Grades 9-12: The Arts & Social Change
Lesson One
The video in its entirety is available for purchase from the Resource Center.
Call the Arts Center at 920.458.6144, ask for the Resource Center.
Artist Dr. Charles Smith: Remaking the World
Begin this lesson by watching a short film on Dr. Charles Smith and his art environment in Aurora, IL.
Discussion Questions:
1. Dr. Smith believes he was divinely inspired to create art that could bolster the self-esteem of African Americans and other minorities.
• How might art create self-esteem, not only in African Americans, but also in all people?
• How might art play a role in the healing and survival of a culture?
2. Dr. Smith said that his sculptural works "...educate the mind through the eye and educate and enlarge the heart as you read about the pieces and what they mean."
• Explain how an image or sculpture might educate or change a person's perspective.
• How might further reading or research enhance or change your view of a particular work of art?
3. Curator Lisa Stone writes, "The African American Heritage Museum & Black Veterans Archive is equal parts memorial and mirror."
• What do you think this statement means?
• How is this site a mirror for viewers outside of the African American community?
4. In Dr. Smith's view, making art is not something one learns in school, but rather through personal experience and vision. He took the title "Dr." to suggest that life itself is the most powerful educator.
• Dr. Smith is considered a "self-taught artist" because he had no formal art education. How do you think he was able to create the works of art that he did despite having had no formal art training?
• Do you agree with Smith's statements that personal experience and life are the most powerful educators? Explain why or why not.
• What benefit or value does formal education provide?
• Give an example of one of your most memorable learning moments. What role did formal education play? What role did your life experiences play?
5. Taking a philosophical stand on the dismantling of his environment, Smith saw opportunity: "Each piece, to me, is like a seed planted and every place it goes it will tell the story of what I tried to share."
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantage of keeping an art environment together in one place for the public to visit versus splitting it up amongst different public venues.
• Why might it be better kept together as a whole? Why might it be beneficial to dismantle it?
Student Connection
Dr. Charles Smith used the arts as a tool to educate and bring about social change in his community and world. Research the following arts-based organizations to see how they are using the arts to transform their neighborhoods and cities. Identify the organization's target audience, goals, programs and partners involved.
Work together in small groups to develop program proposals that could meet specific needs in your community or school. In your proposal, include a list of goals, statement of purpose, target audience, program plan, partners involved, budget, and research notes.
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