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TRANSCRIPT
American Identity Tour Irving Penn
Irving Penn: Beyond Beauty
Intro (in Great Hall)
Welcome to the Wichita Art Museum!
Each group: Introduce yourself and go over expectations. Address Basic Needs: make sure students/chaperones
know where restrooms and water fountains are, when they can sit down and where, how to let you know if they need
something. If any of these go unaddressed, students may have a hard time focusing on the engaging tour you are giving!
Setting the stage/getting input
Remember to start your tour with a brief introduction: i.e. Today we are
will look at select artworks and talk about American ideas, history,
and identity that is expressed.
Irving Penn was born in 1917 in Plainfield, New Jersey to immigrant parents. Soon
the family moved to Philadelphia and his father began work as a watchmaker and his
mother as a nurse. This story of immigration is often the beginning of the modern
American family’s story. While Penn’s own, personal, American History was
undoubtedly important in his work he also felt a drive to document others, in their
own cultural dress within their cultural landscape.
Navigating the Tour
For the purpose of this tour, the stops have been divided into 4 main categories of identity. Based
on the teacher’s request, student’s interests and time permitted, you may choose one or more
categories to focus on in your tour.
The categories are:
Personal identity
Cultural identity
National identity
Artistic identity
For each area of the museum and each category, there will be multiple choices of stops. You will not have time to go to every
stop. When a tour is assigned, the tour leader will develop the rotations based on the areas of the museum. If you have a
favorite work of art that fits the key ideas and focus of this tour, you are welcome to include it as time permits. Share your
passion for our collection with the visitors!
American Identity Tour Irving Penn
Key Ideas / Definitions
Identity (As a General Blanket Term)
The definition of how a person sees or thinks of themselves; Identity can also refer to how people
represent themselves to each other.
Personal Identity
How the uniqueness of a sitter, still life, or photograph is conveyed to the audience.
Cultural Identity
How ethnicity, nationality, language, religion, and gender are portrayed through Irving Penn’s
photographs
National Identity
Since the United States was founded in the 18th century, Americans have defined themselves by their common values
and belief in individual freedom.
(from usembassy.gov)
What ideas and values are distinctly American, and how does Penn highlight this?
Artistic Identity
How do the photographs exemplify, or display, Penn’s artistic vision?
American Identity Tour Irving Penn
Identity
Cultural
Personal
What do you see- What do you see? Have students make an inventory, or listing, of all the elements they can find.
What comparisons can you make – Have you seen storefronts like this before? Is so, where? If not, where do you
think this store would be located? Where do you think this photo was taken? Is it a portrait of the boy or the location?
What does it mean to you- Do you feel a connection to this boy or the store imagery behind him? Why or why not?
What do you see – What do you notice about this picture? What kind of style does it have? Is it graphic? Realistic?
What is the focal point?
What comparisons can you make –What is the artist trying to convey about his perception of advertising in our
everyday life? What makes you say that?
What does it mean to you – Is there anything familiar about this store to you? What is different? Have you seen
anything like this before? What kind of person do you think works here? Can you describe him?
Young Boy, Pause Pause,
American South
Irving Penn
Silver Print
1941, printed in 2001
Identity
Artistic
Cultural
National
Penn started his career in the late 1930s, photographing street
scenes in places like New York and Philadelphia, and
captured gritty images of storefronts and working-class
people from the American South in the early 1940s. Here
Penn was able to photograph the young boy at a close
distance, and he almost seems to be in dialogue with the
camera, or Penn himself. His strong gaze presents an
interesting contrast with the graphic storefront advertising
behind him, with the words “Pause Pause.”
Optical Goods, New York
Irving Penn
Silver Print
1942, printed 2001
Often Penn photographed things that were off-key or unhinged,
whether it was shop signs with missing letters, silhouettes of giant
scissors, misspelled graffiti or advertising posters. Here three
painted eyes peer out of an optician’s storefront. The photograph
is reminiscent of a surrealist painting with its crisp depiction yet
disembodied feel. Each eye is different from the other. Penn
captured the dichotomy of symmetrical composition and the
uncanny feeling that the three-eyed stare gives those who pass by.
American Identity Tour Irving Penn
Identity
Artistic
Personal
National
What do you see –What do you find interesting about this image? What kind of instrument is this?
What comparisons can you make – How is this different from other photography we have seen today?
Similar? Would you consider this a portrait?
What does it mean to you – Is music important to you, as it would be to the musician? Why do you think
the hands are important?
Identity
Artistic
Cultural
National
What do you see -
What is the first thing you notice when you
look at this photograph?
What comparisons can you make –
What senses are stimulated?
What does it mean to you –
What thoughts or feelings are evoked from
looking at this photograph? How do you
think the model felt?
12 Hands of Miles Davis and His Trumpet, New York Irving Penn Silver Print 1986, printed 1999
Bee (A), New York Irving Penn Chromogenic Print
1995, printed 2001
This piece is a fun, almost abstract, entry into the idea
of identity. Miles Davis was born in 1926 to an affluent
middle class African-American family in Alton, Illinois.
Through preforming Davis realized that New York
held the action he desired, and his jazz career began at
what would become Julliard. He is considered to be
among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the
history of jazz and 20th century music. So this piece
speaks to Davis’ artistic and personal identity which is
founded upon his music, as well as the national identity
that surrounded his acclaim and the American’s love of
jazz.
For this shoot, a bee keeper was flown in from New
Mexico. Bees become docile and harmless when cold, and
the bee keeper knew the exact temperature for this state
of induced hibernation – he put them in the fridge. Penn
remembered that “Bee Stung Lips” had been a popular
expression in the 1950s to characterize full, pouty lips. So
in 1995, when women started having collagen injected to
make their lips fuller, he thought using this idea was a
perfect illustration for the Vogue article. This works
through Penn’s artistic desire to change the viewer’s
perception of what is harmful or thus beautiful. At the
same time it reflects the American emphasis on
“injecting” beautiful. These impossible standards still exist
today, playing into the cultural standards of what it means
to be a woman of beauty – a concept that is artistic in its
own right as well.
American Identity Tour Irving Penn
Identity
Artistic
National
What do you see –What do you find interesting about this image? What tools do you see? Do you see
anything different from what you’ve used in school?
What comparisons can you make – How is this different from other still life photos or paintings you may
have seen before? Any similarities?
What does it mean to you – Where do we see these tools normally? What kinds of jobs would require these
tools? Can you think of any task you would do with them? Does this highlight anything about the American
work/art world?
Identity
Artistic
Personal
What do you see - What is the first thing you notice when you look at this photograph?
What comparisons can you make – Irving Penn is holding the camera, but is this his studio? What do you see
that may suggest or deny your theory? Could this be a portrait or a way to capture what interior space looks like?
What does it mean to you –Do you take “selfies”? Are they similar or different than this photo?
Still Life with Triangle and Red Eraser, New York Irving Penn Cibachrome Print 1985 Mixografia print on handmade paper
Irving Penn and Robert
Freson in Henry Moore’s
Studio, Much Hadham,
England Irving Penn Silver Print 1962, printed 2000
Quite like the famous Penn portraits, this still life
depicts the tools of an artist – a portrait of the
profession. This still life composition is fashioned out
of materials used by a graphic artist, including a grease
pencil, a triangle, colored pigments, a ruler, and
multiple erasers. While clearly speaking to artistic
identity ( tools of the trade), both for graphic artists
and for Penn’s compositional interest, the photograph
also lends itself to national identity. America’s identity
is preformed to the world via our graphic arts and even
through Penn’s advertising photography.
This photography shows two photographers, in another
artist’s studio. Freson worked under Penn for 13 years at
Vogue. It plays into personal identity as Penn showcases a
self-portrait, in a mirror, as well as oddities that can be
found in a sculptor’s studio. Here Penn depicts himself
within another’s identity though the medium of a studio –
an intensely personal artistic space.. While Henry Moore is
not an American sculptor, we do have one of his
sculptures installed on the sculpture deck! So it will be
important to emphasize the way that art can disseminate
throughout the world, and how American Art practices
really do have an influence.
American Identity Tour Irving Penn
Identity
Personal
National
What do you see – Can you describe what stands out to you the most? What foods do you recognize?
What comparisons can you make – Have you seen still life’s that are different from this one, maybe even one
you’ve seen today? Why is this different to you? Where do you think you would find this photograph?
What does it mean to you – What does this say about Americans and food? Would you use this image to
advertise for frozen foods or against them?
Engagement: Questioning and Responding
Open ended vs close ended questions- As much as possible, present questions with multiple correct answers
(open-ended). This gets more minds engaged in the critical thinking and viewing of the works of art. One strategy
for asking questions is starting with the “right there” (or obvious) questions and building to more difficult. By
asking open ended questions, whether easy or difficult, students feel safe and unintimidated when they realize there
is no wrong answer.
Examples of open ended questions:
What do you see (describe) -What do you notice? How would you describe this artwork?
What comparisons can you make (analyze)- What connections do you make to school/your life/the world/etc?
What questions do you have? How are the individual parts put together?
What does it mean to you (interpret)- What do you think is going on in this work of art? What does it mean? What
does it mean to you?
Back up answers with evidence- What do you see that makes you say that?
Frozen Foods, New York
Irving Penn
Dye Transfer Print
1977, printed 1984
Penn’s preferred subjects, food, flowers, and fashion, were all
inherently ephemeral, and he saw beauty in all manner of things and
in every stage of life. There is rigidity to this still life that we are not
used to seeing in conjunction with food. Yet as Americans come to
rely on frozen or pre-packaged foods these images can seem more
commonplace. Though this photograph was taken in 1977, there is
still a contemporary feel which is modern and simple. This is
coupled with a fascination of decay on Penn’s part, for these foods
are beginning to thaw and change to their expected colors, and
Penn captures this moment of chance.
American Identity Tour Irving Penn
Be patient. Allow wait time. After you ask a question, give time for visitors to answer. It’s easy to want to fill the
silence, but try to let it be until someone responds.
Other ways to get students involved
Le them explore a wall of the gallery, on which your next piece will be, and let them do some self-guided
exploration.
Think, pair, share- have students pair up to talk about the question then share their partner’s thoughts
Student choices in viewing- take an inventory of one part of the gallery and pick an artwork they identify
with to discuss deeper
Responding to their answers:
Once you ask the questions, your reaction or response to the students’ answers is just as important. How you follow
up with them will determine how willing they are to continue engaging in conversation. Make sure your responses
are neutral and you validate each person’s response in some way. Paraphrase to make sure you heard them correctly.
Examples:
Paraphrasing (also neutral responses): “I hear you saying…” or “It sounds like you’re noticing…”
Neutral: “Thanks for your observation!” or “You’re really noticing the____ (color, details, etc)!”
vs. Non neutral: “Great answer!” or “Who has a better idea?” or “That’s the best one I’ve heard!”
Reflection
The end of the tour is almost as important as the welcome.
Give a summary of what they have seen, ask them what they would consider to be the
highlights of the tour!
Give your group something to think about as they leave.
Make sure chaperones know where to go to return to the museum lobby or another
location if they request. Remind your group to return on our FREE Saturdays all year
round!
American Identity Tour Irving Penn
Connection to school curriculum
National Core Arts Standards addressed:
VA:Pr6.1.6a (Presenting) Access, explain, and provide evidence of how museums or other
venues reflect history and values of a community.
VA:Re7.1.6a (Reflecting) Identify and interpret works of art or design that reveal how
people live around the world and what they value.
VA:Cn11.1.6a (Connecting) Analyze how art reflects changing times, traditions, resources,
and cultural uses.
Kansas College and Career Readiness standards addressed:
Elementary School
4th grade
Reading- RL.4.1 – Refer to details and examples in a text work of art when explaining what the
text work of art says shows explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text work of art.
RL.4.2 – Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem work of art from details in the
text work of art; summarize the text work of art.
Writing- W.4.9 – Draw evidence from literary or informational texts works of art to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
Speaking and Listening- SL.4.1d – Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas
and understanding in light of the discussion.
5th grade
Reading- RL.5.9 – Compare and contrast stories works of art in the same genre (e.g., mysteries
and adventure stories) on their approaches to similar themes and topics.
Writing- W.5.9 – Draw evidence from literary or literary or informational texts works of art to
support analysis, reflection, and research.
Speaking and Listening- SL.5.1c – Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments
that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others.
American Identity Tour Irving Penn
Middle School
Reading- RL.6.1, RL.7.1, RL.8.1– Cite textual visual evidence to support analysis of what the text
work of art says shows explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text work of art.
RL.6.2 and RL.7.2 – Determine a theme or central idea of a text work of art, how it is
conveyed through particular details, and analyze its development over the course of the text
work of art; provide an objective summary of the text work of art; provide a summary of the
text work of art distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
RL.8.5 – Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts works of art and
analyze how the differing structure of each text work of art contributes to its meaning and
style.
Writing- W.6.9, W.7.9, W.8.9 – Draw evidence from literary or informational texts work of art to support analysis, reflection, and research. Speaking and Listening- SL.6.1c – Pose and respond to specific questions with elaboration and detail by making comments that contribute to the topic, text, or issue under discussion.
SL.7.1c – Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to others’ questions and
comments with relevant observations and ideas that bring the discussion back on topic as needed. SL.7.1d – Acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted, modify
their own views. SL.8.1c – Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others’ questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas. SL.8.1d – Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, qualify
or justify their own views in light of the evidence presented.
High School
Writing- W.9-10.9 and W.11-12.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts works of art
to support analysis, reflection and research.
American Identity Tour Irving Penn
Speaking and Listening- SL.9-10.1c Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions
that relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into
the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions + SL.11-12.1c and promote
divergent and creative perspectives.
Literacy in History and Social Studies-
RH.9-10.6 Compare the point of view of two or more authors artists for how they treat the same
or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in their respective accounts
artworks.
RH.11-12.6 Evaluate authors’ artists’ differing points of view on the same historical event or issue
by assessing the authors’ artists’ claims, reasoning and evidence.
Social Studies Standards for all grades:
1. Choices have consequences.
2. Individuals have rights and responsibilities.
3. Societies are shaped by beliefs, idea, and diversity.
4. Societies experience continuity and change over time.
5. Relationships between people, place, idea, and environments are dynamic.
Elementary School
4th grade focus- Kansas and Regions of the United States (Cultural and National
identity)
5th grade focus- A New Nation: Beginnings through 1800 (National identity)
Middle School
6th grade focus- Ancient World History (Cultural identity)
7th grade focus- Kansas History (Cultural Identity)
8th grade focus- US History: Constitutional Age to International Expansion (National
identity)
American Identity Tour Irving Penn
High School –
1900 to the present, including Progressivism, World War I, the 1920s, the Great Depression
and New Deal, World War II and its aftermath, the Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam, and
the Modern World (National and Cultural Identity)
STEM Practices
While on the tour, students will engage in the following STEM practices using works of art.
4. Engage in Inquiry
STEM proficient students will engage in inquiry to investigate global issues, challenges, and real
world problems.
A. Ask questions to identify and define global issues, challenges, and real world
problems.
5. Engage in Logical Reasoning
STEM proficient students will engage in logical reasoning to answer complex questions, to investigate
global issues, and to develop solutions for challenges and real world problems.
A. Engage in critical thinking.