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Basic 3 · Creative Arts · Displaying and Sharing

Planning an "Art of Africa" Display

In this topic you will plan a display of your artworks about the culture of other African communities.

By the end of these notes you should be able to:

  • Choose a theme and layout
  • Write informative labels
  • Organise roles for the display

What you already know

  • Planning African-inspired artworks

Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.

Strand
Visual Arts
Sub-strand
Displaying and Sharing
Indicator
B3.1.3.4.1 – Plan a display of own visual artworks that reflect the history and culture of people in other African communities

Introduction

The class will hold an "Art of Africa" display. Each artwork will show a country's culture.

1. The Display Plan

Display plan
ItemDecision
themeArt of Africa
placeclassroom walls and a table
layouta big map of Africa in the middle with artworks around it
roleshanging, labelling, guiding visitors

2. Informative Labels

A good label teaches visitors.

Example: "Ndebele Pattern – Akua Mensah – Carton and crayon – Inspired by the painted houses of the Ndebele people of South Africa."

A classroom display with a map of Africa and artworks around it
Figure 1: Our "Art of Africa" display Draw your display layout.Illustration: Sirbus; Original map by PalosirkkaDerivative version by ReneeWrites, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

New words

display
Showing artworks for others to see.
layout
How things are arranged.
informative
Giving useful information.
role
A job someone does.

Summary

  • A display needs a theme, a place, a layout and roles.
  • Labels should teach visitors about the culture.
  • A map helps show where each art style comes from.

Class activity: Display Team

  1. Agree on the layout.
  2. Write labels for your artworks.
  3. Give each member a role.

You need: Learners’ own artworks, Label cards cut from manila paper, String, Clothes pegs

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

  1. 1. What does a label give?

    • A. Information
    • B. Food
    • C. Money
    • D. Music
    Show answer
    Answer: InformationLabels inform visitors.

  2. 2. Why put a map of Africa in the display?

    • A. To show where each art style comes from
    • B. To hide the art
    • C. To make noise
    • D. For no reason
    Show answer
    Answer: To show where each art style comes fromIt links art to places.

  3. 3. A display needs a layout.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: TrueLayout arranges the work.

  4. 4. Labels should be blank.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: FalseLabels give information.

  5. 5. Giving useful information means being ______.

    Show answer
    Answer: informativeThat is informative.

  6. 6. Write a label for an artwork inspired by Maasai beads.

    Show answer
    Answer: E.g. "Bead Necklace – Kofi – Seeds and string – Inspired by Maasai beadwork of Kenya."Include title, artist, materials and inspiration.

Homework

  1. Write labels for two of your artworks.