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IDEAS TAKE SHAPE Text prepared by Gail Davitt and Mary Kay Dunbar with contributions by Megan Schneider These materials have been made possible by the Southwestern Bell Foundation. © 1989 Dallas Museum of Art. All Rights reserved. Use with permission.

GERALD MURPHY (American, 1888-1964); Watch, 1925; oil on canvas; 78 1/2 x 78 7/8 in.; Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of the artist,

1963.75.FA

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IDEAS TAKE SHAPE Works of art embody the history of humankind. Whether small stone figures made in Mexico in 500 B.C. or huge landscapes painted in Italy in the 18th century, art works are filled with ideas, information, and emotions. As we enter the worlds of these objects, we are able to explore those ideas and feelings. Art, like literature, music, philosophy, even forms of government, reveals the values and attitudes of a particular people at a particular time and place. Although the essence of these works of art will remain mysterious to us, they, nevertheless, contain clues for a richer understanding of other cultures and of our own. As men and women confront the basic issues of human existence, they make objects which allow them to visualize their experiences. In the art-making process, people reinforce and affirm their ideas or explore their feelings and ideas in ways that suggest new understandings. These fundamental concerns that are an inevitable part of our lives, whether we happen to be living in Zaire, Africa in 1889 or in Dallas, Texas today, may be examined in terms of three very broad categories:

1. Relationships with surroundings 2. Relationships with people 3. Relationships with systems of belief

In art these ideas take shape, giving us concrete expressions of intangible relationships. They help us to know who we are.

RELATIONSHIPS WITH SURROUNDINGS Artists have always made objects which embody their reactions to and connections with their surroundings. Many of these objects focus on different ways of responding to the forces of nature. Masks or figures may be used in ceremonies as part of a community's effort to insure continued food supply or to avoid natural catastrophes. Some paintings give us a sense of the artist's belief in a spiritual presence as being part of the natural landscape. Other art works focus on the brutal power of nature. As parts of the world change and become more urban, artists are more likely to explore their connections with technology and the industrial materials which constitute their environment. The world of tall buildings, billboards, automobiles, and huge machines provokes a different response than that of gentle streams and rolling fields. If you consider your own surroundings, you may think of the ways in which you react to a beautiful summer day, a hike in the Rocky Mountains, or a brisk stroll in a large metropolitan city.

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Consider, as well, the way you feel in your own kitchen or bedroom. Artists also react to the paraphernalia of their own intimate world. A painting of objects such as fruit or flowers reflects the artist's relationship with everyday things. In the 20th century, artists began to explore the significance of essential art elements, such as line, color, and shape. They discovered that the basic visual elements have a power beyond an ability to describe what we see. These artists regarded line, color, and shape as tangible, concrete aspects of our surroundings that are intriguing and pleasurable in and of themselves. RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE An individual's relationships with other human beings constitutes his/her role as a social being. This aspect of our lives may include the social bonds within a family, such as that between husband and wife or mother and child. Some art works embody relationships between groups of people or between an individual and a group. For example, the form of the Luba stool from Zaire allows us to see the power of the ruler and the trust that exists between him and his people. A person's position within a peer group or initiation into a special organization may also be suggested in an art object. A portrait may tell us something about the artist's relationship to the sitter. Some artists (especially those working in the 19th and 20th centuries) even set up a relationship within themselves. They become both the watcher and the watched as they examine their own inner-worlds. RELATIONSHIPS WITH SYSTEMS OF BELIEF Throughout history, men and women have looked to their systems of belief to provide explanations for events involving the unknown which otherwise cannot be understood and accepted. Many of the objects that people have made concern their efforts to establish and understand a belief system or cosmology which explains the nature of the universe. These objects often are the means by which the vitality of a belief system is created, maintained, and passed on from generation to generation. Objects may be thought to contain the spirits of ancestors or natural forces. Other art works may depict stories intended to teach the beliefs of a particular religion. In the 20th century, artists have continued this search for ultimate meanings. Ideas about the essence of the cosmos, for example, may be expressed by the use of line and pure color. Through the contemplation and study of the art made by men and women of various times and places, as well as the art of our own time, we can become more aware of both the similarities and differences among all peoples. We all

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confront fundamental problems as we deal with our surroundings, our neighbors, and our sense of the divine; however, our ways of solving and understanding those problems may differ widely. In order to approach these similar and differing ideas as they are embodied in art works, it is helpful to use the aforementioned three categories. However, many objects involve an exploration of relationships common to two or all three categories. It is impossible, in some cases, to separate one from the other. Meanings implicit in Maya art, for example, involve complicated connections among the natural world, the divine world, and the world of kings and queens. Works of art (ideas and feelings given shape) are a means of entry into worlds other than our own. When we allow them to engage us, we can find clues that provoke questions regarding the present, the past, and ourselves.

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GUSTAVE COURBET (French, 1819-1877) Fox in the Snow, 1860 Oil on Canvas, 33 3/4 x 50 1/4 in. Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, Mrs. John B. O’Hara Fund, 1979.7.FA Until the 19th century, European landscapes often were pretty settings for human activity. With few exceptions, outdoor scenes were tidy and neatly organized. Human beings were shown as living in civilized harmony with their natural surroundings. This painting by Gustave Courbet (Core-bay') is a more realistic view of nature. He believed that artists should paint only what they could see and that they should be very true to what they see. An avid hunter, Courbet began painting animal and hunting pictures in 1857. Fox in the Snow, one of his greatest animal paintings, shows a fox on a rocky, snow-covered outcropping, devouring a rodent. 1. How has Courbet focused your attention on the fox? (He has centered the image of the fox and has used a strong contrast of light and dark to dramatically emphasize the presence of the fox.) Describe the position of the fox. What does the position tell us about the fox? Is he at ease or wary? Explain your answer. 2. Diagonal lines and shapes in a painting often suggest motion or tension. (Imagine what would happen if you were standing diagonally.) What diagonal lines or shapes do you see in Fox in the Snow? (The shape of the fox is similar in direction to that of the land's edge at the right. The snow covered stones are opposing diagonal shapes.) Notice how your eyes will follow the diagonals, circling in and out of center. Your visual movement over the canvas is similar to the agitation of the fox. 3. What visual clues has Courbet given you regarding the weather conditions in Fox in Snow? (Consider specific colors and textures.) How would this painting be different if the season were spring? (There would be less contrast between the fox and the landscape; the colors wold be softer, the rocks less prominent. There would be an opportunity for more detail in the landscape.) 4. In this painting, animal struggle against the weather; one animal kills another for food. Explain your reactions to this painting in terms of possible relationships between man and his natural surroundings. Do you think this image of danger and struggle can apply to society in general? If so, why? If not, why not? In what way is this a "realistic" painting?

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Spirit Figure (deble) Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire), Senufo people, 19th-20th century Wood, resin, and seeds, 36 3/8 x 8 1/4 x 6 in. Dallas Museum of Art, The Gustave and Franyo Schindler Collection of African Sculpture, Gift of the McDermott Foundation in honor of Eugene McDermott, 1974.SC.15.McD Like many Africa art objects, the Spirit Figure embodies abstract ideas which are both religious and educational. The Senufo people of northwest Africa use male and female spirit figures during funeral rites for important elders and during initiation ceremonies. 1. Look carefully at this female Spirit Figure. It is approximately 3 feet high. How would you pick it up? What would you do with it? Explain your answers based on what you see. The Senufo people have a men's association called the Poro (or Lo) society, which all men eventually join. Not all men, however, acquire the specialized knowledge to achieve the highest ranks in the society. Senufo women join the corresponding Sandogo society. During certain stages of a funeral for a Poro member, a group of special initiates may stand in rows on sacred ground and, while holding the spirit figure at the elbows, slowly pound them on the earth. The dull sounds invite the souls of the deceased ancestors to participate in the ceremony and may also be seen as purifying the earth. 2. Describe the Spirit Figure. Earlier photographs show it with many more cowrie shells and red beads in the head, at the base of the neck, and at the elbows and waist. Note the repetition of curving shapes. Does its appearance suggest power? Calm? Action? Fear? Dignity? Explain your answer. Male and female spirit figures represent the original parents of the Senufo people who stand for the social, moral, and intellectual ideals for Senufo adults. These are the standard that are taught to all men and women during initiation schools. 3. When the Spirit Figure is used, it is only one part of a performance that also includes music and dance. Imagine rows of young men, pounding the earth as if it were a big drum, accompanied by chants, drums, rattles, and a wooden trumpet. Compare your own music for such a ceremony.

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GERALD MURPHY (American, 1888-1964) Watch, 1925 Oil on canvas 78 1/2 x 78 7/8 in. Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, Gift of the artist, 1963.75.FA © 2002 Estate of Honoria Murphy Donnelly In the 20th century, our environment is one often dominated by science and technology. Gerald Murphy, an American painter who worked in Europe during the 1920s, was fascinated with machines and gadgets. According to his daughter, Murphy kept a gold watch propped up on a table with its mechanisms showing. He said that the was "always struck by the mystery and depth of the interiors of a watch - its multiplicity, variety, and feeling of movements and man's grasp at perpetuity" (Rubin, p. 34). 1. Look carefully at this painting. What parts of a watch can you identify? Describe the shapes in the painting which do not seem to be actual parts of a watch. What relationships do these shapes have to the identifiable parts? (They are simplified, geometrical shapes that remind us of the watch parts. They seem to be connected and working together the way parts of a watch work together.) 2. How many different shades of gray can you find in this painting? (There are 14.) Why are gray, yellow, and ochre particularly appropriate to this subject? If you were painting a watch of the "80s," what colors would you use? Why? 3. This painting is 6 feet by 6 feet. How would your reactions to it change if it were very small? How would your attitude change if a very small watch were painted in the middle of a large canvas? 4. How does a watch affect you? What is the fundamental use of a watch? How has Murphy communicated what a watch is and does in this painting? Relate what happens visually to the sound of a watch. 5. Based on what you see in this painting, what do you think Gerald Murphy's feelings were regarding the machines that were part of his environment in the 1920s? Did he like them? Did he think they were beautiful? Fascinating? Frightening? Orderly? What are your feelings toward machines today? 6. Define "perpetuity." How does this watch indicate "man's grasp at perpetuity"?

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Stool supported by kneeling female figure Democratic Republic of the Congo, Luba people 19th-20th centuries Wood, beads, and metal 16 7/16 x 11 9/16 x 10 9/16 in. Dallas Museum of Art, The Clark and Frances Stillman Collection of Congo Sculpture, Gift of Eugene and Margaret McDermott, 1969.S.105 This stool was one of the signs of authority for a chieftain in a Luba (Loo-bah) village. Like other signs of authority such as scepters and arrow holders, the chieftain's stool was entrusted to the care of his wife. The Luba stool is not only a beautiful and well-crafted object, but also a source of meaning about the relationship existing between a powerful leader and his people. 1. Describe this object. How are the legs and arms formed differently from what you might expect? (The arms are elongated; the legs melt into the earth.) Why would these changes be appropriate to the use of the object? (The elongated forearms and boneless, flowing "legs" allow the artist to use the form of a full-length figure as the base of a stool.) Notice that the decorative pattern on the woven edge of the shallow basket is repeated in the braided hair and headband of the figure; a similar pattern occurs in the ritual scars on her torso which indicate her high rank in the village. 2. This stool is formed by gently rounded forms; the woman seems to be a part of the earth. Think about how we depend on the earth for our essential food and drink and for materials to provide shelter. In what ways are women similar to the earth? (Consider their roles as mothers, as sources for food for babies.) 3. The woman is carefully and beautifully supporting what must be an important load. Imagine the village chief sitting on this stool. What message would be communicated to his people through this act? (Consider the woman as a symbol of the rest of the villages who willingly and carefully support their chief; he takes care of them, and they take care of him.)

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Funerary figure (tau-tau) Indonesia, South Sulawesi, Toraja people 19th century or earlier Wood 32 11/16 x 9 3/8 x 6 3/4 in. Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Fund, 1980.2.McD The Toraja (Tore-ah'-jah) people live in the mountains of southwestern and central Sulawesi, an Indonesian island. They have an elaborate funeral ceremony following the death of an important man or woman. This ritual, which can take place over several years, includes the making of a wooden figure called a tau-tau (tau-tau means little person or man-like). The tau-tau , which is carved by a specialist, is suppose to resemble the deceased. It is dressed in the clothes of a person of high status, and the wooden face is painted in a life-like manner. During the funeral, the coffin and the tau-tau are carried in a procession to a special ceremonial center and finally to a tomb carved in the cliffs near the village. The tau-tau often is placed in front of the grave where it gazes down on the rice fields and village of his descendants. 1. Look carefully at this figure. Although the hands are missing and the arms worn, the face is still relatively in good condition. In what ways is the tau-tau a little person or man-like? (The figure has the proportions of a real person; the face is expressive.) Why would the Toraja chose an open mouth? (It gives the illusion of speech and allows offerings of food to be accepted.) How does this tau-tau affect you? 2. Why do you think people like the Toraja would make a tau-tau? What can we learn about their social structure and their beliefs? (Ancestors must have been very important to them. Having the tau-tau must have made them feel that there was a connection between the souls of the dead and the day-to-day lives of the living.) The tau-tau represents men and women who eventually would become god-like ancestors. These ancestors, whose advice was sought on all important decisions, would protect their descendants and be sure that they would prosper if the ancestors were honored properly. One way of honoring the ancestor was to periodically change the clothing of the tau-tau.

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Ganesha Indonesia, Majapahit Empire, Java 14th century Stone 22 x 19 x 15 in. Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase, 1963.33 Ganesha is one of many Hindu minor gods. He is believed to be the son of Shiva the Destroyer, one of the most powerful Hindu deities, and his wife Parvati. In this sculpture, Ganesha is pictured in a particularly Javanese fashion, sitting on a lotus leaf. 1. Describe Ganesha. (He is a man's body and an elephant's head. His is fat. He has four hands which may be difficult to see in the image. His trunk goes to something held in his left hand, and a snake lies across his stomach and chest.) There are many stories which offer different explanations for Ganesha's elephant head. According to one legend, Parvati had long prayed to Vishnu the Preserver, another powerful Hindu god, for a son. Parvati was so proud when she had a son, she asked all the gods to come and admire him. Saturn would not look at Ganesha because Saturn's wife had put a curse on him causing anything he looked at to turn to ashes. Parvati insisted; Saturn looked, and Ganesha's head burned off. Parvati was told that her son's life would be restored if the first available head was place on his body. Vishnu found an elephant, cut off its head, and brought it to Parvati. Ganesha was saved. In other stories, Parvati is told not to worry about Ganesha's missing head because she will be able to take the head of the first thing she sees in the morning and give it to Ganesha. The first thing she sees is an elephant. 2. In Hindu societies, everyone likes Ganesha. What about Ganesha's appearance would lead you to believe that he is a popular god? (He is chubby, seems comfortable and happy, and is not frightening. He is contentedly eating out of a pouch in his left hand.) Ganesha is the god of beginnings, the bestower of earthly prosperity and well-being. Like an elephant clearing a path, Ganesha is able to remove all obstacles.

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Relief of a procession of offering bearers from the tomb of Ny-Ankh-Nesut Egyptian, Old Kingdom, 2575-2134 B.C. Limestone and paint 17 1/2 x 66 3/4 x 3 1/2 in. Dallas Museum of Art, Munger Fund, 1965.28.M Egyptians believed in the magic of images. If they could see something, it existed, both in this world and the next. For example, a picture of a duck on a tomb wall becomes a real duck. They filled their tombs with images of this world to make sure that they would continue their comfortable lives in the spirit world. Painted wooden models or pictures, such as this one, carved onto the rock walls of the tomb would become reality in the afterlife. This carving, still showing traces of original paint, is one of many carved scenes from the tomb of an official named Ny-Ankh-Nesut (Nigh-ahnk-knee-sut). 1. Look carefully at the carving. Eight men are pictured carrying offering in both hands, probably into the presence of a seated Ny-Ankh-Nesut, whom we cannot see in this fragment. Identify the offerings. (The fourth and seventh figures from the left carry water birds which were hunted. The first, third, and fifth figures from the left offer papyrus and lotus stalks harvested from the Nile delta, and the first from the right brings bread baked by the servants.) 2. Examine the figures. Which parts of the body are shown in profile? (Feet, legs, arms, head.) Which parts are shown from the front? (Hands, torso, eye.) Try to stand in their pose. Can you? Egyptians wanted to show objects and people in the manner which would allow the viewer to recognize them most easily; they were not interested in creating an exact illusion. You can easily identify a foot or head by seeing it in profile, whereas, a frontal view will make a hand or an eye more understandable. 3. We know that Ny-Ankh-Nesut was an important person because he could afford to have a tomb with costly carving. Most Egyptians could not afford this. What sort of afterlife could they expect? What kind of people benefitted most in the Egyptian belief system?

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CONSTANTIN BRANCUSI (Romanian, active in France, 1876-1957) Beginning of the World, c. 1920 Marble, metal, and stone 30 x 20 x 20 in. Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. James H. Clark, 1977.51.FA © 2002 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGAP, Paris There are almost as many ideas about the creation of the world as there are cultures. This concept is so vast and fundamental that, finally, it cannot be completely understood. Symbols used in stories, poems, dramas, music, dance, paintings, and sculpture suggest the mystery and immense power of man's beginnings. Constantin Brancusi (Bran-coo'-see) uses marble, nickel-plated stainless steel, and stone to create a 3-part sculpture which embodies his sense of the beginning of the world. 1. Describe the 3 basic shapes that make up Beginning of the World. (A white marble oval object sits on a shiny, metal disk. It is difficult to see in the image that the pedestal is in the shape of a Greek cross with 4 equal extensions to the sides and a central rectangle which supports the metal disk.) 2. Brancusi believed that if artists would simplify, they would become closer to the real sense of things, the truth. What recognizable objects might the marble oval in Beginning of the World suggest? (It looks like a head or an egg.) Brancusi worked carefully to simplify the human head in order to finally arrive at its purest form, the oval. In Beginning of the World, the marble oval lies on its side and looks like an egg. In what ways are the human head and egg appropriate symbols for beginnings? Brancusi's friend, the poet Ezra Pound, believed that the oval on its side seemed to come to life and appear ready to levitate. 3. Why might Brancusi have selected a shiny metal disk to be an important part of Beginning of the World? What does the form and the surface of the disk suggest? (The round shape might suggest the world or sun; the surface reflects the world surrounding the sculpture.) How do the marble oval and the reflecting metal disk interact to create suggestions about the beginning of the world? Although Brancusi's shapes are very simple, his ideas are complicated and mysterious. 4. Brancusi thought that sculpture should be lovely to touch and friendly to live with. Before making Beginning of the World, he made a similar oval entitled Sculpture for the Blind, which was enclosed in a bag that had two sleeves so that people could feel it instead of looking at it. Imagine understanding Beginning of the World through touch instead of sight. What would you feel and know?

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Tablet with two royal women and a jaguarian beast, Guatemala: department of El Petén, probably La Corona, Maya culture dedicated August 18, 731 (Late Classic period) Limestone 28 ½ x 28 ¼ x 4 in. Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Fund, in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick M. Mayer, 1988.15.McD Both the real world and the spirit world are shown on this royal tablet, which was originally set into a wall in a palace, probably above the stone bench that served as a throne. The room that housed the tablet was the setting for royal rituals. The tablet shows two royal women in the company of supernatural beings. The glyphic texts record visits made over two centuries by royal women from a major city, Calakmul, to the smaller city where the tablet was carved, Sak Nikte’ (White Flower). Together, the images and the texts indicate the important roles that women played in ancient Maya history and ritual and the complex political relationships that existed among Maya cities. 1. Look very carefully at the tablet. Describe what you see. The harsh tropical climate of the Maya lowlands has muted the detail of this monument. Look at the line drawing to help you. Gradually you will be able to see a combination of standing figures, shown in profile, and blocks of refined hieroglyphs. There are two scenes on the tablet, one on the left and one on the right. 2. The scene on the left is about creation. Here the woman wears a prominent headdress of feathers and a net skirt of jade beads. The jade-bead skirt was worn only by royalty. It connects her to the Maize God and to corn, the most important food of the Maya and the material from which the human beings were made. The royal woman stands in front of a stool-like throne within a portable shrine. Two old gods (look for their lower legs) serve as columns to support the roof. On top of the shrine is an arching serpent, a supernatural creature associated with watery places and the rebirth of the Maize God in Maya religion. 3. The scene on the right is about war and sacrifice. On this side, a woman wears a headdress with circles that is associated with the god of war. She stands in front of a stool-like throne and in front of a gigantic jaguarian beast with large circles around his eyes. On his back he wears a goggle-eyed mask. This face is the central Mexican Storm God, which came to the Maya lowlands in the 4th century from the city of Teotihuacan in highland Mexico. For the Maya this image became a symbol of war. The huge beast represents an animal spirit protector or a god of war, possibly shown as an enormous sculpture. Standing with his arm outstreched, holding a vertical staff, he forms another portable shrine – which could have been carried in processions and even into battle.

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4. The glyphic texts record the arrivals at Sak Nikte’ of three royal women from the Kan (Snake) kingdom (Calakmul, to the north, in Mexico) in 520, 679, and 721. The story is told from the point of view of the arrival of the third royal Snake woman, Lady Ti’, who is linked to the date of the tablet, August 18, 731. On this date, she scattered incense, perhaps in a dedication ceremony for this tablet. 5. The site of Sak Nikte’ (which is probably La Corona) seldom appears on maps. It lies hidden in the jungle of Guatemala, near Waka’ (El Peru), where Dallas archaeologist David Freidel and his team are making exciting discoveries. (insert link) The location of Sak Nikte’ within the San Pedro Martir river system, a major transportation route, made the city an important link between the interior kingdoms of the Maya lowlands, such as Calakmul, and major centers of Mexico, such as Teotihuacan.

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Tablet with two royal women and a jaguarian beast, Guatamala: department of El Petén, probably La Corona, Maya culture ddeeddiiccaatteedd AAuugguusstt 1188,, 773311 ((LLaattee CCllaassssiicc PPeerriioodd)) Limestone 28 1/2 x 28 1/4 x 4 in. Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Fund, In honor of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick M. Mayer, 1988.15.McD

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FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES 1. Gustave Courbet's 19th century French painting Fox in the Snow seems to endorse the point of view suggested by Charles Darwin's Origin of the Species. Published in 1859, this treatise considers our wold as the product of natural selection. Darwin suggests that only the fittest survive. Gerald Murphy's Watch focuses on aspects of the technological environment of the 20th century. Discuss the extent to which survival of the fittest may or may not apply to our world. Create an art work which includes your reactions either to your natural or your man-made environment. You may wish to use collage materials cut from magazines or photographs. You may wish to combine both the natural and the technological in your works. Remember that your work should suggest your personal feelings. 2. Sometimes people say "time flies" or "bide your time." What do these phrases mean? How important is time in our world? Does time ever seem like a machine to you? Write a paragraph or short poem in which you explain your view of time. Use examples to explain your ideas. 3. Images of gods are often in combination of human and animal forms. Ganesha, for example, has extra arms and an elephant's head. Can you think of other mythological figures that are part animal and part human? (Centaurs, Satyrs.) What contemporary characters in the comics and the movies combine animal and human qualities? (Werewolves, Spiderman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.) Either write a descriptive paragraph or draw a picture of your own man/animal combination. Include its strengths and weaknesses. How would it fit into our society? 4. For us, a photograph is a reminder of someone who is not with us at the moment or a remembrance of past times and events. For the Toraja, a tau-tau figure is more than a three-dimensional representation of a person who is no longer present. It provides a link between that person's spirit and the daily lives of the people in the village. They Maya pedestal also links ancestors with present-day activities. In both of these cultures, the past continues to be a strong presence in the world of the living. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a system in which the past determines decision-making in the present. Organize your ideas into a convincing, persuasive paragraph.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY Barbier, Jean Paul. Indonesian Primitive Art. Dallas, Texas: Dallas Museum of Art,

1984. Dallas Museum of Art: A Guide to the Collection. Dallas, Tex.: Dallas Museum of Art,

1997. Elsen, Albert E. Purposes of Art. New York: Holt, Rinehardt, and Winston, 1981. Fleming, William. Arts and Ideas. New York: Holt, Rinehardt, and Winston, 1980. Nash, Steven A. A Century of Modern Sculpture: The Patsy and Raymond Nasher

Collection. New York: Rizzoli International Publications, Inc., 1987. Rubin, William. The Paintings of Gerald Murphy. New York: The Museum of Modern

Art, 1974.

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Dear Teacher, These materials are a resource guide for viewing art at the elementary and secondary student level. An introductory section presents a brief overview of the main ideas encompassed in an Ideas Take Shape tour at the Dallas Museum of Art. Color images are included along with questions to direct discussion of the works of art prior to your museum visit. The suggested follow-up activities and bibliography may be used to complement classroom work following your tour.

ENJOY YOUR VISIT TO THE DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART! Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), Grade 6

Language Arts 6.1 Listening/ speaking/ purposes. 6.2 Listening/ speaking/ critical listening 6.3 Listening/ speaking/ appreciation 6.4 Listening/ speaking/ culture 6.5 Listening/ speaking/ audiences 6.8 Reading/ variety of texts 6.9 Reading/ vocabulary development 6.14 Reading/ culture 6.15 Writing/ purposes 6.20 Writing/ inquiry/ research 6.21 Writing/ connections. 6.22 Viewing/ representing/ interpretation 6.23 Viewing/ representing/ analysis 6.24 Viewing/ representing/ production

Social Studies 6.1 History

6.2 History 6.3 Geography 6.7 Geography 6.13 Citizenship 6.15 Culture 6.16 Culture 6.17 Culture 6.18 Culture 6.19 Culture 6.21 Social studies skills 6.22 Social studies skills 6.23 Social studies skills

Fine Arts 6.1 Perception 6.2 Creative expression/ performance 6.3 Historical/ cultural heritage 6.4 Response/ evaluation

In a continuing effort to support Texas teachers, the following list of Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) has been compiled from the Texas Education Agency standards. Teachers who use these resource materials are working toward satisfying these state-mandated goals. We hope this list will help in the creation of classroom curricula and lesson plans. Another important resource for connecting the TEKS to art education in Texas is the Center for Educator Development in the Fine Arts (CEDFA), which can be accessed on the World Wide Web at http://finearts.esc20.net/resource_center.htm.

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EVALUATION SHEET for Ideas Take Shape Teaching Materials We are interested in your response to these Teaching Materials. The time you take to complete this form will enhance our efforts to offer educational resources of consistently high quality at the Dallas Museum of Art. Fill out the upper portion of this form and check appropriate responses below. Please send the form to:

Teaching Resources Dallas Museum of Art 1717 N. Harwood Dallas, Texas 75201

Date:__________________________Name:__________________________________________

Name of School and District:______________________________________________________

Grade Level:___________________Class:___________________________________________

1. Did you access the Teaching Materials on the Dallas Museum of Art web site? Yes No 2. Did you use the Teaching Materials to prepare your class for their tour or to extend

their experience after the tour? Yes No 3. Was the information in the Introductory Section of the packet clear? Yes Somewhat No 4. Did the questions on the individual Object Sheets for each of the slides

encourage students to look carefully and to think critically? Yes Somewhat No 5. Was the information given in the Object Sheets clear? Yes No 6. Did you use any of the follow-up activities? Yes No 7. If so, did the activities involve the students effectively? Yes No 8. Did the activities reinforce and/or extend the tour experience? Yes No 9. Did you find the bibliography helpful? Yes No 10. Were the information, questions, and activities appropriate to your grade level? Yes No 11. Do the information, questions, and activities connect to your curriculum? Yes No 12. Was it helpful to include the TEKS? Yes No

COMMENTS (Use the numbers to refer to particular topics, and use the back of this sheet if necessary.)

THANK YOU!!

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EVALUATION SHEET for Ideas Take Shape Docent Tour We are interested in your response to our docent guided tours. The time you take to complete this form will enhance our efforts to offer educational experiences of consistently high quality at the Dallas Museum of Art. Fill out the upper portion of this form and check appropriate responses below. Please send the form to:

Teaching Programs Dallas Museum of Art 1717 N. Harwood Dallas, Texas 75201

Date:__________________________Name:__________________________________________

Name of School and District:______________________________________________________

Grade Level:___________________Class:___________________________________________

Name of Docent:________________________________________________________________

CIRCLE ONE: 1. Did a docent make telephone contact with you? Yes No 2. Did you access the Teaching Materials on the Dallas Museum of Art web site? Yes No 3. Did you use the Teaching Materials to prepare your class for their tour or to extend their experience after the tour? Yes No 4. Did your students feel welcome and comfortable at the museum during their tour? Yes No 5. Was your docent on time and well organized? Yes No 6. Did your docent relate well to the group? Yes No 7. Was the information given on the tour clear? Yes No 8. Was the information and vocabulary used appropriate to the level of the group? Yes No 9. Were students encouraged to look carefully and to think critically? Yes Somewhat No 10. Was the docent successful at encouraging participation from students? Yes Somewhat No 11. Did your students enjoy their visit to the Dallas Museum of Art? Yes No 12. Will the information and looking skills introduced at the museum be applicable to your classroom work? Yes No 13. Did the tour meet your expectations? Yes No 14. Based on this visit will you plan another docent tour for your students? Yes No

COMMENTS (Use the numbers to refer to particular topics, and use the back of this sheet if necessary.)

THANK YOU!!