work? How does the artist’s choice of materials contribute to the overall meaning of the work? Are there other ideas or issues expressed in the work? Suggested artists: For each of these artists, more research needs to be done to provide information about their cultural world. Yoko Ono Nam June Paik Isamu Noguchi Julie Mehretu Chris Ofili Gabriel Orozco Conclusion Is it important to understand the cultural references and/or background of the artist in order to understand or appreciate the work? Why or why not? Many people (artists and others) have lived in more than one culture. Knowing their backgrounds can help us to have a broader definition of contemporary art in a global world. And it helps us find a path to understand the meaning of unfamiliar artwork. What are some ways that artists express their experience bridging cultures? What makes up your cultural world? How might you express this in a creative way?

Tour participants explore both traditional and nontraditional portraiture. Viewers begin to understand that a portrait need not be a likeness of a person in order to be an effective representation. This activity could be used in the Walker Art Center galleries, Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, or in the classroom with a selection of images from Art Collector. The artworks included in the activity are suggestions only and instructors may choose different artworks to accompany the discussion questions. This activity comes from the Living in Our Time section of the Tour Guide Tool Kit.

Living in Our Time Activity Title: Introduction to Portraiture Theme: Who Am I? Age: Grades K–Adult Overview: Tour participants explore both traditional and nontraditional portraiture. Viewers begin to understand that a portrait need not be a likeness of a person in order to be an effective representation. This activity could be used in the Walker Art Center galleries, Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, or in the classroom with a selection of images from Art Collector. The artworks included in the activity are suggestions only and instructors may choose different artworks to accompany the discussion questions. Procedure: Setting the Scene Option 1: Have you ever had a portrait made of yourself? (You might show a school picture as an example.) What kinds of things do you want people to know about you when they look at your school picture? Have you ever made a portrait? Of whom? Did you try to make it look as much like the person as possible? What materials did you use? What other materials can artists use to make portraits? Are there any other ways to make portraits? Can objects represent a person? What object would you choose to represent yourself? Why? Have you ever made a nontraditional self-portrait? What did you use? What did you include? Option 2: Show an example of a very traditional portrait. Why do you think an artist might have painted a portrait in the past? Why might an artist paint a portrait today? What is the artist telling us about this person? Do you think the person being portrayed had an opinion about how he or she would look? What did the subject want to tell us about him- or herself? Have you seen other portraits like this? Where? What is traditional about this portrait? What is nontraditional? (Keep track of some of the ways that participants defined a traditional portrait.) Today we’re going to look at some artworks that could be called portraits, but they might be different from what you would expect to see. During this tour I’d like you to think about the many different ways that artists can make portraits. Begin Looking On the tour, focus on works that might be considered portraits, both traditional and nontraditional. Discuss each work, emphasizing how the piece meets the definition of a portrait.. Ask Questions about a single portrait: Is there anything traditional about this portrait, based on what we discussed earlier? If so, what? Is there anything nontraditional? If so, what? Have you ever seen any other portraits that were sculptures, paintings, or photographs? Where? How is this one different? How do you think this (sculpture, painting, photograph) looks different from the way the person really looked? What do you think this person’s personality was like? How can you tell from the artwork? Are there any clues that might tell us how this work was made? What are some possible reasons that the artist made this portrait? When comparing two portraits: What are some things about these portraits that are the same? What are some things that are different? Which one do you think looks more like the real person? Which one tells you more about the person represented? What do you see that makes you say that? Conclusion Which work of art matched your idea of a traditional portrait? Which surprised you the most? Why? Which portrait do you think told you the most about the person? If you were going to make a self-portrait or a portrait of someone else, what materials would you use? Do you have different ideas about portraits now than you did before the tour? How? Which artist would you want to create your portrait? Why? Props: Example(s) of traditional portraiture for comparison Tips: Try to incorporate a variety of portraits on the tour. Suggested works: Alberto Giacometti Buste de Diego (Bust of Diego) circa 1954 Andy Warhol 16 Jackies 1964 Rineke Dijkstra The Buzz Club, Liverpool, England/Mysteryworld, Zaandam, Netherlands 1996–1997 Gabriel Orozco Piedra que cede (Yielding Stone) 1992 Joseph Beuys Schlitten (Sled) 1969