Icons
Project Description
World history and culture is absolutely full of amazing, inspiring icons—symbolic characters, places and events that represent ideas, beliefs, communities, and more. These people, places and things are the icons that create our shared culture. In this project, you will create a photographic representation of you that highlights the relationship you have with a specific World Icon. You will also write a well-researched reflective artist's statement in which you explore your place in a continuum of icons.
Photography
You will digitally display a high quality black & white self-portrait in which you artistically show your connection to, relationship with and/or influences taken from your Icon. Be creative! Use props, costumes, camera settings, photo-editing software, lighting, or anything else you can think of to show your relationship with your Icon.
Writing
You will produce a highly polished piece of reflective writing in which you describe your place in a continuum of World Icons.
In this piece of writing, you will reflect upon the influences of more than just one person, place or thing. The Icon that you choose will have had heroes and influences of his/her own, important life events, inspiring places traveled to, and so on. What is your relationship to these Icons? Who and what did they inspire? How did your Icon take it’s place in American culture? Why is this important to you? What do these Icons represent? What comes next for you? Any of these questions can inspire great writing—choose what works best for you.
Your writing must fit on one side of one piece of 8.5 by 11 inch paper. You must use 1 inch margins and size 12 Adobe Caslon Pro font, single spaced. Why Caslon, you ask? Because it is beautiful (and it was Benjamin Franklin’s favorite font).
Whom (or what) can you pick?
Everyone in the class will choose a different World Icon as the source of their inspiration. Remember, you may pick a group of people, a place, and event or a thing. Talk to me if you need suggestions for inspiration.
How do I choose an Icon?
We are going to start with rough drafts and images of three potential World Icons. Be flexible, open-minded, and prepared to change your mind! A panel of students and your teacher must approve your Icon before you complete your photo or artist’s statement.
Important Dates
July 27, 2010—Begin project & assign groups.
July 28, 2010—Blog—three possible Icons & preliminary research.
July 30, 2010—Blog—two possible Icons & resources.
August 2 & 3, 2010—Propose & approve individual Icons. Begin Artist’s Statements.
Aug. 4—In class critique of photography
Aug. 4 & 5—In class critique of Artist’s Statements
Aug. 6—Blog—Revised draft of your Artist’s Statement.
Aug. 9—In Class critique #2 of Artist's Statement.
Aug. 12—Project is DUE! Post your Self Portrait & Artist's Statement online. Email this link to two of the following: a parent, another teacher, someone who’s opinion you respect, etc. Cc me to get full credit for this.
*There will be more critiques, drafts and related assignments in the course of developing a truly high quality photograph and artist’s statement.