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Citizenship and the Arts Citizenship through portraiture, film, photography, music and murals. Also features on GCSE, active citizenship, debate and Prevent. Issue No 42 Journal of the Association for Citizenship Teaching Autumn 2015 www.teachingcitizenship.org.uk Theme identity. They were then asked to politicise their copies of the Bible in English and Arabic ‘to show Who’s Been Framed? readings by looking for symbols of power, diversity how much she values God’s word’ . and community and to consider what issues and Students identified the relative positions of questions these symbols raised about modern power, the exoticism of the setting but were Exploring Citizenship society. The portrait then became a signifier of a reluctant to make a post colonial and critical particular political and social landscape. They then interpretation. This reticence struck us as considered how these readings might change if key interesting, and perhaps reflects our students’ through Portraiture aspects of the visual language of the portrait were unwillingness to say something which might amended or omitted. This activity was repeated be seen as judgmental or possibly accusatory. This article arises from a pilot project developed by Gavin Baldwin who leads the PGCE Citizenship with a historic image - the ‘Ditchley’ portrait of However once presented with information about Queen Elizabeth I . Comparing the issues raised the historical significance of the picture they could Course at Middlesex University and Pippa Couch the Schools’ Programmes Manager at the National between the two images (inter-textuality) enabled explore issues of Politics, Propaganda and visual Portrait Gallery to develop approaches to Citizenship Education through the study of Portraiture. students to engage in a higher level of critical language both in the 19th century and in the discussion of general political themes making media today. connections across time. One of the advantages of this approach is that a How can you read the Gallery (or a Portraits have immediacy: they reflect site for exploring critically what it is to be part discussion of political themes is stimulated naturally collection of portraits) as a Citizenship and interpret a person’s identity. The of a wider community identity, for considering by accessible visual evidence without the need Experience? best portraits seem to give remarkable what constitutes ‘individual achievement’ or a for considerable prior knowledge or background The practice of reading portraits inter-textually can insight in to what it is to be human. ‘contribution to British history and culture’ and research. At a later stage such knowledge can then be further developed across the Gallery. Students The act of viewing portraits is a familiar The Gallery is ultimately for asking what it is to be British. be applied to the portrait to enrich the initial and museum educators were divided into groups act that mirrors the act of reading faces, an ideal site Exploring portraits of ‘significant’ citizens in the interpretation but it has already been considered to ‘read the Gallery’ by constructing a trail with something that people do all the time for exploring National Portrait Gallery, or similar collections, in through a political lens. an iPad (allowing them to take photos and look critically… what as they navigate their way through ‘‘ the classroom can help inform us about our society A good example of this is the ‘The Secret of up background information) pursuing one of the constitutes daily life, building their own unique ‘individual and our place within it. England’s Greatness’ (Queen Victoria presenting key themes (power/diversity/community). Each view of the world. Reading portraits, achievement’ or To develop these ideas further we undertook the a Bible in the Audience Chamber at Windsor) by group was given two key portraits related to their like reading faces, can tell us as much following project, which we saw as part pilot and Thomas Jones Barker, circa 1863 - NPG 4969 theme to begin their dialogue (see fig 3). Students a ‘contribution to ‘‘ about ourselves and the times in which we live as British History part action research and we hope that the ideas we (Fig 2) then explored the Gallery looking for examples of it does about the person portrayed. In this way – and Culture’ and share here will be useful to teachers and teacher This imagined scene shows queen Victoria portraits that would illustrate their theme. Groups revealing both information about the identity of ultimately for educators in the classroom. This article is organized handing a bible to an African envoy probably considered the relationships and conversations that the sitter and that of the viewer – portraits make asking what it is around our initial enquiry questions. based on Ali bin Nasr, governor of Mombasa, are created between portraits within the gallery, ideal material for exploring issues of identity and to be British. who attended Victoria’s coronation in 1838 and the juxtaposition of images and the impact of society in the classroom. How do you read a portrait through a returned again in 1842. Legend has it that Victoria biography on interpretation. This gave them the Since 1856, the National Portrait Gallery Citizenship lens? said “Tell the Prince that this is the Secret of opportunity to engage critically with the Gallery’s in London has collected portraiture providing How can you read the Gallery (or a collection of England’s Greatness” The ‘design a display and curatorial selection, considering ‘who a wealth of imagery for exploration in the portraits) as a Citizenship Experience? Both the British government and the Queen trail’ activity is collected and displayed?’ and asking ‘which classroom. For the Gallery’s founding fathers What can Portraiture tell us about the frequently invoked Christian faith in respect of opens up further types of people are missing?’ in relation to their in the mid-Victorian period the recognition communities in which we live? foreign affairs. To the ruler of Abeokuta - the discussion‘‘ about particular theme. The students then considered how of individual achievement was particularly How can this be Active Citizenship? Yoruba region of Nigeria - in 1849, Victoria sent the Gallery’s their trail could lead to a suggestion about whose important. All those whose likenesses appear These questions guided the development of an collecting policy portrait might be chosen to fill this gap. This could in the Collection have, in the Gallery’s phrase, action research day for PGCE Citizenship students and prompts be someone of national significance or someone ‘contributed to British history and culture’. The and NPG gallery educators to develop an approach students from their own experience/community. Students Gallery now acquires portraits from the life in to ‘Portraiture for Citizenship’ for use in schools. to consider can consider how the visual language (pose, gaze, all media of the most eminent persons in British We decided on three Citizenship themes that we whether their expression, setting, objects) of their ‘additional history from the earliest times to the present day would pursue throughout the day; power, diversity community and portrait’ might create a dialogue with other images aiming to display ‘portraits of the Nation’s great and community. their identities in their selection. men and women’ and ‘to act as a national focus How do you read a portrait through a are represented ‘‘ The trails were then shared enabling discussion for the study and understanding of portraits Citizenship lens? asking ‘Who and further identification of citizenship issues. and portraiture’. The Gallery has an active As an introductory activity participants were should be Students considered the ways in which their commissioning programme – the most recent presented with a range of contemporary portraits displayed?’ and ‘ interpretations of the visual image were influenced addition to the Collection being a sculpture of Sir (see Fig 1) and asked in pairs to extract as much Who decides?’. and possibly changed by further biographical Tim Berners-Lee, computer scientist and inventor speculative information as they could from the information. The ‘design a trail’ activity opens up of the World Wide Web. pose, gaze, expression, setting, and objects in the further discussion looking at the Collection through The Gallery is also, for these reasons an ideal portrait that act as clues to the sitters image and Fig 2 the lens of the Gallery’s collecting policy prompting 8 | Teaching Citizenship www.teachingcitizenship.org.uk | Autumn 2015 | Issue 42 www.teachingcitizenship.org.uk | Autumn 2015 | Issue 42 Teaching Citizenship | 9 Theme students to consider whether their community and and the developing role of women, led to the Taking inspiration from active citizens from the asking ‘How important is it that we are aware of the their identities are represented asking ‘Who should consideration of the ongoing impact / legacy of these past students can propose projects to benefit their achievements/contributions of others?’. be displayed?’ and The ‘Creative people’s contribution to their local communities. community. To further inspire them they could What personal More specifically the power of portraits as an active ‘Who decides?’. Connections’ In school, this could be further developed by question how a portrait might help them think as an characteristics campaigning strategy can be developed. Students project raises students selecting local contemporary

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