BACKYear 12 and 13 Art History students were fortunate to experience a unique exhibition at the Auckland Art Gallery this term: Pop to Present: American Art from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
Opening with an iconic 1948 drip painting by Jackson Pollock and closing with a poignant sculptural assemblage by the Alabama-based artist Thornton Dial, the exhibition showcased 52 artworks that shaped American art, culture, and society since 1945. Exploring questions of identity, power and representation, and showcasing 28 artworks by women and African American and Indigenous artists, the exhibition allowed Art History students to explore art from diverse backgrounds in an inclusive account of American art.
Students workshopped in a guided programme provided by the gallery educators which involved examining artworks in groups and discussing the different themes of each room in the exhibition and how these could be seen in the artworks. Year 12 Art History students used this experience to select artworks to examine in their personal response internal, which involves them acting as art critics to interpret and critically analyse artworks. For Year 13 students, the exhibition provided an opportunity to examine modern art and sculpture which provided crucial insight into the controversial world of art. Constructing an argument about controversial art is a focus for their internal this term.
With many Art History students also taking subjects like History, Classical Studies, and Sociology, this exhibition allowed them to experience the multi-disciplinary advantage of Art History and all it has to offer. It was a rare chance to see the scale and texture of these artworks in person which is something a digital screen or a textbook can never quite capture.
