1. Portraits of Change 1
Portraits of Change
ART
HS Advanced
VA:Pr6.1.IIIa
Overview
Curate a collection of objects, artifacts, or artwork to impact viewer’s
understanding of social, cultural, and or political experiences.
Prior to this lesson: students will be able to identify contextual information
important to interpret an artwork. Students are able to analyze artworks in
writing using descriptive words and the elements and principles. Students will
be able to select and analyze artworks for presentation and preservation.
In this lesson, students will view works from Al Mutinabi Street prior to
hearing the project’s mission. Students will consider how the artworks are
similar in characteristics and themes. Students will speculate the inspiration for
the artworks from Al Mutanabbi Street. Teacher will then reveal event that
inspired the art project. Students will review the works and describe imagery
or characteristics of the work that represent the mission of Al Mutanabbi
Street. Students will then speculate social, cultural, and political themes in
artworks by artists including contemporary artists Ai Wei Wei, Imran Qureshi,
Chris Jordan, Al Mutanabbi Street Artists, IHeart, and Banksy. Students will
analyze the artist’s works and identify how the work impacts the viewers
understanding of social, cultural, or political experience. Students will then
review cultures, social issues, and political movements as possible themes for
their show. Students will browse works in several collections on internet
sources. Students will then determine a culture, social, or political theme for
their show and begin selecting works.
Students will select 3-5 works that represent a social, political, or cultural
theme. Students will recreate those works in an artwork representing an
important figure that connects to their theme.
Objectives
Students will be able to
§ Curate 3-5 objects or artworks to impact viewers understanding of
social, cultural or political experiences.
§ Identify an important figure in a cultural, social, or political
movement
§ Create an artwork that depicts the curated images in the background
of the portrait. Create the portrait using magazine clippings.
Activities
1. Teacher will begin lesson with video of Al Mutinabi Street project and
mission. Students will reflect on the bombing in Baghdad and the
Materials
Artworks by Ai Wei Wei, Banksy,
IHeart, Imran Quereshi, Chris
Jordan, and works from Al Mutinabi
Street.
Technology Devices, Art Resource
Books, Drawing Supplies,
Newspapers, Glue, Scissors, X-acto
knives, Painting supplies.
Other Resources
Al Mutanabbi Street is a movement
inspired by a car bomb explosion on
al-Mutanabbi Street in Baghdad in
2007. The explosion killed 30 people
and injured more than 100 others. It
destroyed the historic and cultural
center of Baghdad. The coalition has
made a call to book artists for
donations to rebuild the historic
center of Baghdad.
Ai Wei Wei is an artist who lives and
works in Bejing. His work revolves
around social and political themes
using a variety of media from
installation to documentary.
Chris Jordan is a contemporary artist
created works with social themes.
Running the Numbers is a series of
woks that he created using images
replicated to match specific statistics.
Imran Qureshi is an Iranian artist
who creates works about the violence
and turmoil in the Middle East.
Banksy and IHeart are contemporary
graffiti artists who create socially and
politically charged works.

2. Portraits of Change 2
movement that followed. Teacher will ask students to consider issues
that inspiring movements today? Students will list ideas with a partner
in their sketchbooks.
2. Teacher will present artworks that represent a variety of contemporary
perspectives. Artworks shown include Imran Qureshi, Banksy, IHeart,
Ai Wei Wei, and Chris Jordan.
3. Students will analyze the works shown speculating the issue or event
that has inspired the works. Teacher will guide students through
analysis and provide information regarding artworks importance.
4. Students will browse, analyze, and select artworks to represent an
issue or event. Students will utilize online resources such as The
Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Tate, The Moma, and The Google
Art Project to locate artworks and artifacts.
5. Students will identify a figure connected to their theme or event and
use their selected artworks to create a portrait of the figure.
Adaptations
Advanced students: Curate 3 works for each theme, social, political, and
cultural. Students will create an advanced artwork incorporating 3 people
Beginning students: Identify experiences as social, political, and cultural from
pre-selected works.
Evaluation
Students will be assessed by a rubric. Rubric will focus on students’ ability to
identify artists’ or works that address social, political and cultural experiences.
Students will be assessed by the accuracy of their analysis and descriptions.