Neo-Rationalist Theory Unit

Neo-Rationalist Theory
Teachers: Laura Davis and Courtney Hollan
Grade: 6
Time Needed: 45 minutes
Objective: Students will understand the neo-rationalist theory of art and how it relates to citing sources in a research paper without plagiarizing. Student will show this knowledge by creating their own pointillistic art and writing a short research paper using correct citations.
Standards:
State Visual Arts Standard 3
Objective 1
b) Group artists and their works according to style or similar visual characteristics.    

State Writing Standard 8
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources.

National Arts Standard 6
Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines.     

Intro
According to this theory art is only “good” art if it is patterned after or influenced by a famous artist’s work.

Start the introduction of what neo-rationalism really is by comparing pictures of Pablo Picasso and Alexandra Nechita. You can find more information about Alexandra Nechita at this link: http://www.iisis.net/index.php?page=pablo-picasso-alexandra-nechita-reincarnation-past-lives-child-prodigy-kevin-ryerson-walter-semkiw. Ask children if they think they know which painting is by Picasso? Allow the classroom to discuss if they think Alexandra Nechita should be recognized for her work? Are you still an artist if you are inspired by another famous artist’s work? Where do you draw the line for inspiration vs copying someone else? Do you think it bothers (or would bother) Picasso, the original artist?
 


Artists
Felix Gonzalez -Torres: An American minimalist artist that makes installation and process art. We looked at his work before in class with the candy portraits. This artwork is made up of two stacks of white paper; one is called “Memorial day weekend” and the other is called “Veterans day sale”. This is an example of process art because visitors are invited to take paper from either stack symbolizing how these national holidays have been commercialized. This artwork would be valued in the neo-rationalist theory because the shape of his artwork was somewhat inspired by the minimalist art of Donald Judd
information from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A9lix_Gonz%C3%A1lez-Torres

Untitled (Monuments)


Minimalist art inspired by the work of Donald Judd

Walton Ford
An American watercolor artist who paints natural settings in the style of James Audubon. Unlike Audubon, Ford paints to critique humanity’s effect of the environment.
Video about his inspiration: http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/walton-ford
Ford, The Falling Bough
 

Ford, Benjamin's Emblem
 

Audubon, Louisiana Heron
 

Audubon, Pinnated grouse
Tom Killion
An American artist from California. His artwork is strongly influenced by the style of Japanese woodcuts, but his landscapes are of the California coast.
video about his inspiration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjBzm1T2Czg

Killion, Mt. Tamalpais from Bulkley Ave., Sausalito



Killion, Point Reyes from Chimney Rock

Japanese Woodcut
 

Alexandra Nechita
A child prodigy artist born in Romania and raised in the United States. She had her first art exhibit at 8 years old in Los Angeles, CA. She was named “The Petite Picasso” by the press  at age 14 because her artwork looks so much like Picasso’s. http://www.iisis.net/index.php?page=pablo-picasso-alexandra-nechita-reincarnation-past-lives-child-prodigy-kevin-ryerson-walter-semkiw
 
Nechita, Ladder of Giving
 

Picasso, Girl Before a Mirror
 



Nechita, The Day of September 11
 



Picasso, Guernica (based on the bombing of the city Guernica)


Research Papers:
Applying it to a different subject:
You can apply the principle of neo-rationalism by teaching about copyrights and correct citations. Sometimes in science, math, or english, we are required to write research papers that are based on other’s findings. Students will need to create an original document based on other’s findings without copying it. Where can you draw the line?

Teach children the negative effects of plagiarism. Define plagiarism. Plagiarize \'pla-je-,riz also j - -\ vb -rized; -riz·ing vt [plagiary] : to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own : use (a created production) without crediting the source vi: to commit literary theft: present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source -
FROM: Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary 9th ed, (Springfield, Ma: Merriam 1981, p. 870).

Explain that as a teacher, if you were to say you made that definition up by yourself, even though you are borrowing it from Webster’s Dictionary, that would be plagiarism. Encyclopedias, books, and articles are there for our use and research. However, if we borrow their information without giving them credit,  it’s the same thing as stealing. Give an example of two students in the class. One student did their homework, and the other student stole it and copied it. Is that fair? Should the second student still get a good grade, even though they didn’t do their work?

Not only is it morally wrong to plagiarize, but you can face other consequences as well. Some of the consequences found include:
- Plagiarism can get you expelled from your course
- Plagiarism can result in your work being destroyed
- Plagiarism can result in expulsion from your academic institution
- Plagiarism can result in legal action.
You can read more about the consequences of plagiarism at this site: http://www.scanmyessay.com/plagiarism/consequences-of-plagiarism.php

Storybook:

Read, “A Bird or Two” by Bijou Le Tord. The book is about the artist Henri Matisse. It’s also an example of neo-rationalism because Tord illustrates the book using Mattisse’s style of art.This book teaches about Matisse while giving a concrete example of neo-rationilism. After reading the book, explain to the class how Tord was inspired to write and illustrate about Henri Matisse, and how that kind of inspiration can be defined as neo-rationalism.

Other good books to help inspire children based from famous artists:
“Frida’s Fashions” inspired by Fridda Kahlo
“Free to Be” inspired by Sargent Johnson
“Guard my Secret” inspired by Jackson Pollock

I found a blog with these ideas here: http://auroenglish.blogspot.com/2010/04/create-your-own-masterpieces-inspired.html




What are some aspects of this art that we could be inspired by?
Vincent Van Gogh, Starry Night (contrasting colors, long brush strokes, landscapes)

Jackson Pollock, Number 8 (paint splatters, bright colors, layered paint)


Geroges Seurat, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte (pointillism, peaceful)

How to incorporate an artist’s style in your own work:
Explain to students that if they feel compelled or inspired by another artist’s work, they should try to use some of the same features or ideas in their own work. The first step in creating a neo-rationalist art piece is being able to identify features in the original artwork.

For example, the teacher may use the picture above (Georges Seurat, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte), for an example. Maybe you are drawn to the content, style, media, color scheme, emotions, or message that can be drawn from this particular piece, and want to create something similar. It’s important for students to recognize these different areas, and varying characteristics they contain in order to incorporate them in their own work.

With the picture above, students must pay attention to details before starting their own work. Point out to the students things like: the subject’s faces aren’t clearly defined, it can be viewed as a snapshot as everyday life, the clothes show that it’s not from a modern time period, lines used art rounded and very soft, this piece is painted using a bunch of smaller dots (pointillistic),etc. Students can identify certain shapes, patterns, colors, or schemes in art and can use it as inspiration to apply it in their own work.

Art Project: Using Georges Seurat’s pointillistic style create your own pointillistic piece.
Materials:
Pencils
Paper
Tempera Paint
Q-tips

Step 1: Make a light sctech of what you want to paint using pencil.
Step 2: Use a q-tip to paint your picture.
If you wish to have smaller dots you may rip off the cotton on the end of the q-tip.


Step 3: Wait for the painting to dry and display!


Assessment: The students will research a topic that they are interested in or inspired by and correctly cite three sources about the topic. The paper should be 1-2 pages long. The students will be graded on the quality of their sources and whether they cited their sources correctly or not.