Visual
Anthropology/Cultural Anthropology- Student Art Projects
Because anthropology covers the range
of humanityfrom past to presentand because anthropology is
itself a discipline that encourages students to bring their
interpretations to the classroom, I have been able to stress
student creativity in my anthropology classes. In both Visual
Anthropology and Cultural Anthropology I have given my students
the opportunity to develop projects that highlight their
aesthetic skills, if they so desire. In one of these classes,
Visual Anthropology, I assigned a collage as a component of the
classroom assessment. Because we were studying the visual culture
of the worlds around us, I wanted all students, regardless of
their aesthetic inclinations, to produce a collage designed to
reflect a political issue. One student, Katie, developed a
collage that illustrated the potential for creative and
analytical work in the anthropology classroom. Katies collage
takes advantage of three circles, each representing the planet.
As she explained it to me, the details become sharper in each
progressive sphere because of the metaphor of distance and
connectionfor one to truly understand world problems like
malnourishment, poverty and warfare, one has to get closer to the
issues in a personal sense. Katies collage has stuck with me
for years because of its ability to get others to think about
anthropological issues. A second work is offered by Greg, a
student from Cultural Anthropology. Greg has gone on to pursue a
successful career in the art world, and I would like to think
that my tutelage in anthropology is a part of his success. Greg
was interested in combining his fine oil painting abilities with
the topic of consumer society. In the final version of his
painting he used familiar logos to make a connection with the
issue of the encroachment of consumer society on the
consciousness of those living in the United States and elsewhere.
Creative projects such as these allow for a more dynamic and
engaging anthropology classroom.
Because anthropology covers the range
of humanityfrom past to presentand because anthropology is
itself a discipline that encourages students to bring their
interpretations to the classroom, I have been able to stress
student creativity in my anthropology classes. In both Visual
Anthropology and Cultural Anthropology I have given my students
the opportunity to develop projects that highlight their
aesthetic skills, if they so desire. In one of these classes,
Visual Anthropology, I assigned a collage as a component of the
classroom assessment. Because we were studying the visual culture
of the worlds around us, I wanted all students, regardless of
their aesthetic inclinations, to produce a collage designed to
reflect a political issue. One student, Katie, developed a
collage that illustrated the potential for creative and
analytical work in the anthropology classroom. Katies collage
takes advantage of three circles, each representing the planet.
As she explained it to me, the details become sharper in each
progressive sphere because of the metaphor of distance and
connectionfor one to truly understand world problems like
malnourishment, poverty and warfare, one has to get closer to the
issues in a personal sense. Katies collage has stuck with me
for years because of its ability to get others to think about
anthropological issues. A second work is offered by Greg, a
student from Cultural Anthropology. Greg has gone on to pursue a
successful career in the art world, and I would like to think
that my tutelage in anthropology is a part of his success. Greg
was interested in combining his fine oil painting abilities with
the topic of consumer society. In the final version of his
painting he used familiar logos to make a connection with the
issue of the encroachment of consumer society on the
consciousness of those living in the United States and elsewhere.
Creative projects such as these allow for a more dynamic and
engaging anthropology classroom.