The focus of this unit was the use of text to highlight portrait imagery. The students created two finished works, each incorporating text, which were then hung together as one larger work. The idea of individuals creating separate artworks and then bringing them together with other artworks to then be regarded as one work was a theme for the year.
Learning sequence
The students investigated the work of selected artist models such as Robin Kahukiwa, Nigel Brown and John Z. Robinson. In response, they created a realistic self portrait which, on completion, they carefully analysed. They incorporated their reflective comments into their self portrait as a text component. They then created a second artwork which was an abstract collage incorporating a textual component that was a description of themselves. Both the finished artworks from this unit were then placed side by side and displayed as one major work.
