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| William Klein Gun 2, Little Italy 1955 |
I chose this photograph for VTS for several reasons. It is full of imagery that the students will be familiar with and can connect with. Most everyone has had an experience of a family snapshot or photo with siblings or cousins. The gun in photograph will obviously be a big topic of discussion and narrative aspect. I have also found that with my high school students the discussion seems to go a little smoother if the image is serious or somber in nature. If the image is funny or comical at all the discussion seems to go down the drain quickly.
Hi Lindsey!
ReplyDeleteWow, what an image! Is this something you came across or are you familiar with already? I can't wait to hear what your students do with this one! It is such a mixture of potential interpretations. If you want the students to look beyond themselves, this one seems like a good choice.
I will be curious also to hear what they make of the gun. I too teach in a conservative community, and my students are familiar with guns but through the context of hunting or just shooting/target practice in general. Im curious if your students have a similar exposure to guns or not? Im sure you will learn a lot about them either way. Truthfully, it even makes me nervous for some reason. (this is not a criticism, I think I may be just remembering my inner city kids and I know what this would pull up for them)
Be interesting to do a series of VTS's where similar imagery (gun) is present but in different contexts... Might also be a good way to introduce a project for a series of photos.... (now I wish I taught photography.... you've got me thinking!)
I look forward to hearing more about your lesson!
I really think this image is rich and POWERful; however, like Amy, the gun pictured also makes me nervous (maybe because an adult [?] is pointing a gun at a child). I really like Amy's idea of including a gun in many different contexts. Perhaps this one, then, could come a bit later in the series. I'm curious to hear Mary's opinion.
ReplyDeleteYou've chosen an image that all of us seem to be responding to somewhat emotionally. Admittedly, I'm one of those who finds guns alarming in just about any context. Because of the juxtaposition of the gun with the grins on the children's faces,and that it appears that an adult (or at least an older child) is holding the gun, I wonder if it might be perceived as sadistically humorous to high school students. It is a challenging image at this time in your students' VTS experience. While you are trying to establish a serious, respectful discussion atmostphere, I wonder if your students are ready for it?
ReplyDeleteOk. Wow. Um... Amy, yes I was familiar with the artist and photograph before choosing it for this VTS discussion. And it sounds like we may teach the same students because yes most of my students are familiar with guns through hunting. My students certainly are not exposed to street violence in any sense and if they were I would never think about using this image. My students are very sheltered. I personally grew up around guns because my Dad was a police officer and detective for most of my life therefore I may be a little less sensitive, I don't know. I very rarely saw my Dad's gun but I always knew it was there.
ReplyDeleteAmy, I like the idea about using this image for a series. And I am loving teaching photographing and doing VTS with them.
I know that this image is controversial and it makes me a little nervous too but that is why I chose it. I feel like it will make my students dig a little deeper in their discussion. I would not attempt to discuss this image with younger students or even with my Art I students. I do feel like my photography students can handle it. They are mostly 17 and 18 yr old gifted students and I feel that many of them need more than what I have been giving them in the images that I have chosen so far. I was hoping that the emotional impact of this image and the disconnect between the smiles on the childrens' faces and the gun would be what many of my students need to participate. There certainly is no clear answer to "What's going on in this picture?" which is what I was wanting for my students.
Thank you for your comments and honesty. I'm going to continue think about this and run it by some fellow teachers and maybe even a few other advanced students to get additional opinions about how I should proceed.
Ultimately, you are the one who will know if this is a good image for your students. Your rationale is very convincing and I am the first one to believe that you should provide students with content that is within their grasp, but just outside their comfortable reaching distance. If you are convinced that it is a good match, I say go for it. I do like the idea of asking for input from fellow teachers and advanced students. At the end of the day, the only way to know if this image is suited to your group or not is to try itand reflect. I will definitely continue following this experiment and am anxious to hear how it goes!
ReplyDeleteTo echo what Mary said, I agree... you know your students best. I admire the courage it took to put up that image. It still makes me uncomfortable ... but again, it is not a criticism, its my own reaction... which is of course, tied to my experience .
ReplyDeleteI previously had an image up which I actually removed because I was concerned it might be mistaken for something I did not intend. (media makes provocative images challenging, as does our distance from each other as class mates). In some ways.... posting these images takes us immediately to our own VTS process.... its kind of like that... we are responding to what we see and weaving our stories into our responses (in a professional capacity). Quite complicated business over all. Luckily, we are all in this for the mutual support we can offer, and that can be challenging, but ultimately so good!
I really would love to hear how the VTS of this photo goes. I hope you'll keep us posted!
If the mark of a good image is that it provokes critical discussion and debate, then this image has certainly earned a blue ribbon for art educators! Fascinating!
ReplyDeleteI teach a similar group of students. Upper level photography in a rural area where guns are familiar and gun violence is rare. I have visited this blog several times without commenting, letting the image stew in my mind. This would be very interesting to VTS in our class group. I notice that the children are smiling and the boy with the gun to his head seems to be holding hands with the person who is holding the gun, whom appears to be female based on the attire. I'm wondering if the boy was playing with the toy gun, and the mother is playing back. In a strange way, as in my family we weren't allowed to point our toy guns at people. I am intrigued to hear what your kids come up with in this discussion.
ReplyDeleteI did go ahead and VTS this image with my class last week before Thanksgiving and will blog about it this week. It went very well.
ReplyDeleteMan! I wish that I could have come to your class and see the reaction to the students during this VTS. What an image!!! I, too, chose controversy as a way to push them beyond their scope. Mine was a little less gripping, but I feel like it brought similar results.
ReplyDeleteThe students had no idea the circumstances in which my photo was taken, but they were inspired to research after the VTS. I think that is proof that my image made an impact.
I have always been pro-gun, but never an owner or user. I grew up in a responsible gun-owning home, and I believe that we should have the right to own guns, responsibly. In saying this, I must admit that I was taken back, and my initial reaction was that of disturbance.
I wanted to VTS it right then and there! Great choice, Lindsay!