Curricular Connections

BMG tour pic 3

This information is designed to help Otis faculty members prepare their students for visits to the Ben Maltz Gallery. The reference material for each exhibition may vary but included are artists’ biographies and reviews of previous work; essay(s) by the curator(s); didactic material; checklist; and other background information that might be useful in the classroom. To schedule a tour of the exhibition, contact Kathy MacPherson, kmacpherson@otis.edu.

Curricular Guides Now Available

Freeway Studies #1: This Side of the 405 April 13 - June 1, 2013		Alison Saar: STILL . . . August 18 - November 17, 2012
Bridging Homeboy Industries January 2 - March 23, 2013		Woman's Bulding October 2011 - February 2012

Tips for class visits:

Prior to coming to the gallery, review the materials and the information available on the Maltz Gallery’s exhibition page: images, a press release, and often a short documentary style video tour.
If attending a scheduled tour with the curator or gallery staff member, take a stroll around the gallery for a first look to gather your impressions before the guided experience.
Ask students to prepare a question for the curator or tour guide prior to coming to the gallery to help create conversation, and to promote discussions.The gallery is for conversation not silence.
Please have students leave their bags in the gallery office while on the tour, and remind them that there is no food or drink allowed in the gallery.

Sample Assignments
A collection of helpful ideas for instructors who are designing gallery and exhibition related projects.

Sample Assignment 1

Tips for visiting an art gallery or museum on your own:

Do research. See what information is available about the institution or specific exhibition prior to your visit.
Time it right. Check the gallery or museum hours before venturing out, and see if there are any public programs you might want to attend.
Keep an open mind. When you enter the gallery, take a look around the room first, before reading any of the didactic materials. Gauge your first impressions and then as you learn more about what you are looking at, reflect on how your impressions might change with more information. It’s important to understand the “who, what, where, why and how” of an artist’s intent and the context within which they are making work.
Ask questions. If you don’t understand what you are looking at or want more information, don’t hesitate to ask the people working at the gallery.
Stay in touch. If you like what you see at a gallery, sign up to be on the mailing list and go back again and again to learn more about their programming. Each venue has a different mission or focus.