Topic title: Pop Art
Year group: 9
When taught: September – December
What are we learning?
We learn about art that is inspired by, or that features popular culture. Art as critique or satire. How historical events influence artists and art movements. How to use deeper contextual artist research to formulate own ideas. How to plan for, and then realise final pieces in an art project.
Why is this important to know?
Understanding how historical events influence art movements is the next logical step for pupils in year 9 to make. Pop Art and it’s contributing factors in post war America and Britain is an accessible way of achieving this understanding. It also gives pupils an exciting way to begin devising more complex ideas and processes to make their own work and therefore to become more independent in their creative process.
Where does this link into our past and future learning?
Pop Art is a project that draws from most previous projects as it resembles a simplified version of a GCSE style project. There is much more choice for pupils to personalise and develop their own personal and meaningful outcomes. Colour, Typography, Art with a meaning and photo montage are just a few examples of previous projects that can be directly referred back to in this project that aims to prepare pupils for greater autonomy at key stage 4.
How will we be assessed on this topic?
Students will be assessed practically at the end of the project focusing on the skills and creativity shown in their Pop Art. They will also be specifically assessed in the analytical quality of their artist research pages.
What makes a strong piece of work in this topic? What are teachers hoping to see?
Strong work in Pop Art should include the following;
- clear understanding of what popular culture is and how artists use it in artwork
- skillfully created artwork in a pupil’s chosen materials
- clear planning for intended own work
- creative risks taken with materials
What key words are there in this topic?
- Pop Art
- Popular Culture
- American Dream
- Critique
- Satire
- Irony
- Juxtapose
- Benday dots
- Mass production
- Industrial techniques
- Advertising
- Collage
What can I try if I want to stretch and challenge myself on this topic?
- Undertake own research on wider artists who use popular culture in their artwork
- Visit galleries to see Pop Art in person
- Look at the work of GCSE students who use popular culture in their work
What wider reading can be done on this topic?
- Watch videos from reputable galleries that focus on Pop Art (tateshots from the Tate galleries can be easily accessed on youtube)
- You can find books from some of our featured artist either in the art department or in a library.
