Reading art students take in U-M art collection

Staff report
·2 min read

Reading High School art teacher Jennifer Flynn gave her students a look at endless possibilities on a recent field trip to the University of Michigan Museum of Art.

The museum is one of the largest university art museums in the United States. It has a comprehensive collection that represents more than 150 years of history with more than 20,000 works of art that span cultures, eras, and media.

Before traveling to the art museum, the students learned about 10 different pieces of art that are part of the permanent collection. They learned background information about the artist, the title of the work, the year it was made, the style or period it was from and the materials that were used to create it.

The purpose of this trip was to enlighten and enrich the students through the visual arts and help them to understand as well as appreciate different cultures, different people's views, and different styles of artwork, Flynn said.

“I hope my students enjoyed looking at the artwork, but also I hope they got new ideas and new inspiration for their own artwork,” she said. "I wanted them to find, and take a selfie with the specific works we have been studying in class. It's more exciting when you recognize something you learned about, then you get to experience it first hand, not just seeing it in a picture, but seeing it in real life."

The students saw classical European works, as well as African, Asian and modern/contemporary artwork.

Flynn said during lunch she saw several students talking about what they liked, what they didn’t like and sharing why they felt that way. Some said they liked detailed paintings, some said they really enjoyed the abstract modern art, and some said they really enjoyed some of the stone or metal sculptures.

“I told them I was happy to hear that they were discussing their likes and dislikes with each other,” she said. “That means they are starting to develop their own aesthetic when it comes to making their own art and it will help them to appreciate other people's art, even if they don't always understand it.”

The classes will have an art history test at the end of the marking period and as an assignment, they will make wire sculptures inspired by pieces they viewed while on the field trip.

Students in Jennifer Lynn's art classes at Reading High School recently visited the University of Michigan Museum of Art.
Students in Jennifer Lynn's art classes at Reading High School recently visited the University of Michigan Museum of Art.
The students saw classical European works, as well as African, Asian and modern/contemporary artwork.
The students saw classical European works, as well as African, Asian and modern/contemporary artwork.
The students saw classical European works, as well as African, Asian and modern/contemporary artwork.
The students saw classical European works, as well as African, Asian and modern/contemporary artwork.

This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: News