Mark Dion, The Library for the Birds of Antwerp, 1993. Eighteen African finches, tree, ceramic tiles, books, photographs, birdcages, bird traps, chemical containers, rat and snake in liquid, shotgun shells, axe, nets, Audubon prints, bird nests, wax fruit, assorted objects. Installation view: Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst, Antwerp, Belgium. Courtesy the artist and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York.
sorts to be navigated carefully in art
education. Dion’s work is often site-
specific (he doesn’t use a traditional
studio) and it commonly emphasizes
humor, irony and/
or metaphor, which
he calls “the bread
and butter for art-
ists.”
If you are inter-
ested in bringing
Mark Dion and his
art into your classroom, here are some
suggestions for getting things rolling:
•;Use;the;Art21;Season;4;Educator’s
Guide (PDF available on art21.org)
and episode on Ecology (available
on pbs.org/art21 and hulu.com),
to view and discuss Mark Dion’s
segment, specifically the chapter
featuring Neukom
Vivarium. Initi-
ate a conversa-
tion about works
that integrate
art, science, and
experimentation.
In response, ask
students to create a work of art that
serves as both a visually stimulat-
ing object and a teaching tool.
The job of the artist is
to go against the grain
of dominant culture to
challenge perception,
prejudice, and convention
Incorporate everyday household
objects. Ask students to create an
illustration, sculpture, or plan for an
installation that uses irony and/or
metaphor to make a specific statement through the objects featured
and their arrangement.
Hope to see you in Seattle!
Joe Fusaro is the senior education advisor for Art21 and visual arts chair for the
Nyack Public Schools in New York. His
weekly column, “Teaching with Contemporary Art,” is featured on Art21’s blog:
www.blog.art21.org/category/teaching-
with-contemporary-art. joe@art21.org
schoolartsonline.com
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