Smithsonian Learning Lab

Exploring identity - Japan and the Western culture

Using "See, Think, Wonder" and "Parts, Perspective, me", this collection explores how cultural shock influences the way artists see themselves or are perceived by others. The careful analysis of 100 Pounds of Rice by the artist Saeri Kiritani provides an opportunity for students to reflect on the similarities and differences with the novel Fear and Trembling by the Belgian author Amelie Nothomb. It also invites students to reflect on their own cultural identity.Time- 1 or 2 class periods with optional homework and extension activitiesGuiding Questions: <ul><li>How do art and literature shape our understanding of cultures?</li><li>What kind of knowledge about a literary text and about art do we gain when we compare and contrast them?</li><li>How does language in art and literature represent cultural distinctions and identities?</li></ul>Context: In Fear and trembling, Amélie, who is the main character of this autobiographical novel, shares her struggles as a foreign employee in a big Japanese corporation where she is confronted with Japanese protocols and habits that are culturally new to her. In her story, Japanese culture is exposed through a foreign perspective. The aim of the collection is to bring a different perspective to our study, these of a Japanese women living in the US, in order to build a better intercultural understanding of the Japanese culture. Prior knowledge: Students have read the novel Fear and Trembling and analysed the way Western and Japanese cultures are perceived by the different characters. They have explored how the autobiographical novel offers insights on the Japanese workplace culture and reflected on its limitations (a single story embedded in fiction). This teaching unit can be done without the comparative component of literature. It can also be adapted to any other literary work that explores the topic of identity. Day 1: Step 1: Have them do "See, Think, Wonder"individually with 100 Pounds of Rice by Saeri Kiritani. Do not show the caption to students yet. The "See, Think, Wonder" routine is good to help students pay attention to details and unveil the artist's choices. It also encourages them to initiate a first interpretation. Step 2: Debrief as a whole group- Discuss the self portrait of Saeri Kiritani. Step 3: Show the Saeri Kiritani 's youtube video Once students have discussed the sculpture, show them the video and ask them to take notes on the new information the artist provides. Next, go back and look at the sculpture and see how their understanding has shifted from their initial interpretation. Step 4: Read the caption Have students read the caption and answer the questions of the Design Thinking routine "Parts, Perspectives, Me". The routine encourages students to consider the various viewpoints of an object, its users, and stakeholders, and reflect on their own connections and involvement with it. It helps them connect with the perspectives taken in the novel as they are complementary, yet different. It also lead them to reflect on their own identity and prepares them for possible extensions to the activity. Step 5: Debrief the questions as a group Day 2 or Homework Step 6: Have them write an individual synthesis: <ul><li>What did I learn about Saeri Kiritani self-portrait? Fear and trembling? Me?</li><li>How do Saeri Kiritani and Amelie Nothomb express how they experience cultural differences?</li><li>What are the similarity and differences between them? How does it impact your understanding?</li></ul>Step 7: Debrief in pair or small group, then as a whole group Extensions Creative project: Step 1 - Once they have completed these activities, ask them: <ul><li>What material or fabric would better represent who you are? Why?</li><li>What part of you would better represent who you are? Why?</li></ul>Step 2 - Debrief in group - reflect on the idea of cultural stereotypes: what role do cultural stereotypes play in the construction of self-identity? To what extent do cultural stereotypes limit or facilitate self-identification? Identification of others? Step 3 - Have them sculpt their self-representation with the material of their choice. Step 4 - Exhibition and presentation of the creative process.

Anne Leflot

7

Women of Japan

Time- 2 class periods Description: Using the Project Zero Design Thinking routines "Parts, People, Interaction", this activity provides an understanding of the system of gender power at stake in the representation of Chapter 34 of Tales of Genji - Kashiwagi catches sight of the third Princess. It then looks at a modernization of the illustrations and offers a reflection on what the new feminine contemporary perspective brings to the interpretation of the Third princess story. In exploring the representations of the tales of Genji, students have the opportunity to discover tales that have become a standard for Japanese culture. They look at the first known literature piece written by a woman, who shares a rare and intimate perspective of a woman on a world governed by men. Students compare the representation of the tales from the XVIth century with one from the XXth century to identify in what ways they have been interpreted. Day 1: Step 1: Have students sketch The tale of Genji, chapter 34; Kashiwagi catches sight of the third Princess Step 2: Debrief as a whole group Discuss what the students have noticed. Do not show the caption to the students yet. The observational drawing is good to help students pay attention to details and unveil the artist's choices. It also encourages them to initiate a first interpretation. Step 3: Parts, People, Interaction Once students have discussed the painting, guide them through the routine "Parts, People, Interaction". "This thinking routine helps students slow down and look closely at a system ( here the system of gender power.) In doing so, young people are able to situate objects within systems and recognize the various people who participate—either directly or indirectly—within a particular system. Students also notice that a change in one aspect of the system may have both intended and unintended effects on another aspect of the system. When considering the parts, people, and interactions within a system, young people begin to notice the multitude of subsystems within systems. This thinking routine helps stimulate curiosity, raises questions, surfaces areas for further inquiry, and introduces systems thinking." (PZ) Step 4: Read the PDF "More about Chapter 34" and go back to the questions Have students read the caption, go back and look at the painting and ask them to take notes on how their understanding has shifted from their initial interpretation. Step 5: Debrief the "Parts, People and Interaction" routine as a whole group: During the discussion, here are some specific question students may want to address: <ul><li>What does the illustration of Chapter 34, Kashiwagi catches sight of the third Princess says about the system of power gender in place at the Japanese court in the XIth century? </li><li>To what extent the architecture in the painting play a role in facilitating the superiority of men? </li><li>How does the system in place impact relationship between men and women?</li></ul>Day 2: Step 1: "See, Think, Wonder" - The third princess with her pet cat, Yamato Maki, 1987 Have them do a quick "See, Think, Wonder" to encourages them to reactivate prior knowledge, pay attention to details and reflect on the effects of the modernization of the illustration of The tales of Genji though manga. Identify the audience and the context of the illustration. Step 2: Read the caption as a group - notice what is important. Step 3: "Layers" This routine will encourage students to refine their first analysis of the illustration by looking at it through different angles (Aesthetic, Mechanical, Connections, Narrative, Dynamic). It will allow them to draw upon their prior knowledge and consider the impact of modernization of art on the public. Students can work in small group and cover between 3 and 5 of the categories. Step 4: Each group of students present their learning to the class

Anne Leflot

7

Haiku - connection between Text and Art

Using Project Zero Design Thinking "Making Moves" [ressource 4], this activity explores multiple haikus from the Edo period in Japan. Through an analysis of these haikus, students will gain an understanding of: the different topics explored in haikus, their structure and, how text and image are intertwined. This will lead the students to create their own illustration of haikus from the Edo period. Step 1: Notice everything Have students silently notice every details on the four works of art [ressources 1-3] and take notes - they don't have access to the captions nor the descriptions.“Notice everything” is a learning move that supports design sensitivity; refer to “Making Moves” [resource 4] for more information. Step 2: Juxtapose Have student compare and contrast the works of art with one another and draw conclusion on recurrent patterns, topics, questions they want to further explore. Step 3: Zoom in on Seated Monk Have the students discover the meaning of the text (Japanese and English version) and its structure 5/7/5. [Ressource 5] Step 4: Envision and Hack - First, have the students illustrate one of the four haikus of their choice and explain their design in a Pair and Share activity. You will find in Ressource 6 (haiku.pdf) four different haikus for this activity. Ressources 7 and 8 are examples of student work. - Then, have the students create their own haiku based on the illustrations of the 2 other works of art (Ressources 2 and 3 - Bats in moonlight and The actors Nakamura Utaemon III as Konobei and Nakamura Matsue III as Shiokumi Kofuji). Once they have finished, have them compare their text with the original haiku. Step 5: I used to think... now I think... To wrap-up the lesson, students go back to their initial thoughts about Haikus, text and image and, reflect on what they have learned.

Anne Leflot

9

The nature of Japanese Ceramic

Description: This collection, based of the exhibition "Imperfectly Beautiful: Inventing Japanese Ceramic Style" is integrated in a unit on Francis Ponge’s collection of poems called The nature of things, 1942, France. In his poems, Ponge has a unique way of focusing on everyday life objects and symbols that he describes in very tiny details. The goal is to explore how Ponge’s perception of objects and symbols can be used as an entry point for an exploration of key components of other cultures. This collection is an opportunity for the students to understand how micro perspectives can lead to global and intercultural understanding. The collection represents tea pots used for the Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu). Through slow looking techniques, students explore them and write poems using the thinking routine "Creative Comparison". Step 1: choose one of the tea pot and sketch it Step 2: Pair and Share - Explain your choice. What did you notice? what do you notice in your classmate's choice/object? Step 3: Creative Comparison The thinking routine " Creative comparison" encourages metaphorical thinking – central to the work of any artist and to creative thinking in any discipline. Metaphors provoke our imaginations to create comparisons between dissimilar things, often leading to deeper and richer understanding of each." (PZ) Step 4: Pair and Share (with someone else) - Explain your choice. What did you notice? what do you notice in your classmate's choice/object? Step 5 : read the description of the exhibition and the caption. Answer the questions: <ul><li>In what way this new information influences your interpretation? </li><li>What does it confirm? What new ideas do you have? </li><li>What could you do to integrate them in your poem?</li></ul>Step 6 : write a poem, using Francis Ponge's approach to objects. Possible extension: Ask the students to reflect on ways to curate their poems, using the thinking routine "Layers". For instance, my students decided to do a a pop-up exhibition. They turned their poems into bilingual bookmarks for the school fair. It was a good opportunity for us to talk about translation.

Anne Leflot

36

Poetry and war

Description: The goal of this collection is to focus on the ways artists like Shimomura denounce the impact of World War 2 on individuals. The collection is integrated in a unit called Paroles. It is the name of the collection of poems by Jacques Prévert written in 1946 that partly deals with the topic of war. Prévert is famous for taking strong political positions in his poems, using a simple, sometime surrealist and often sarcastic writing [ressources 6 and 7]. In integrating the study of <a href="https://learninglab.si.edu/resources/view/27850">Diary: December 12, 1941</a> that addresses the Japanese-American Incarceration, students have the opportunity to both understand the uniqueness of Shimomura's style and the global magnitude of his topic by reflecting on the similarities and differences between his work of art. and Prévert's poems. In this collection, students use the thinking routine "Think, Feel, Care" to uncover Shimomura's work of art. It also encourages a comparative study of the ways the two artists approach this global issue and how their work is shaped by culture and by their context of production. This analysis lead them to a broader discussion on how art can be used as a powerful way to give a voice to the unknowns and educate people. Step 1: Sketch the painting [ressource 1]- it helps student pay close attention to details, specifically to the superman shape on the background, but also the woman's body language and the architecture of the room - Do not show the caption yet. Step 2: Think, Feel, Care [ressource 2] in small group <ul><li>First, name the person involved in the painting (the American superhero, the Japanese woman, the painter, the public, the American authority).</li><li>Then, analyze the painting using the 3 steps of the routine "Think, feel, care": </li></ul>"This routine encourages students to consider the different and diverse perspectives held by the various people who interact within a particular system" (in this painting, the students can identify several systems, from the system of the house to the system of power gender or immigration). My advice is to let them explore one of the system they identify. The additional information provided in step 3 will help them broaden their understanding afterward. "The goal of this routine is to help students understand that the variety of people who participate in a system think, feel, and care differently about things based on their positions in the system. This routine fosters perspective taking, raises questions, and surfaces areas for further inquiry." (Agency by Design, Project Zero) <ul><li>Debrief with the whole group</li><li>Take notes individually on the questions and puzzles that remain</li></ul>Step 3: Provide additional information on the context of the painting - use the caption and the entry of the diary [resource 3], , Shimomura and his grandmother [resource 4]) and Pearl Harbor [resource 5].” <ul><li>Let the students take notes individually</li><li>In small group, answer these questions: what was the artist's intent? What is the artist's impact? In what ways do the symbols used in the painting contribute to influence the public's perspective? What are the similarities and differences between Prévert and Shimomura's approach to World War II?</li><li>Debrief as a whole group</li></ul>Step 4: Imagine what poem Prévert could have written to raise awareness about Japanese Incarceration. This activity is an opportunity for the students to reactivate prior knowledge about Prévert's writing style while rephrasing Shimomura's intent. Tips: Using ressources 6 and 7, the students can use the Thinking routine "Connect, Extend, Challenge" before they write their poem. This activity will allow them to reflect on the differences of style of the two artists. Extension: After the analysis of <a href="https://learninglab.si.edu/resources/view/27850">Diary: December 12, 1941</a>, invite the students, in small groups of 3, to find another work of art of their choice in the Learning Lab that denounces the consequences of war on individuals. Use the Visible thinking routine "Layers" to help them justify their choice and connect it with Shimomura and Prévert's work. Use the Global thinking routine "The 3 Y's" to help them understand the global impact of the work of art they have chosen. Each group present the work of art to another group. Alternative: The students write a poem on the work of art of their choice mimicking Prévert's style, instead of writing a poem on <a href="https://learninglab.si.edu/resources/view/27850">Diary: December 12, 1941</a>

Anne Leflot

13

Anne Leflot

Anne Leflot's collections

Exploring identity - Japan and the Western culture

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Women of Japan

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Haiku - connection between Text and Art

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The nature of Japanese Ceramic

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Poetry and war

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