Julie Steinberg

April 1, 2015
A&HA 4078
Journal #8
Museum as a Resource
Museum Visit
This week, I visited the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa). My first reaction was simply,
surprised at how close this amazing resource is, and wondering why I have not visited yet during
my year in New York City. The MoMa had six floors, each featuring different exhibits, artists,
and art forms. I spent most of this visit on the Painting and Sculpture floors.
As I walked the halls studying the various different pieces of art, I found myself thinking
in terms of artistic elements and noticing the color, shapes, lines, and textures, especially even
more so than my personal preferenceswhat I liked and disliked. I saw artworks that I know,
such as Van Goughs Starry Night and Picassos Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, and countless of
artworks that I have never seen before. I journeyed through the museum with the lenses of a
teacher: what kinds of dialogue could I foster around certain works of art, what might children
notice and say, and what kind of meaning could we construct together? Visiting the MoMa with
these lenses in mind, seemed to give way to endless possibilities.
Using Museum as a Resource: The Power of Response through Dialogue and Inquiry
When considering dialogue as a way to engage students in response to artworks, one of
the most important themes Hubbard discusses across both articles is the idea of group inquiry
and constructing of meaning together. In her article about the role of contextual knowledge in art
museum education, Hubbard (2007) stresses the use of group dialogue and group inquiry to
empower audiences to collectively discover layers of meaning in works of art (p. 18). In her
article, Three Modes of Dialogue about Works of Art, Hubbard (2010) discusses the modes of
dialogue teachers can facilitate and how we can foster a, as she describes, spirit of inquiry
(p.44).

I was most interested in reading about and exploring open-interpretive dialogue, which
Hubbard (2010) describes as multidimensional, with layers of interrelated meaning that inform,
complement, or even contradict each other (p.43). In open-interpretive dialogue, discussion
evolves as the teacher highlights avenues of inquiry, helping students to pursue, deepen, and
elaborate on ideas, and consider alternative readings of artworks. I think this kind of dialogue is
particularly valuable for children to experience non-linear inquiry, making exciting new
discoveries and constructing new meanings together in response to artworks.
Curriculum Ideas: Using Museum as a Resource
I have been thinking about the integration of art and writing especially, as I find the
relationship of the two areas particularly strong. The MoMa featured so many works of art,
which may or may not have been representational, but which I found to be quite abstract.
Whether an artwork is representational or not, there can be great value for children to explore
putting narrative to the workthat is, putting a story to existing art, or creating art with a story in
mind. Using museum as a resource, I might ask children explore putting narrative to different
works of art, before giving them background or content information about the piece, just as
Hubbard (2007) discussed. In the museum, my writing/ oral language objective for students
would be through dialogue related to an artwork in the museum, students will develop a narrative
for an artwork. I imagine students could do this individually, with a partner, or collaboratively as
a whole group. Then back in the classroom, the art objective could be that through the
manipulation of a medium of choice, students will create an artwork to tell their own story.
References:
Hubbard, O. (2007). Productive information: contextual knowledge in art museum education.
Art Education, July 2007.
Hubbard, O. (2010). Three modes of dialogue about works of art. Art Education, May 2010.