Week 2, Tuesday: Memory Boxes & Collecting

We introduced the amazing work of Joseph Cornell, who created numerous assemblages within boxes using items he had collected. His works are often poetic, uncluttered, occasionally playful and quite beautiful. We presented Cornell’s “Harlequin”, “Large Owl”, “Butterfly Habitat”, and “Twilight Swan”. Jocelyne also presented an assemblage she created with her son Joel’s “goody bag” items (received from his friend’s birthday parties) as well as an assemblage of items collected during a visit to the RI shore. We discussed:

1. arranging items to consider space and depth

2. allowing for possible movement (Jocelyne’s sample had a “Toy Story” alien suspended from a circular ring that could move up and down)

3. using recycled packaging to create a shadow box effect around specific items

4. using found images, as Cornell did, to help tell a story or to communicate meaning

Here are some very personal Memory Boxes in process:

Emerson drawing items for his Memory Box

Sydney with heart

Alexa sharing ideas

Nicole looking for more animal images

Brody with labyrinth in progress

Emily with completed Memory Box

Joseph with compartments

Leila's completed Memory Box

Nicole's Memory Box evolves

Sydney's Memory Box, exterior view

Sydney's Memory Box, interior view

For families with younger children: In the past, I borrowed a DVD of Charlie and Lola from the Oak Park Public Library: It is from Season 2, Episode 6, called “I am Collecting a Collection” and it is very endearing. Charlie is trying to complete his dinosaur collection while Lola comes up with a very personal way to make her own collection. We did not show this in class, yet it would be a great follow up to do at home with younger children.

For all families: The Art Institute of Chicago has a wonderful collection of Cornell boxes on view in the Modern wing. We are eager to take the Wednesday students on a field trip, and may send out permission slips for a trip to the Art Institute to be scheduled on September 14 or September 21. In addition to the Cornell boxes, students will have fun in the miniature galleries and taking a look at the textile created entirely from spider silk! The Crown Family Play Lab is also a wonderful venue for younger students. Details to follow shortly!