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Camouflage Sound Activity

Explore Intuitive Responses to a Work of Art

Andy Warhol, Camouflage, 1986, ©AWF

Students use listening, viewing, writing and communication skills in this lesson to explore their own intuitive responses and interpretations of an artwork. Sound clips are played while students look at a work of art and write their feelings, thoughts and associations. Valuable comprehension and discussion questions allow for a rich follow-up conversation.

Grades:

4-12

Subjects:

Art, Aesthetics, Language Arts & Writing, Social Studies, Cultural Studies

Suggested Time Frame:

1 class period

Objectives:

Students will describe Warhol's use of design elements
Students will associate personal ideas and experiences with an abstract work of art
Students will describe new thoughts and feelings about an artwork as music is added to the environment
Students will theorize how music or sounds influence interpretations
Students will speculate how different environments affect our experiences of art

Andy Warhol, Statue of Liberty, 1986, ©AWF

About the Art:

Warhol is reported to have asked his studio assistants, “What can I do that would be abstract but not really abstract?” Camouflage gave him the opportunity to work with both an abstract pattern and an immediately recognizable image, rich in associations. Unlike military motifs, Warhol’s Camouflage paintings reflect bright synthetic and inorganic colors, which would not provide a veil or disguise in any landscape. Created by artists at the military’s request, camouflage dates from the early 20^th century. It was first used for concealment of equipment, and then for uniforms. As Warhol invented more camouflage works he incorporated the pattern into his self-portraits. In these works, the juxtaposition of identity and disguise mirrors the artist’s lifelong struggle to gain notoriety while keeping his own private life hidden.

Warhol also collaborated with the fashion designer Stephen Sprouse to create a line of camouflage clothing. This apparel brought the association of war into high fashion: women dressed in camouflage gowns did not blend in, but instead attracted attention in urban settings. Over the past few decades the military has struggled to create an effective urban camouflage uniform, but hasn’t succeeded because the environment is constantly changing. Unfettered by such concerns, the main interest of contemporary urban clothing designers is to make a bold statement.

Andy Warhol, Self-portrait, 1986, ©AWF

Points of View:

Having been in the military, this piece reminds me of the impact on our society by the military industrial complex. Much of its influence is camouflaged. It is woven into our national infrastructure as technological improvements, communications and security; while some military influence is readily apparent in the fashions young people wear. This piece reminds me that it is not so much “what you do see” as it is “what you don’t see.” “Can you see me?”

Reverend Thomas E. Smith, Monumental Mission Ministries.

To call these paintings decorative would be short-sighted, for in manipulating the size, shape and colors of the traditional military fabric—a fabric designed not to be seen—he demonstrates an almost effortless ability to summon up an entire range of art historical references, from Chinese landscapes to Monet’s Water Lilies . . . Of course pretending he didn’t know anything about art history was one of the many ways in which Warhol camouflaged himself. He told countless interviewers that Walt Disney was his favorite artist, while quietly amassing a collection that including paintings by Corot, Fragonard, Picasso, Fontana and Yves Klein, among others.

Bob Colacello, writer and former Warhol associate.

Visitors to the museum view one of Andy Warhol's largest Camouflage paintings

Discussion Questions:

What do you feel, think and associate with this painting?
What do you think the painting might mean?
Where do we most often view art works? Describe that environment.
Where would you least want to put an important work of art and why?
Is the environment important to the artwork?
Is the viewer’s experience important to the artwork?

Procedure

Materials:

Music clip: Spring, Vivaldi	Music clip: I Feel Love, Donna Summer	Music clip: War, Edwin Starr
Paper	Pencils	Response Sheets

Procedure:

Print out the response sheets for students.
Look at the artwork without discussing any information about the work (historical/cultural context, interpretations, criticisms, etc.).
Write down your feelings, thoughts, associations, and observations while looking at the work in silence.
Listen to the first music clip: Spring, Vivaldi.
Do not try to identify the music; instead, write down any new feelings, thoughts, associations and observations while looking and listening.
Listen to the second music clip: War, Edwin Starr. Repeat step five.
Listen to the third music clip: I Feel Love, Donna Summer. Repeat step five.
Compare and contrast your personal responses to the different pieces of music to the responses of your peers.
Reflect on the responses, and then write a brief analysis.

Assessment

Wrap-up:

How did your experience viewing the art change as the music changed? How did the meaning and context of the artwork change as your experience changed? Did the music enhance your experience of the artwork or was it distracting? Hypothesize other environmental factors that could affect the way a person views a work of art (example: highlighting, temperature, etc.).

Warhol Education Rubrics

Click the Warhol Rubric headers below to reveal associated rubrics to which this lesson applies.

Critical Thinking

	Developing	Emerging	Proficient	Advanced	Exemplary
CT.2	Contextual Thinking: Conducts analysis of contextual information to determine relevant and logical reasoning that supports their decision process and opinions.	Has a hard time identifying relevant contextual data.	Understands data and make decisions in varying contexts with greater accuracy.	Utilizes contextual data skillfully to form logical arguments and relevant explanations.	Understands data and make decisions in varying contexts with greater accuracy.	Utilizes contextual data skillfully to form logical arguments and relevant explanations.

Aesthetics

	Developing	Emerging	Proficient	Advanced	Exemplary
AE.1	Personal Aesthetics: aware of perceptual preferences in relation to a work of art and how their own interpretations affect how they experience a work of art	Difficulty in communicating personal opinions and feelings about an artwork.	Possesses a beginning recognition of how their own interpretations affect how they experience a work of art.	Analyzes personal feelings, likes/dislikes, values and associations as part of the process in interpreting works of art.	Deconstructs an artwork's formal and expressive qualities along with their own preferences as part of the process in interpreting works of art.	Formulates an analysis of works of art that combines formal, expressive and personal intepretations.

Communication

	Developing	Emerging	Proficient	Advanced	Exemplary
CO.3	Listening and Speaking: Ability to express ideas and listen to others.	Somewhat organized, but off topic. Unable to respond adequately to questions from others or summarize others' conclusions or viewpoints.	Answers reveal a partial understanding of material. Misses some aspects of the topic and inconsistently comments on others statements.	Expresses ideas well. Listens and responds to peers thoughtfully and respectfully. Grasps concepts well enough to ask questions about what is still not understood.	Responds to questions accurately and with supporting facts that are engaging. Established eye contact and demonstrated an awareness of audiences’ needs. Demonstrates additional curiosity in subject.	Explores topic thoroughly providing multiple details, examples and supporting facts. Answers convey a deep understanding of topic. Highly responsive to audience. Active participation in discussion brings group learning to a higher level.

Creative Process

	Developing	Emerging	Proficient	Advanced	Exemplary
CP.2	Engagement: Actively listening, watching, responding, exploring, creating and reflecting on experiences.	Interest is limited and personal connection with subject matter or process is low.	Demonstrates curiosity in the project by asking questions and using answers to move forward in the creation of a work of art.	Seeks opportunities to enhance art work by applying more time, extra materials, help from others, etc.	Demonstrates acute focus in the act of creating and works without distractions. Is in the flow (Csikszentmihalyi).	Shares their experience, excitement and new ideas for a project in a way that inspires others.

Historical Context

	Developing	Emerging	Proficient	Advanced	Exemplary
HC.4	Interpretative: Able to synthesize facts and opinions in own interpretation of historical/cultural significance.	Possesses a limited ability to develop an opinion about how an artwork relates to historical events and/or current events.	Recognizes multiple points of view about a historical event.	Forms opinions on the importance of events in history in relation to a work of art or to an artist’s process.	Synthesizes facts and opinions in own interpretation of the historical/cultural significance of a work of art.	Integrates historical/cultural evidence in unique interpretation of artwork and future implications (impact, effect, role) in society.

Media and Related Items

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