Visual Culture uses themes to guide the organization of its content. Themes are not mutually exclusive and have interdisciplinary knowledge as a fundamental characteristic. This means that themes have leeway and allow visual culture to be integrated into other school subjects to create connections. To make deep and broad connections with the environment outside of school, themes must be relevant to current and future lives. There are six general themes to help guide visual culture:
1. Science Facts and Science Fiction
2. Nature and the Environment
3. Local Communities, Family, and Friends
4. The Global Community
5. Fantasy, History, and Legends
6. Non-Objective Art and Design
I will briefly describe characteristics of these themes, provide examples of their connection with art and summarize their relationship with art as a way of utilizing visual culture.
Science Facts and Science Fiction:
In one way, art has influenced science by the use prop design for sets. Prop designers of Star Trek inspired the flip phone. Art imagines the future and scientists help make these unique ideas become a reality.
Nature and the Environment:
Nature and art have a unique relationship. Nearly all of our art supplies are derived from nature. For example, the pigment called burnt sienna comes from a specific soil in Italy that is burned and ground up to be put into paint. Nature and the environment provide emphasis on arts reliance for resources for a use of artistic material and the locations we can display our work to emphasize meaning through topography as context.
Local Communities, Family, and Friends:
Elementary students are exposed to occupations, others daily routines and new activities which aid in their personal development. As students grow, they “understand that communities form as a result of common interests, professions, socioeconomic conditions, and even clothing” (Freedman and Boughton). Viewing local art and murals help students understand how visual objects represent different communities and towns.
The Global Community:
Later, students become interested in the global community in which politics and social injustices are affected and they wish to understand arts influence on them. Common art forms among this theme are cartoons and campaign advertisements, most of which are televised. Social injustices can be very emotionally moving and range from issues that morph children’s ideas on a daily basis to a weekly basis.
Fantasy, History, and Legends:
History takes students back to previous myths and legends. Ancient Greek mythology, for example, talks of beasts and animals such as the three-headed dog, Cerberus, who guarded the gate to the Underworld. Other monsters, such as dragons, come from fantasies. This theme generates many students’ creativity and story writing.
Non-Objective Art and Design:
Realistic, abstract and non-objective are the three main subcategories of this theme that describe the ways art is made and perceived from a technical perspective. Non-objective art is used to stimulate contemplation, suggest a mood, or to decorate objects. An example of this type of art would Islamic ornamental pattern.
These brief, snapshot descriptions give insight to some general themes which help categorize and guide teaching visual culture. As an art educator, it is important to incorporate each of these themes in your classroom so that students will understand the way art influences many areas of discipline. Intertwining student interest along with these themes creates the ideal platform for increased motivation in students and exposure to potential individual personal development and self-exploration. As much as art teachers hope their students pursue art full time when they grow up, it is nearly impossible for all of these students to do such a thing. These themes help students identify with other interests outside of the art room, yet promote arts important role in their preferred theme. Using themes will allow students to understand the importance of art among many subject areas in school and topics in the world they experience around them every day for years to come.
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