This tour looks at works of art that explore issues of gender and gender identity. Participants learn that many contemporary artists explore these issues in their work, and in a variety of ways. 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 is from the Living in Our Time section of the Tour Guide Tool Kit.

Living in Our Time Activity Title: Gender and Identity   Theme: Who Am I?   Age: Grades 9–Adult   Overview: This tour looks at works of art that explore issues of gender and gender identity. Participants learn that many contemporary artists explore these issues in their work, and in a variety of ways. 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 the term “gender identity” mean? Are there any issues surrounding the term “gender identity” that you have seen in the media or talked about in school lately? What were they? What kinds of issues around gender do you think artists might be exploring today? This tour will look at work by modern and contemporary artists who explore gender issues. As you will see, that can mean a variety of ideas, concepts, styles, methods, materials, and subjects. As we look at each work of art, however, I’d like you to think about gender.   Begin Looking The tour should include a variety of artworks that deal with portrayals of men or women, and works that explore issues relating to gender and gender identity. Include information about the emergence of Feminist Art during the 1970s.   Ask What are some words you might use to describe this image of a woman/man? How do you think this image reflects the artist’s feelings or intentions? Which of the issues that we talked about at the start of the tour seem to be reflected in this work? What do you see that makes you say that? How do you think the artist feels about his or her subject?   Conclusion Contemporary artists address many issues in their work, including gender.  Why do you think artists might be interested in exploring this topic? Which work that we have seen seems to address this topic in the most obvious way? How about the most subtle way? Where are some other places in society that we see people struggling with gender issues?     Props: None   Tips: Some possible works to include:   Yoko Ono Cut Piece 1965 Robert Gober Newspaper 1992 Lee Bontecou Untitled No. 38 1961 Works by Sherrie Levine or Cindy Sherman This could be part of a tour on the concept of identity. Combine with the activity A Foot in Two Cultures and include and discuss works that deal with issues of race, such as those by Kara Walker and David Hammons.

Tour participants examine, imitate, and interpret the expressions of subjects in painting and sculpture, as they discover that works of art can convey emotion and feeling. 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: Our Expressions/Their Expressions Theme: Who Am I? Age: Grades K–4 Overview: Tour participants examine, imitate, and interpret the expressions of subjects in painting and sculpture, as they discover that works of art can convey emotion and feeling. 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 can our facial expressions tell about us? Can we show how we are feeling without saying a word? How? Can you tell what a friend is thinking by just looking at your friend? Let’s practice interpreting our expressions, and then we will try to imitate the expressions found in some artworks. Begin Looking Choose a partner and sit down, facing each other. (You may need to assist with this or assign partners.) Show your partner how you felt when you got up this morning. Show your partner your angriest look. Now show your happiest look. Take turns showing different expressions and have your partner guess how you are feeling. What colors would you use to show some of these feelings? (Give examples such as happy, angry, and sad.) Now let’s look at some paintings or sculptures of people. I would like you all to stand in front of this artwork and imitate its expression. Ask How do you think the person in this work is feeling? What is the person thinking about? Now let’s look even more closely. What colors do you see? Why do you think the artist chose these colors? How do the materials, textures, lines, shapes, or other elements in this artwork help explain how the subject is feeling, or what the artist was feeling when he or she made the work? These elements are clues to help us understand what emotion or idea an artist is trying to express in an artwork. Conclusion Artists express emotion in many ways. Some are easier to imitate than others. Which artwork was the easiest to imitate? Which was the hardest? Which was the easiest to figure out? Is there a piece we looked at today that you need more time to think about? If you could have any artist we’ve seen today create a portrait of you, which artist would you choose? Why? Props: None Tips: For more sophisticated viewers, include works in which the “expression” might be more difficult to decipher. For example: Lee Bontecou  Untitled No. 38  1961 Willem de Kooning  Woman  circa 1952 Yoko Ono  Cut Piece  1965 Judith Shea  Without Words  1988