Yayoi Kusama Paper Sculpture Flowers

Name of Project: Yayoi Kusama Paper Sculpture Flowers

Grade Level or Age of Participant: Ages 5-11

School, Teacher and Classroom: Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Family Day - May 8th, Supervisor - Victoria Myers

MCAD Teaching Artist: Natalie Vilter 

Number of Students: ~400

VISUAL ARTS CONTENT OR STANDARDS

 5.1.2.3.1 Visual Arts 

Grade 1: Create original artistic work 

1. Identify and use symbols when creating art

5.1.2.3.2 Visual Arts 

Grade 1: Create original artistic work 

2. Practice safe use of art materials and tools while making art

OVERVIEW OF PROJECT

Students will create their own flower paper sculptures inspired by Yayoi Kusama’s flower sculptures. Students will also use various techniques to make paper into a three dimensional form.

“BIG IDEAS”/ ESSENTIAL QUESTION(S)

How can one use paper, a 2-dimensional object, to create a 3-dimensional sculpture using a series of techniques?

What do you think are important features of a flower and what shapes do these features take in your mind?

STUDENT OUTCOME OBJECTIVES

Students will:

• Recall the contemporary artist, Yayoi Kusama, and her art practice

• Compare Yayoi Kusama’s flowers to their own idea of a flower and visualize important features of a flower

• Construct their own three dimensional flower using paper

• Explore various techniques to give their flower texture and stand

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

• Know basic features of a flower

• Using a glue stick and scissors

LESSON PREPARATION TIMELINE

1. Create art example

2. Write out a lesson plan and short bio about Yayoi Kusama’s work

3. Create a visual of various techniques to use for a paper sculpture (example shown below)

Visual of Paper Techniques

1. Meeting with Victoria Myers about revisions to lesson plan

2. Revisions to lesson plan

3. Ordering materials

4. Cut stips of colored paper that are a variety of 0.5 and 1 inch thick

5. May 8th - Set up for the event 

6. May 8th - teach for the event

7. May 8th - take down the event and put away extra supplies

EXAMPLES OF ARTWORK

Paper Sculpture Example

Up Close Example

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Yayoi Kusama, Flowers that Bloom Tomorrow (L), FRP, metal, and urethane paint, 2010

https://www.victoria-miro.com/artists/31-yayoi-kusama/works/artworks13475/

Yayoi Kusama, Flowers that Bloom Tomorrow (L), FRP, metal, and urethane paint, 2010

https://www.victoria-miro.com/exhibitions/411/works/96bbb645b1a41a/

ASSESSMENT

The outcome will be successful if the students are able to use basic shapes to create a flower, real or imaginary. Students will see their own success, if they were able to make their flower three-dimensional using various paper sculpture techniques. 

MATERIALS

• 8” x 6.5” brown paper bag

• Scissors

• Ruler

• Pencil

• Eraser

• Pencil sharpener

• Gluestick

• Hole Puncher

• Assorted colors of construction paper that are 0.5” to 1” thick

• A table for participants to work on

• Stapler and staples 

LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TIMING

1.  Greet incoming participants and ask if they would like to create a paper flower sculpture (5 minutes)

   1. Explain it’s inspired by Yayoi Kusama’s flower sculptures

      1. Explain that Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese contemporary artist who creates a variety of artwork from performances, sculptures, installations, and paintings. She’s known for coating her artwork in polka dots, which has given her the nickname, “The Princess of Polka Dots”. 

      2. Point out the abstract form, but still has features that make it identifiable as a flower

      3. Point out the curves and polka dots on the flowers 

2.  Give participants a paper bag and scissors. Participants will disassemble the paper bag by removing the entirety of the twine and cutting a slit vertically down the bag until they reach the bottom of the bag. Students will then cut off the entire bottom part of the bag. Students will then unfold the bag, so it becomes one long strip (7 minutes)

3. Students will then take the long strip and fold it cleanly in half. Then using a glue stick, students unfold the bag, coat the bag in glue and refold the bag. Participants will push down on the bag to make sure the sides stick together. (3 minutes)

   1. NOTE: recommend that they coat the edges of the bag in glue and create a large “X” in the center of the bag with glue

   2. This will be the base for their flower sculpture. 

4. Pull out a visual of the various techniques students can use for their paper sculpture. (1 minute)

5. Ask participants what makes a flower identifiable as a flower (1 minute)

6. Hand out various colors of paper, gluesticks, and scissors for participants to start assembling their flowers. (1 minute)

7. Students will begin to assemble their flowers. TA will offer guidance when the participant asks. (17 minutes)

8. Offer hole punch and foam stickers to decorate the base and flower. (5 minutes)

TEACHING ARTIST REFLECTION

• Depending on the age of the participants, they might have difficulty disassembling the bag with no tears. The teacher and volunteers will be there to help disassemble the bag. 

• Participants might have difficulty using the glue stick and patiently holding down objects so they stick. Staplers will be provided just in case. 

• Family Day at the MIA is a public event, so others will be able to see their finished product as they walk through the MIA. 

• The teacher will receive feedback based on participants' enthusiasm for the project. 

Art of Communication

Name of Project: Art of Communication

Grade Level or Age of Participant: Ages 5 and up

School, Teacher and Classroom: Friends for 100 Years: A Lasting Legacy - Park Events throughout the summer taught by MIA artists

MCAD Teaching Artist: on staff MIA teaching artists

Number of Students: ~2000 throughout the summer

VISUAL ARTS CONTENT OR STANDARDS

K-3 1. Artistic Foundations 

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the foundations of the arts area. 

Visual Arts 0.1.1.5.1 1. Identify the elements of visual art including color, line, shape, texture and space. 

K-3 2. Artistic Process: Create or Make 

1. Create or make in a variety of contexts in the arts area using the artistic foundations. 

Visual Arts 0.2.1.5.1 1. Create original two- and three- dimensional artworks to express ideas, experiences or stories. 

K-3 2. Artistic Process: Create or Make 

1. Create or make in a variety of contexts in the arts area using the artistic foundations. 

Visual Arts 0.2.1.5.2 2. Revise an artwork based on the feedback of others. 

CURRICULAR LINK / STANDARDS

01155 Communications 

Courses in this classification focus on the application of oral and written communication skills through a variety of formal and informal experiences. They emphasize developing effective interpersonal skills and may include team-building components. How interpersonal communications are affected by stereotypes, nonverbal cues, vocabulary and stylistic choices may be included.

OVERVIEW OF PROJECT

Participants will create a work inspired by Speech by Saul Steinberg (1959), exhibited in the MIA. On a postcard, participants will depict a conversation they had with a friend in the form of shapes, lines, and color in either a representational or abstract style. They can then send the postcard to a loved one. 

“BIG IDEAS”/ ESSENTIAL QUESTION(S)

• What ways of communication work best for you? Is it by talking? Dancing? Drawing? 

• How do line, shape, and color affect the tone of an artwork?

STUDENT OUTCOME OBJECTIVES

Students will:

1. Create a postcard using linework, shape, and color to express themselves

2. Evaluate how linework, shape, and color give a certain tone to their artwork.

3. Analyze what forms of communication work best for them

4. Understand that everyone has a different form of communication and expression, which could cause misunderstandings or confusion between people.

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

• Basic motor skills for using a pencil

• Basic communication in any form (verbal, expressions, body language, etc)

LESSON PREPARATION TIMELINE

• Map out lesson plan

• Create artwork example

• Meeting with Aki Shibata about revisions

• Revisions to lesson plan

• Meeting with Krista Pearson about revisions

• Revisions to lesson plan

• Collect materials 

EXAMPLES OF ARTWORK

https://collections.artsmia.org/art/129764/speech-saul-steinberg

Saul Steinberg, Speech, Ink, graphite, conté crayon, and rubber stamp on paper, 1959

Teacher Example

ASSESSMENT

Students will be able to see their own success by being able to identify how they best communicate with others and how a conversation could be interpreted using line, shape, and color.  This can come from reflection through the process of creating their artwork or seeing the finished product.

MATERIALS

~$1- 3 each

• Postcard Sized Cardstock Paper

• Pencils

• Colored Pencils

• Eraser

• Stamp

• Table for participants to work on 

LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TIMING

1. TA will greet people who walk past and ask if they would like to make a postcard. (1 minute)

2. TA will explain to the participant that they will express a conversation they had with a friend on a postcard with pencils and colored pencils. It can be representational or it can be abstract. There will be a few print outs of Saul Steinberg’s example for inspiration. The TA can show how the piece is represented with the use of people opening their mouths as if in a conversation, while also showing the abstractness of the way the speech bubbles are formed. The TA will encourage the participants to think about the mood of their overall conversation. Was it happy and exciting? Was it a form of comfort? They will encourage the participant to use colors and shapes they think best help to show the conversation. (3 minutes)

3. TA will then give them a postcard and drawing utensils. (1 minute)

4. Participants will then be able to draw on only one side of the postcard. The participants can sketch out their idea lightly with a pencil or they can start drawing right away. (15 minutes)

5. Once the participant is finished, they can show the TA their postcard 1 by 1 if they so choose and describe the conversation they drew. (1 minute)

6. TA will ask if they would like to leave the postcard with them, so it can be showcased at the MIA on the first floor. 

7. If the participant wants to keep it, the TA can offer a stamp so the participant can address and mail their postcard right away. (1 minute)

TEACHING ARTIST REFLECTION

• This project fits into the communication curriculum because the participant is actively thinking about the tone of a conversation they had. They can reflect on how some people would not understand their conversation based on different interpretations and social cues. 

• Participants will be able to mail their postcard to a loved one, sharing it with the community. 

• Feedback will be received by how enthusiastic the students are about creating their postcard.