In the course of reading the week 7 assignment, I found many correlations between Terry Barrett's article, About Art Interpretation for Art Education, and my own classroom VTS experiences so far. Interpreting is personal and communal; their are many valid interpretations to a single artwork; interpreting relies in part on what the viewer has experienced in the past; voicing interpretations in a group setting can reinforce opinions or challenge them; multiple interpretations can unify a classroom - building shared meaning.
I had three insights arise as a I read this article.
#1 - On page 8, the author says,"To interpret a work of art from a time and place other than our own, we must at first recognize it is of another time and from another place." Upon further reflection of the paragraph from which the quote is excerpted, this statement points to a viewer whom is at least Stage III.
#2 - The authors we have read so far are well educated and have experience teaching in some way or another. They seem to be a little removed from the actual art classroom, though. I remember reading a study from last semester done in the classroom. Is there someone else out there to testify? :)
#3 - Barrett states that we may be more comfortable with communal interpretations than with personal interpretations (so true, in all subject areas). I like how she relates the personal interpretations to the communal ones and vice versa. It is not presented as either /or, but as being complementary.
Your insights have given me food for thought. I'm curious about the study from last semester. MOre info? I do agree that it's easy to loose sight of the day-to-day realities of the classroom. Going on Year 2 of being a full time doc student, I find myself guilty of the same from time to time. I liked Barrett's observation that "Interpretations are not so much absolutely right, but more or less reasonable, convincing, enlightening and informative." I feel that he could be a VTS convert with a little persuasion. He's so close!
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