education guide

SolleWittA WAllDrAWingretro-SpectiveeDUcAtor’SgUiDe

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Sol leWitt's magnificent large-scale wall drawings can be incorporated into the curricular frameworks of many grade levels: young students can learn how three primary colors can be combined to create complex rainbows of colors. older students will enjoy learning how simple arithmetic and geometric ideas can be fashioned into beautiful art of fascinating complexity.

everyone will take away a remarkable realization: that working collaboratively with the simplest of tools, and most basic of shapes and techniques, allows for almost limitless possibilities. Wonderfully liberating and fundamental to leWitt’s work is the notion that ideas are as important–and perhaps even more important–than materials. leWitt's work helps us remember, in this world of high technology, that a few basic skills, discipline, practice, and some well- sharpened pencils can result in important works of art.

—Joe thompson, Director, MASS MocA

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Wall Drawing 1152Whirls and twirls. (Met)

April 2005Acrylic paintLeWitt Collection, Chester, Connecticut

First drawn byTakeshi Arita, Sarah Heinemann, Gabriel Hurier, Chie Shimizu

THird FLoor

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MASS MoCA looks forward to your visit and to your exploration of Sol LeWitt: A Wall Drawing Retrospective in our Building #7. The educational material that follows is designed to help integrate your experience at MASS MoCA into your classroom activities before and after your visit. The pre- and post-visit activities meet standards for the Visual Arts, English/Language Arts, and Mathematics Cur-riculum Frameworks. These guidelines are based on Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, though they can be adapted and applied to other state standards.

This guide is planned with a visit to MASS MoCA in mind, but selections may also be helpful for educators who cannot visit the museum.

SolleWittA WAllDrAWingretro-Spective

overvieW

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We encourage you to schedule a tour of Sol LeWitt: A Wall Drawing Retrospective at MASS MoCA. The tour will introduce you and your students to the full breadth of Sol LeWitt’s wall drawings, and will also touch on several core ideas that run throughout the work. Students will be encouraged to discuss LeWitt’s math-ematic and artistic concepts and the nature of collaboration. While exploring the foundation of his work, your students will also learn about the elements of design that comprise LeWitt’s wall drawings: grids and lines, basic geometry, and color theory. Students will be encouraged to consider LeWitt’s place in the canon of Western art history, and his relationship to other innovative conceptual artists of the second half of the 20th century.

if you would like to schedule a tour, or if you have any questions about the mate-rial in this guide or in the exhibition, please contact Cortney Tunis, MASS MoCA’s Education Coordinator, at 413.664.4481 ext. 8150 or [email protected].


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“the idea becomes a machine that makes the art.”

This monumental exhibition consists of 105 wall drawings by Sol LeWitt originally executed from 1968 to 2008 and covers nearly an acre of wall surface. Sol LeWitt: A Wall Drawing Retrospective was largely designed by the artist before he died in April 2007—working with the building’s existing post and beam structure, LeWitt specified the layout of the walls and determined the location and sequence of the drawings.

LeWitt maintained that the idea itself was art; the concept trumped the object. For this reason, he is considered one of the pioneers of what became known as Conceptual Art. LeWitt is often likened to a musical composer. in the same way that a composer writes a score that is then interpreted by other musicians, Le-Witt creates instructions that are then interpreted and executed by other trained artists. These people are called “draftsmen” and “draftswomen”; to “draft” something is to draw for a particular purpose.

Because the basis of LeWitt’s work is the idea, it can continue to be produced after the artist’s death. The drawings at MASS MoCA were completed over a six- month period in 2008 by 24 senior and seasoned drafters who had worked with LeWitt for many years. They were joined by 33 student interns from Yale University, Williams College, the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and other undergraduate institutions and 13 local artists and recent graduates from arts programs.

The exhibition encompasses 27,000 square feet of gallery space, which is divided into three floors. The floors are organized roughly chronologically; the first floor features the artist’s earliest wall drawings, the second floor features his mid-career works, and the third floor features LeWitt’s late works from 1997 to 2008. While some of his core ideas remained the same, the exhibition charts how LeWitt added new materials, new drafting techniques, and new artistic ideas to his drawings as his career unfolded over forty years.


intro-DUction

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responding to Abstract expressionism with conceptualism and Minimalism

When Sol LeWitt conceived of his first wall drawing in 1968, he was, in part, re-sponding to Abstract Expressionism, a dominant movement in the American art scene. Abstract Expressionism was a post-World War ii movement that champi-oned the gestures and expressions of the artist. Jackson Pollock, with his action painting style, was among the forerunners of this group. Abstract Expressionism highlighted the artist as the purveyor of pure expression through brushstrokes and big washes of color. The art was a record of the artist’s hand and arm move-ments. in response, LeWitt simplified art to its most basic elements–the line and the primary colors. offering crisp lines and grid-like precision instead of dynamic brushwork and thick painterly surfaces. Employing this minimalist practice, LeWitt was reacting against the leading art trends of his day. LeWitt’s manner of working was also considered radical at the time, in part be-cause this form of drawing was applied directly to the gallery wall, which meant the art would often be temporary—on view for a few months and then painted over. LeWitt’s wall drawings were also radical because they were created as part of a collaborative process. While only allowed to be exhibited in one place at a time, the temporary and collaborative nature of the wall drawings allows them to be recreated many times in many different locations. By establishing this process, LeWitt rejected the notion that artists create precious, unique objects. instead, his techniques demonstrated that a drawing can change over time depending on where it is created and who is executing the work. With his wall drawings, LeWitt sought to prioritize the idea over any other ele-ment of the art piece. He composed directions that could be executed by the artist himself, or trained drafters. Early in his career, instead of creating the drawings himself, LeWitt employed draftspeople to execute the work. The direc-tions often called for basic lines in four directions: vertical, horizontal, diagonal left, and diagonal right. These lines would stand alone or be “superimposed,” or layered, on top of one another. Later he expanded his vocabulary to include concepts such as straight and not straight, even and uneven, touching and not touching, random and ordered, arcs and circles, and triangles and squares. These delineations and directions often appear in the subtitles of each drawing, and act to establish the idea and direct the draftspeople. LeWitt’s work exists as certificates that accompany the titles and directions. They are the blueprints—it is only as they are read, understood and implemented by the draftspeople that they become wall drawings. At times, diagrams also accompany the certificates to further inform the execution of the work. depending on where it is created and by whom it is installed, each execution will vary based on the architecture, material response to environmental conditions, and the application technique of the draftspeople. At first glance the drawings may seem quite simple and easily executed, however the drafting process is rigorous and exacting–often taking weeks to complete. Many of the wall drawings pose mathematic challenges when applied to certain architecture.

LeWitt’s early wall drawings use graphite, chalk and crayons. He then moved to color ink washes, using only the primary colors and grey. He often layered those four colors to achieve a myriad of hues. At the end of his career, LeWitt used acrylic paint to continue to explore how a different material would offer new dimensions to classic ideas.


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Wall Drawing 47A wall divided into fifteen equal parts, each with a different line direction, and all combinations.

June 1970Black pencilPrivate collection

First drawn by Kazuko Miyamoto

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Wall Drawing 610isometric figure with color ink washes superimposed.

June 1989Color ink washCourtesy of the Estate of Sol LeWitt

First drawn bydavid Higginbotham, Elizabeth Sacre

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Wall Drawing 901Color bands and black blob. The wall is divided vertically into six equal bands; red; yellow; blue; orange; purple; green. in the center is a black glossy blob.

May 1999Acrylic paintCourtesy of the Estate of Sol LeWitt (designated for Yale University Art Gallery)

First drawn byElyce Abrams, david dempewolf, Joy Feasley, Meghan Ganser, Michael Gibbons, John Gibbons, Chris Hensel, John Hogan, Beth Leatherman, Tristin Lowe, Stephen Malmed, Sarah McEneaney, Matthew Pruden, Scott rigby, Paul Swenbeck, Clint Takeda

THird FLoor

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Wall Drawing 880Loopy doopy (orange and green).

September 1998Acrylic paintAddison Gallery of American Art, Andover, Massachusetts; partial gift of the artist and partial museum purchase with funds from Mimi Won and anonymous donor.

First drawn byElizabeth Alderman, Sachiko Cho, Edy Ferguson, Anders Felix Paux Hedberg, Choichi Nishikawa, Jim Prez, Emily ripley, Mio Takashima

THird FLoor

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The impetus for Sol LeWitt: A Wall Drawing Retrospective was a 2004 conversa-tion between the artist and Jock reynolds, the Henry J. Heinz ii director of the Yale University Art Gallery (YUAG). This discussion evolved into a commitment by the artist to give a substantial number of his wall drawings and his entire wall-drawing archive to YUAG, which already owned an extensive array of LeWitt’s art in multiple mediums. realizing that YUAG did not have enough space to exhibit a large number of the wall drawings at any one time, reynolds suggested to Sol LeWitt that MASS MoCA, with its historic mill complex, might be able to accom-modate an extended retrospective of the works.

reynolds and LeWitt then met with MASS MoCA director Joseph Thompson and toured the museum’s campus of buildings. The artist was immediately intrigued by Building 7, which features large banks of windows that open onto two flanking courtyards and is situated at the center of MASS MoCA’s complex.

Thompson comments, “As we built the interior partitions to fulfill Sol’s intentions, it became clear that his understanding of architectural space was as master-ful as his wall drawings themselves. He consciously sited his wall drawings to engage both the interior of Building 7 and invite in the outside environment. His monumental aesthetic intervention right in the heart of the MASS MoCA campus enlivens the entire museum. i especially like how Sol left almost every window in Building 7 generously uncovered to let in a play of continuous natural light—which is somehow typical of his creative spirit.”


proJect HiStorY

The MASS MoCA complex in North Adams, MA. Sol LeWitt: A Wall Drawing Retrospective is located in the highlighted building, Building 7.

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This exhibition is made possible by the collaboration of Yale University Art Gallery (YUAG), Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA) and MASS MoCA, and because of generous support from a multitude of devoted LeWitt patrons. The educational components are made possible in large part by contributions by the Luce Foun-dation and Williams College.

The project will be an ongoing exhibition for 25 years, with continued educational opportunities, provided in part by the Williams College Museum of Art. Future educational excursions will encourage cross-curricular connections for school groups, as well as deep conversations connecting LeWitt’s work with contempo-rary conceptualism emerging from MASS MoCA’s changing exhibitions.


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Below are learning standards related to the tour at MASS MoCA, and the activi-ties described in this guide, based on the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.

Visual Arts Standards1. Methods, Materials, and Techniques. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the methods, materials, and techniques unique to the visual arts.2. Elements and Principles of Design. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the elements and principles of design.4. Drafting, Revising, and Exhibiting. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the processes of creating and exhibiting their own artwork: drafts, critique, self-assessment, refinement, and exhibit preparation.6. Purposes of the Arts. Students will describe the purposes for which works of dance, music, theatre, visual arts, and architecture were and are created, and, when appropriate, interpret their meanings.8. Concepts of Style, Stylistic Influence, and Stylistic Change. Students will demonstrate their understanding of styles, stylistic influence, and stylistic change by identifying when and where artworks were created, and by analyzing characteristic features of artworks from various historical periods, cultures, and genres.10. Interdisciplinary Connections. Students will apply their knowledge of the arts to the study of English language arts, foreign languages, health, history and social science, mathematics, and science and technology/ engineering.

English Arts Standards (Language Strand)1. Discussion. Students will use agreed-upon rules for informal and formal discussions in small and large groups.2. Questioning, Listening, and Contributing. Students will pose questions, listen to the ideas of others, and contribute their own information or ideas in group discussions or interviews in order to acquire new knowledge.4. Vocabulary and Concept Development. Students will understand and acquire new vocabulary and use it correctly in reading and writing.8. Understanding a Text. Students will identify the basic facts and main ideas in a text and use them as the basis for interpretation.9. Making Connections. Students will deepen their understanding of a literary or non-literary work by relating it to its contemporary context or historical background.19: Writing. Students will write with a clear focus, coherent organization, and sufficient detail.

Mathematics Standards General Strand: Patterns, relations, and Algebra General Strand: Geometry


MAkingconne-ctionS

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At First glance: An introduction to Sol leWitt’s Wall Drawings

in the following activities, you will introduce Sol LeWitt’s wall drawings on view at MASS MoCA and explore the concept behind the artwork using a questioning technique. Middle school and high school levels use Activity 1 followed by Activi-ties 1a and 1b. Elementary school levels use Activity 1 followed by Activity 1a.

objectives–To introduce students to a few of the Wall drawings you will see on your visit to the museum

–To familiarize students with conceptual art and the nature of Sol LeWitt’s work

Learning StandardsVisual Arts 1, 2, 6 English Language Arts 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 19 Teacher Preparation and discussion

–review the provided exhibition description. –Consider connections that can be made to classroom work and give your students a brief background about what they will see at the museum

–Photocopy Worksheet #2, which details some of LeWitt’s vocabulary

Materials–writing utensils (pens and pencils)–paper–photocopies of the “Sol LeWitt related Vocabulary” page–Acquire images of Sol LeWitt: A Wall Drawing Retrospective for your classroom presentation by visiting the MASS MoCA website at www.massmoca.org/lewitt. images are readily available to download or by contacting MASS MoCA’s educa-tion coordinator at 413.664.4481 ext. 8150 or [email protected]. You can either make a power point presentation or print out the images to share.


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Procedureintroduce your students to their visit to MASS MoCA on (date/time).

1. Explain they will focus on one artist’s work: Sol LeWitt: A Wall Drawing Retro-spective. They will see three floors of an artist’s career spanning 1968-2008.

2. Ask the following questions: –Who creates a painting or drawing? –How is a painting or drawing created?–Where is a painting or drawing created? –How is a painting or a drawing typically presented at a museum?

3. discuss how LeWitt’s practice is radical compared to other artists.

Explain Sol LeWitt’s position as a conceptual artist.“The idea becomes the machine that makes the art.” The concept or the idea starts with the artist and is communicated through sets of directions, which are then carried out by someone else. The idea is the most important element for LeWitt, with the execution and the object left to the dis-cretions of the draftspeople who are the ones implementing the instructions.

4. Present an image of Wall Drawing #11.

5. read the title and subtitle: Wall Drawing #11: A wall divided horizontally and vertically into four equal parts. Within each part, three of the four kinds of lines are superimposed.

6. Explain who conceived of Wall Drawing #11 and who executed the wall drawing. Explain how it has continued to be recreated in different locations, by different people since its first installation in 1969 and is now on view at MASS MoCA.


pre-viSitActivitY 1

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Wall Drawing 11A wall divided horizontally and vertically into four equal parts. Within each part, three of the four kinds of lines are superimposed.

May 1969Black pencilYale University Art Gallery, gift of Anna Marie and robert F. Shapiro, B.A. 1956

First drawn by Jerry orter, Adrian Piper, Sol LeWitt

GroUNd FLoor

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Procedure1. After introducing LeWitt’s work, tell the students that they will now act as if they are LeWitt’s assistants, executing Wall Drawing #46.

2. distribute paper and writing utensils; explain that LeWitt’s “canvas” for this wall drawing is the wall. For this activity’s purposes, the “canvas” will be a piece of paper.

3. Write on the board, “Wall Drawing #46: Vertical lines, not straight, not touch-ing, covering the wall evenly.”

4. Using a piece of paper and a pencil, ask the class to follow the directions as stated in Wall Drawing #46’s subtitle: “Vertical lines, not straight, not touching, covering the wall evenly.”

5. remind the class that instead of “covering the wall evenly”, they will be cover-ing the paper evenly.

6. once everyone has completed the drawing, compare and contrast composi-tions.

7. Finally, show the class the image of Wall Drawing #46.

8. Talk about how the various outcomes show how individuals can interpret directions differently. Some of LeWitt’s work allows for that “wiggle” room, whereas some wall drawing direction sets are more specific.

repeat with the additional wall drawing on the following pages or by selecting additional wall drawings on MASS MoCA’s website (http://massmoca.org/lewitt)


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Procedure1. Hand out worksheet #2 “LeWitt related Vocabulary”

2. read through the vocabulary sheet and clarify any definitions.

3. restate Wall Drawing #11’s subtitle: “A wall divided horizontally and vertically into four equal parts. Within each part, three of the four kinds of lines are superimposed.”

discuss the importance of clear directions and how LeWitt did so with the estab-lishment of his vocabulary/grammar in his wall drawing “blueprints”.


pre-viSitActivitY 1b

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Wall Drawing 46Vertical lines, not straight, not touching, covering the wall evenly.

May 1970Black pencilLeWitt Collection, Chester, Connecticut

First drawn bySol LeWitt

GroUNd FLoor

ActivitY 1A: eASY

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Wall Drawing 88A 6-inch (15 cm) grid covering the wall. Within each square, not straight lines in either of four directions. only one direction in each square but as many as desired, and at least one line in each square.

June 1971Black pencilMilwaukee Art Museum, Gift of Friends of Art, M2006.1

First drawn byWilliam Torphy

GroUNd FLoor

ActivitY 1A: MoDerAte

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Wall Drawing 391Two-part drawing. The two walls are each divided horizontally and vertically into four equal parts. First wall: 12-inch (30 cm) bands of lines in four directions, one direction in each part, drawn in black india ink. Second wall: Same, but with four colors drawn in india ink and color ink washes.

April 1983india ink and color ink washMusée d’Art Contemporain de Bordeaux (CAPC)

First drawn bySalah ‘Abid, Jean-Luc Arvers, Michel Harismendy, david Higginbotham, Jean Marie Perrier, Francois robert, Anthony Sansotta

MASS MoCA BUiLdiNG 7

ActivitY 1A: DiFFicUlt

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Wall Drawing 386Stars with three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine points, drawn with a light tone india ink wash inside, an india ink wash outside, separated by a 6-inch (15 cm) white band.

January 1983india ink washCourtesy of the Estate of Sol LeWitt

First drawn byJulie Jarvis, renee Miliken, Anthony Sansotta

SECoNd FLoor

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goals: –To revisit and reinforce what was learned during the museum visit through hands-on art-making projects.

–To use art activities to make curriculum connections between your classroom and the museum visit.


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becoming a Draftsperson: interpreting instruction and exploring Material While touring MASS MoCA’s Sol LeWitt: A Wall Drawing Retrospective, you saw how the artist used different materials to fully explore his concepts. You saw graphite wall drawings, crayon wall drawings, color ink washes, acrylic paint wall drawings and tissue paper wall drawings.

objectives–To explore the factors of interpretation in LeWitt-style direction sets–To explore how different materials can produce different results in art–To learn further about primary colors and the creation of secondary colors–To create in the style of LeWitt

StandardsVisual Arts 1, 2, 4, 8, 10English Language Arts 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 19

Materials–White paper–Colored construction paper–Blue, red and yellow markers, colored pencils, crayons, and paint–graphite pencils–Scissors–images of Sol LeWitt Wall drawings (available by visiting the MASS MoCA website http://www.massmoca.org/lewitt/)


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Procedure1. Present one or more images of Sol LeWitt’s wall drawings on an overhead projector.

2. remind students about their visit to MASS MoCA by asking the following ques-tions:

- What did you see in the Sol LeWitt exhibit at MASS MoCA?- How are Sol LeWitt’s wall drawings created? By whom?- How are these works different from artworks made by a singular artist?- What materials are used to execute the wall drawings?- What colors did Sol LeWitt often start out with?- How did he use the primary colors (red, yellow and blue) to make other colors?

3. Explain that each student will act as draftsperson, the one who executes the idea, similar to the pre-visit activity. However, this time, each student will decide what kind of material he or she will use to make the artwork.

4. Provide enough materials for students to freely choose from utensils (markers, colored pencils, crayons, pencils, paint and color paper).

5. Students can choose up to three different kinds of materials. They may also choose to use just one material.

6. Give out a large piece of paper (at least 11” x 14”).

7. once everyone has his or her materials and a piece of paper, write the follow-ing set of directions on the board and read aloud. repeat as needed.

Three vertical lines not touching, not straight.One blue square.Connect all corners with straight lines.One red five-pointed star. One yellow rectangle. Two orange squares. One green seven-pointed star.

8. Ask the class to carry out the directions.

9. once everyone has completed his or her drawing. Exhibit the artworks.

10. Compare and contrast the drawings. Talk about how and why the drawings look different or the same.


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A collaborative class project(ion)! objectives

–To create in the style of LeWitt by making a temporary large-scale wall drawing–To work in collaboration with others

StandardsVisual Arts 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10English Language Arts 1, 2, 4, 8, 9

Materials–overhead projector (or some way to project an image on a transparency)–Blank transparency sheets –Permanent markers–Photocopies of Worksheet #2 (enough for each group; three students per group)

This drawing could also be collaboratively constructed on a computer program and then be printed from an inkjet printer onto a transparency.


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Procedure1. revisit LeWitt’s concepts and remind the students of their visit to MASS MoCA.

2. Pose the questions listed below to re-inspire this thought and conversation:–What did you see at MASS MoCA? –What is conceptual art?–What is radical about LeWitt’s style of art-making? How is his style of art-mak-ing different from what one might expect from an artist?

–What does it mean to collaborate on a project?–What is necessary when a number of people work on one artwork?–How was LeWitt successful in providing clear instructions to his draftspeople?

3. Break the class into small groups (3 people/group). Each group will collab-oratively devise a plan for a drawing. Each person must contribute at least 3 directions for the piece.

4. Using LeWitt vocabulary, the group should fully write out these directions. Use worksheet # 1 as a guideline for this process. once the plan is agreed upon and written down, the group should also agree on a title for the wall drawing.

5. once the directions are complete, exchange directions with another group. Each group should then follow the directions and execute the student wall drawing. Each individual must execute at least three of the directions. once the drawings are complete, use the projector to enlarge the drawings, filling an entire wall space.

6. Teachers devise an “exhibition schedule” so the various wall drawings will be projected for a period of time. Present the wall drawings in a prominent space in your classroom or somewhere visible to others in your school.

7. debrief with follow-up questions about the process of collaborating: –How did everyone work together? What was challenging? What worked well?–did you feel that your ideas were heard?–How did it feel to give your original directions to another group to carry out?–Was the finished drawing what your group had in mind for the drawing? if so, explain. if the end result differed from your original idea, explain how.

taking this to the next step: The ideas established in the Class Project(ions) activity can also be applied to a wall for a more permanent piece. Likely procedures for this continuation in-clude getting permission from your school or another public space to create a wall drawing on a surface, deciding what kind of materials to implement when executing the wall drawing instructions, procuring those materials and allow-ing adequate time for the installation.


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exploring lewitt’s vocabulary: lewitt lingo bingoobjectives

–Learn the basic artistic and mathematical vocabulary that is employed in Lewitt’s work and is fundamental to both geometry and art.

StandardsVisual Arts 2, 8English 4, 8

Materials–Copies of worksheets #2 and #3 (vocab and 3x3 bingo board)–Pencils

Both activities 3A and 3B have the fundamental objective of understanding the basic artistic and mathematical vocabulary that Lewitt employs. 3A is more in-depth, while 3B requires less time and fewer materials.


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Procedure1. remind students of their visit to MASS MoCA and the work of Sol Lewitt (see Activities 1 & 2).

2. Hand out worksheet #2 to students, and review the basic elements listed. Ask students:

–Which of these words have you seen in other classes? –What types of classes? (discuss connections between math and Lewitt’s art)–Which elements are new to you?

3. Hand out blank Lewitt Lingo BiNGo boards (worksheet #3)

For younger elementary students:4. Have students draw images of the elements listed on worksheet #2 on their Bingo board (a horizontal line, a circle, etc), or prepare game boards ahead of time. Elements should be randomly arranged, one per square.

5. When students are ready, read the vocabulary words one at a time, and have students put an “x” on the corresponding image, if it appears on their board. The first student to cover 3 elements in a row (or the four corners, or the entire board, depending on teacher preference) wins the game.

6. After the game, ask the following questions:-Which words were easy to remember? Which were harder?-Which shapes were the easiest to draw? Which were the hardest?-Why do you think Lewitt was interested in these shapes in his artwork?

For older elementary, middle school:4. Have students write the vocabulary words that appear in the left column of worksheet #2 on their board. The words should be randomly arranged, one per square.

5. Ask students to put away the definition sheet. When students are ready, read the definitions one at a time, and have students put an “x” on the corresponding vocabulary word, if it appears on their board. The first student to cover 3 elements in a row (or the four corners, or the entire board, depending on teacher prefer-ence) wins the game.

6. After the game, ask the following questions:–Which definitions were you not familiar with previously?–Which definitions were the hardest to understand? Why?–did you have to draw images to help you determine what shape the definition corresponded to? if not, would this have helped?

–Why do you think Lewitt chose these 6 shapes (circle, square, triangle, rectangle, parallelogram, trapezoid) as the basis for his artwork?

–Lewitt called the circle, square, and triangle “primary shapes” and the rectangle, parallelogram, and trapezoid “secondary shapes.” Why do you think this is? How does this relate to the primary and secondary colors?


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objectives–Learn the basic artistic and mathematical vocabulary that is employed in Lewitt’s work and is fundamental to both geometry and art.

–Solve problems creatively to determine the best techniques for drawing different Lewitt-inspired forms

–Explore different drawing tools and techniques

StandardsVisual Arts 1,2,8,10English Language Arts 4,8Math General Strand: Patterns, relations, and Algebra, and Geometry

Materials–Paper–Various writing/drawing utensils (pencils, crayons, markers, etc)–A ruler–A short piece of string–A copy of worksheet #2

This activity can also be done in pairs or small groups if materials need to be shared.


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Procedure1. remind students of their visit to MASS MoCA and the work of Sol Lewitt (see Activities 1 & 2).

2. Hand out worksheet #2 to students, and review the basic elements listed. Ask students:

–Which of these words have you seen in other classes? –What types of classes? (discuss connections between math and Lewitt’s art.)–Which elements are new to you? –Why do you think Lewitt chose these 6 shapes (circle, square, triangle, rect-angle, parallelogram, trapezoid) as the basis for his artwork?

–Lewitt called the circle, square, and triangle “primary shapes” and the rect-angle, parallelogram, and trapezoid “secondary shapes.” Why do you think this is? How does this relate to the primary and secondary colors?

3. After discussion, explain that you will be reading the descriptions of several elements, and the students are going to be the “draftspeople,” and try to draw these figures exactly, using only the materials provided.

For younger elementary students:4. read the names of different basic elements on the worksheet (horizontal line, circle, etc.) for students to draw. Encourage the use of the drafting tools provided through questions such as “what could you use to make a circle more even?” For a greater challenge, combine elements using the vocabulary word

“superimposed” (“A rectangle superimposed over a triangle”).

For older elementary, middle school, and high school students:4. read the definitions of elements on worksheet #2 for students to draw. Encourage the use of drafting tools provided, and adherence to the definitions provided through questions such as “how could you ensure that the sides are parallel?” For a greater challenge, definitions can also be read in combina-tion using the vocabulary word “superimposed” (“A line perpendicular to the horizon superimposed over a three-sided polygon”).

5. Have students compare their drawings, selecting several to display in front for class discussion. Ask the following questions:

–Which elements were the most difficult to draw? What methods did you dis-cover to draw these forms precisely?

–Which elements vary the most from drawing to drawing?–Which drawing tools were the easiest to use precisely? The hardest?–What parts of each drawing are different? (size of the forms, color, arrange-ment/composition)

6. Lead a discussion about the fact that even though the drawings look very different, the instructions were the same. Make connections to the Lewitt exhi-bition: the same thing can happen when carrying out a Lewitt instruction! You saw many of the same shapes, forms, and drafting techniques in the exhibition.


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collaborative project(ion)!(use with Post-Visit Activity 1)

Names of group members (a.k.a the Conceptual Artists):

Wall drawing Title

directions:

Group member # 1

a.

b.

c.

Group member # 2

a.

b.

c.

Group member # 3

a.

b.

c.

WorkSHeet #1

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Sol leWitt related vocabulary(use with Pre-Visit Activity 3)

concept: an idea

Conceptual Art: art where idea behind the art object is just as important, if not more so

wall drawing: Sol LeWitt’s concepts applied to a prepared wall by other artists, with a variety of materials, including graphite, paint, ink, crayon, chalk and paper

Simple line: lines drawn in one of four basic directions: vertical, horizontal, diagonal left, and diagonal right

Horizontal line: a line that stretches across the width of a surface

Vertical line: a line that stretches across the length of a surface

Diagonal left line: a line that stretches from the top left corner of a surface to the bottom right corner

Diagonal right line: a line that stretches from the top right corner of a surface to the bottom left corner

Superimposed lines: simple lines layered on top of each other

Linear vocabulary: descriptive lines including the following, straight and not straight, even and uneven, touching and not touching, random and ordered, arcs and circles, and triangles and squares

Primary Colors: red, blue and yellow; when combined, primary colors make a variety of colors

Draftspeople: the artists and assistants who carry out LeWitt’s concepts

WorkSHeet #2

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WorkSHeet #3

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books

100 Views. Ed. Susan Cross and denise Markonish. MASS MoCA in association with Yale University Press, New Haven, and London, 2009.

Sol Lewitt: Twenty-Five Years of Wall Drawings, 1968-1993. Sol Lewitt, Jock reynolds, Andrea Miller-Keller, Addison Gallery of American Art. University of Washington Press, Seattle, 1993.

Sol LeWitt: Wall. Kunsthaus Graz, Katrin Bucher, Paul Horwich, Peter Pakesch, Marco de Michelis, Martin Prinzhorn, Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther Konig, 2004.

Sol LeWitt: A Retrospective (exhibition catalogue). Gary Garrels. San Francisco Museum of Fine Art, San Francisco, 2000.

Sol LeWitt (exhibition catalogue). Alicia Legg. The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1978.

Websites

MASS MoCAhttp://www.massmoca.orgListen to the podcast about Sol LeWitt: A Wall Drawing Retrospective @ http://www.massmoca.org/podcasts.php

Williams College Museum of Arthttp://wcma.org

Yale University Art Galleryhttp://artgallery.yale.edu

National Gallery of Art Classroom http://www.nga.gov/education/classroom/new_angles/lessons_lewitt.shtmExplores Sol LeWitt’s conceptualism through his sculpture

This exhibition and related scholarly programs are a collaboration of Yale University Art Gallery, Williams College Museum of Art, and MASS MoCA, with additional support from:

irwin & Mary Ackerman, Marjorie Ackerman, George W. Ahl iii, Julia Childs & Harrison H. Augur, Anne & Gregory Avis, Elizabeth Ballantine, irving & Esther Bashevkin, robert & Barbara Bashevkin, JoAnn Belson, Andrew & Nicole Bernheimer, Ellen J. Bernstein, Joyce S. Bernstein & Lawrence M. rosenthal, Peder Bonnier, Steven & Ellen Bowman, Susan & duncan Brown, Leslie Gould & Simeon Bruner, Cartin Family, Chuck Close & Leslie rose Close, Neil & Kathleen Chrisman, Eric & Stacy Cochran, Eileen & Michael Cohen, Paula Cooper Gallery, Lisa Corrin & Peter Erickson, George david, The dobbins Foundation, Adrian & Liz Ann doherty, Bob & Happy doran, Virginia dwan, Katharine Haklisch Earnhardt, Jane Eckert, robert A. Feldman, Esq., Julia Mangold & Hannah r. MangoldJose & Barbara Fichmann, Nancy Fitzpatrick & Lincoln russell, Paul E. Francis, Maxine & Stuart Frankel Foundation, Allan & Judy Fulkerson, Timur Galen & Linda Genereux, Amy & Phil Geier, robert L. Gold & Amy Barrett, Susan W. Gold, Francis Greenburger & isabelle Autones, Greenhill Family Foundation, Nina M. Griggs, Carolyn H. Grinstein & Gerald Grinstein, Agnes Gund & daniel Sha-piro, Ann & Graham Gund, Mimi and Peter Haas Fund, Melinda Hackett, Andrew & Christine Hall, Ann Hatch & Paul discoe, James Hedges, Steve Henry & Philip Shneidman, Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, irene Hunter, James M. & Joan Hunter, James Jacobs, The Jerome Family, Kristen Johanson, Alvin & Barbara Krakow, richard & Pamela Kramlich, Peter & Jill Kraus, Michelle & Lawrence Lasser, Lorie Peters Lauthier, Marc & debra Levy, Carol LeWitt, dorothy Lichtenstein, robert Lipp & Martha Berman, Will & Helen Little, Henry Luce Foundation, robert Mangold & Sylvia Plimack Mangold, Massachusetts Cultural Council Cultural Facilities Fund, Henry McNeil, Hans & Kate Morris, donald r. Mullen, Jr., Susan & Leonard Nimoy, PaceWildenstein Gallery, Cynthia Hazen Polsky & Leon Polsky, Prospect Hill Foundation, Jock reynolds & Suzanne Hellmuth, Lamson & Sally rheinfrank, Saul & Hila rosen, dorothy & Frederick rudolph, SABiC innovative Plastics, Joan & Michael Salke, Philip Scaturro, david Schrader, Karsten Schubert, Patricia & david Schulte, Anna Marie & robert Shapiro, Theodore & Mary Jo Shen, Ake & Caisa Skeppner, richard Solomon/Pace Editions, Mar-ion Stroud, Carol & Bob Stegeman, James & dana Tananbaum Family, rachel & Jay Tarses, david & Julie Tobey, United Technologies Corporation, W.L.S. Spencer Foundation, Jack & Susy Wadsworth, Waterman Excavating, inc., Angela Westwater, Williams Col-lege, Michele & Peter Willmott, robert & Elisabeth Wilmers, robert W. Wilson, Charlotte & david Winton, Anthony & Sally Zunino

recoMMenDeD reSoUrceS

education guide

Documents

lewitts work

wall drawing retrospective

wall surface

lewitts place

tour of sol lewitt

young students

older students

mass moca3wall drawing