Ten Lessons the Arts Teach

by Elliot Eisner

1. The arts teach children to make good judgments about qualitative relationships. Unlike much of the curriculum in which correct answers and rules prevail, in the arts, it is judgment rather than rules that prevail.

2. The arts teach children that problems can have more than one solution and that questions can have more than one answer.

3. The arts celebrate multiple perspectives. One of their large lessons is that there are many ways to see and interpret the world.

4. The arts teach children that in complex forms of problem solving purposes are seldom fixed, but change with circumstance and opportunity. Learning in the arts requires the ability and a willingness to surrender to the unanticipated possibilities of the work as it unfolds.

5. The arts make vivid the fact that neither words in their literal form nor numbers exhaust what we can know. Th e limits of our language do not defi ne the limits of our cognition.

6. The arts teach students that small differences can have large effects. The arts tra ffic in subtleties.

7. The arts teach students to think through and within a material. All art forms employ some means through which images become real.

8. The arts help children lean to say what cannot be said. When children are invited to disclose what a work of art helps them feel, they must reach into their poetic capacities to find the words that will do the job.

9. The arts enable us to have experience we can have from no other source and through such experience to discover the range and variety of what we are capable of feeling.

10. The arts' position in the school curriculum symbolizes to the young what adults believe
is important.

Parkour Motion Reel

parkour motion reel from saggyarmpit on Vimeo.

Random Interesting Photos on Flickr

Jim Jarmusch Quote

“I don’t really believe in originality. Art and human expression are about variations. There’s an ocean of possible ways, but they don’t ever come in the same configuration.”

Tom Killion Woodcut Prints

Tom Killion's prints are reminiscent of ukiyo-ë landscape masters Hokusai and Hiroshige.

Nevermindthewordstheywaste

My brother's new website redesign. Check it out.

Magnetic Movie

Magnetic Movie from Semiconductor on Vimeo.

Jenny Holzer's Truisms

A STRONG SENSE OF DUTY IMPRISONS YOU

ABSOLUTE SUBMISSION CAN BE A FORM OF FREEDOM

AMBIVALENCE CAN RUIN YOUR LIFE

ANY SURPLUS IS IMMORAL

ANYTHING IS A LEGITIMATE AREA OF INVESTIGATION

ARTIFICIAL DESIRES ARE DESPOILING THE EARTH

AT TIMES INACTIVITY IS PREFERABLE TO MINDLESS FUNCTIONING

AT TIMES YOUR UNCONSCIOUS IS TRUER THAN YOUR CONSCIOUS MIND

AUTOMATION IS DEADLY

BEING JUDGMENTAL IS A SIGN OF LIFE

CALM IS MORE CONDUCIVE TO CREATIVITY THAN IS ANXIETY

DEVIANTS ARE SACRIFICED TO INCREASE GROUP SOLIDARITY

DISORGANIZATION IS A KIND OF ANESTHESIA

EVERY ACHIEVEMENT REQUIRES A SACRIFICE

FAKE OR REAL INDIFFERENCE IS A POWERFUL PERSONAL WEAPON

FREEDOM IS A LUXURY NOT A NECESSITY

GIVING FREE REIN TO YOUR EMOTIONS IS AN HONEST WAY TO LIVE

GOING WITH THE FLOW IS SOOTHING BUT RISKY

GRASS ROOTS AGITATION IS THE ONLY HOPE

GUILT AND SELF-LACERATION ARE INDULGENCES

HIDING YOUR MOTIVES IS DESPICABLE

HOLDING BACK PROTECTS YOUR VITAL ENERGIES

HUMOR IS A RELEASE

IF YOU HAVE MANY DESIRES LIFE WILL BE INTERESTING

IF YOU LIVE SIMPLY THERE IS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT

IGNORING ENEMIES IS THE BEST WAY TO FIGHT

ILLNESS IS A STATE OF MIND

INHERITANCE MUST BE ABOLISHED

IT'S BETTER TO BE A GOOD PERSON THAN A FAMOUS PERSON

IT'S BETTER TO BE LONELY THAN TO BE WITH INFERIOR PEOPLE

IT'S CRUCIAL TO HAVE AN ACTIVE FANTASY LIFE

IT'S IMPORTANT TO STAY CLEAN ON ALL LEVELS

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO RECONCILE YOUR HEART AND HEAD

IT'S JUST AN ACCIDENT YOUR PARENTS ARE YOUR PARENTS

IT'S NOT GOOD TO HOLD TOO MANY ABSOLUTES

IT'S VITAL TO LIVE IN HARMONY WITH NATURE

JUST BELIEVING SOMETHING CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN

KEEP SOMETHING IN RESERVE FOR EMERGENCIES

KILLING IS UNAVOIDABLE BUT IS NOTHING TO BE PROUD OF

KNOWING YOURSELF LETS YOU UNDERSTAND OTHERS

LEARN TO TRUST YOUR OWN EYES

LEISURE TIME IS A GIGANTIC SMOKESCREEN

LETTING GO IS THE HARDEST THING TO DO

LISTEN WHEN YOUR BODY TALKS

LOOKING BACK IS THE FIRST SIGN OF AGING AND DECAY

LOVING ANIMALS IS A SUBSTITUTE ACTIVITY

LOW EXPECTATIONS ARE GOOD PROTECTION

MANUAL LABOR CAN BE REFRESHING AND WHOLESOME

MODERATION KILLS THE SPIRIT

MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT FIT TO RULE THEMSELVES

MUCH WAS DECIDED BEFORE YOU WERE BORN

MYTHS MAKE REALITY MORE INTELLIGIBLE

OFFER VERY LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT YOURSELF

OLD FRIENDS ARE BETTER LEFT IN THE PAST

PAIN CAN BE A VERY POSITIVE THING

PEOPLE WHO GO CRAZY ARE TOO SENSITIVE

PEOPLE WON'T BEHAVE IF THEY HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE

PLAYING IT SAFE CAN CAUSE A LOT OF DAMAGE IN THE LONG RUN

POTENTIAL COUNTS FOR NOTHING UNTIL IT'S REALIZED

PURSUING PLEASURE FOR THE SAKE OF PLEASURE WILL RUIN YOU

PUSH YOURSELF TO THE LIMIT AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE

RECHANNELING DESTRUCTIVE IMPULSES IS A SIGN OF MATURITY

REMEMBER YOU ALWAYS HAVE FREEDOM OF CHOICE

REPETITION IS THE BEST WAY TO LEARN

REVOLUTION BEGINS WITH CHANGES IN THE INDIVIDUAL

SACRIFICING YOURSELF FOR A BAD CAUSE IS NOT A MORAL ACT

SIN IS A MEANS OF SOCIAL CONTROL

SOLITUDE IS ENRICHING

SOME STONES ARE BETTER LEFT UNTURNED

SOME WOUNDS NEVER HEAL

SOMETIMES ALL YOU CAN DO IS LOOK THE OTHER WAY

SOMETIMES SCIENCE ADVANCES FASTER THAN IT SHOULD

STRONG EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT STEMS FROM BASIC INSECURITY

TALKING IS USED TO HIDE ONE'S INABILITY TO ACT

THE CRUELEST DISAPPOINTMENT IS WHEN YOU LET YOURSELF DOWN

THE LAND BELONGS TO NO ONE

THE MORE YOU KNOW THE BETTER OFF YOU ARE

THE MOST PROFOUND THINGS ARE INEXPRESSIBLE

THE MUNDANE IS TO BE CHERISHED

THE UNATTAINABLE INVARIABLY IS ATTRACTIVE

THREATENING SOMEONE SEXUALLY IS A HORRIBLE ACT

TIMIDITY IS LAUGHABLE

TO DISAGREE PRESUPPOSES MORAL INTEGRITY

TO VOLUNTEER IS REACTIONARY

TRUE FREEDOM IS FRIGHTFUL

UNIQUE THINGS MUST BE THE MOST VALUABLE

UNQUESTIONING LOVE DEMONSTRATES LARGESSE OF SPIRIT

USING FORCE TO STOP FORCE IS ABSURD

VIOLENCE IS PERMISSIBLE EVEN DESIRABLE OCCASIONALLY

WHEN SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAPPENS PEOPLE WAKE UP

WISHING THINGS AWAY IS NOT EFFECTIVE

WORDS TEND TO BE INADEQUATE

WORRYING CAN HELP YOU PREPARE

YOU ARE A VICTIM OF THE RULES YOU LIVE BY

YOU ARE GUILELESS IN YOUR DREAMS

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CONSTITUTING THE MEANING OF THINGS

YOU MUST KNOW WHERE YOU STOP AND THE WORLD BEGINS

YOU OWE THE WORLD NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND

YOU SHOULD TRAVEL LIGHT

YOU SHOULD STUDY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE


See the unabridged list.

Haiku from Loserland

These brilliant drawings and poems were done by a friend.

I draw back, and hope
it won't take all afternoon
to find the arrows.

Susan's lunch lecture:
true bible stories and the
downside of large breasts.

Sunday night's garbage:
dead mouse, burnt cupcakes, mangled
puppet theater.

Chuck Close

Twenty years ago, Chuck Close was a successful artist, painting photorealistic portraits with incredible technical skill. Then, one day he was suddenly paralyzed by a rare spinal artery collapse. Although the partial paralysis left him unable to paint with the precision he was renowned for, his art evolved into a more abstract and interesting form (see pics above). He talks about the transformation and its effect on the Charlie Rose Show.

Charlie Rose: What was the hardest thing about adjusting to what happened to you? I mean, you were a very healthy man. You were 49 years old.

Chuck Close: Well, 48, the same age my father was when he died. And it's interesting to have an event that corresponds...because I thought about every year that I had with my children that he didn't have with me. And as hard as my life was, I realized that every one of those years was a gift, and was to be cherished and appreciated. I think, in a funny way, it's made it a lot easier.

CR: How many years have you had since then?

CC: Nineteen.

CR: That's incredible. Nineteen years of gift to your children, that your father hadn't...

CC: Well, I'm not so sure they think it's a gift. [Laughing]. Some of those years I don't think they appreciated it.

The Small Stakes

Jason Munn is an artist who lives in the "O" (Oakland). I first saw his beautiful silk screen posters at the SFMOMA a few weeks ago, and was delighted to see that his work is also on sale at the Small Stakes website for $20-45.

Burning Man 2008

Check out pics from this year's festival at Camp Montage.

My favorite overheard quote from BRC:
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"How many glow sticks are in your outfit?"
"Umm, I'm not sure. Around 500."
"Cool."

72 and sunny

72 and Sunny makes some of my favorite ads, including those for Bugaboo, Callaway, and, of course, Discovery Channel.

Jake Beckman

I checked out the website of an acquaintance from college today and was really impressed. Jake Beckman is an incredibly gifted artist. I love his artwork: well-executed, fun, and thoughtful.

NYC Waterfalls

This summer's fun new public art project is almost here: four waterfalls created on the East River by Danish artist Olafur Eliasson. More info here.

Love Hurts

Ouch.

The Philosophy & Art of Tiffany Bozic

"There's always something that I'm trying to lock down and I don't know what it is. It's the same thing in my mind that almost is like music where everything is almost connected by this fluidity."

.

"What I always think of first and foremost is just how incredible and ornate every single thing is. Everything just seems so perfect. And then you realize that it's not finished. That it's still evolving. What are they going to look like in a thousand years even? And that to me is really exciting. Seeing these things alive, that's what I'm trying to capture: the life."

See more of Tiffany Bozic's artwork here.

Light Writing

Check out the work of these two German artists. I wonder if they are responsible for the light writing in this Red Hot Chili Peppers video.





The Energie Motion website has more pics and a YouTube video.

Tape Figures

Think you need a lot to do a lot? Think again. All of the following sculptures were made from ordinary scotch tape and an artist's imagination. (Unfortunately, I don't have any info about the artist.)







Thanks Thuy for the email!

James Jean

James Jean is an illustrator who's worked on projects for a number of big time clients (Atlantic Records, Dark Horse Comics, Nike, TIME). He attended the School of Visual Arts right here in New York and graduated with a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) in 2001.