Teachers Pack Tracing the Century: Drawing As a Catalyst for Change 16 November 2012 – 20 January 2013

Teachers Pack Tracing the Century: Drawing as a Catalyst for Change 16 November 2012 – 20 January 2013

Using this Pack

The pack is designed to support For further details about visiting teachers, educators and group Tate Liverpool with a group see leaders in planning a visit to the http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/ exhibition with a collection of ideas, teachers/school-visits-tate-liverpool workshops and points for discussion. Email [email protected] The activities are suitable for all Call +44 (0) 151 702 7400 ages and can be adapted to your needs before, during and after your A special school group price for visit. The pack can be downloaded exhibitions is available if you and printed, or projected in the book and pay at least two weeks classroom as a word document or in advance. copied into Powerpoint. Please note that this exhibition does contain a few works which you may consider unsuitable for younger groups. Our Visitor Experience Team can provide more information when booking and all teachers are welcome to book a free research viewing of the exhibition in advance of their visit.

2 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century Introduction

What do we mean by ‘drawing’? Programmed in parallel with Tracing Is it a means of conveying an idea the Century, a new commission by visually, such as a diagram, map or Matt Saunders in the Wolfson Gallery plan? Is it a way of recording what we will look at new drawing practices. see or expressing how we feel? Do we have to think about what Tracing the Century has at its heart we are sketching or can we doodle artworks based on the human body subconsciously? Does it involve and the inner self, opening up the making lines or can we use blotches? conversation between figuration Do we have to use pencil and paper and abstraction that characterised or can we experiment with a wide art in the twentieth century. Rather range of materials and techniques? than approaching abstraction and figuration separately, the exhibition Tracing the Century highlights will integrate these genres to explore drawing’s fundamental role as a the continuous slippage between the catalyst and vehicle for change in two. The exhibition will move from modern and contemporary art. the preliminary sketch to painting, The exhibition includes around one sculpture, photography and film, hundred artworks from the Tate acknowledging the broader role Collection together with key loans drawing played within modernism. by artists such as Sara Barker, Leon Golub, Jasper Johns, Julie Mehretu, Matthew Monahan, Richard Tuttle and Hannah Wilke.

3 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century Introduction

Drawing’s ability to transcend a fixed Important works on paper by set of materials and conventions Raymond Pettibon, and a major has ensured the medium’s vitality installation of twenty-six drawings and power to stimulate change. A by Fernando Bryce will be on number of works in the exhibition, display. A trilogy of animated films such as Anthony McCall’s Line by William Kentridge, rarely seen Describing a Cone 1973, serve to together, will also be exhibited. erode the conventional definition of Accompanying Tracing the Century drawing as a static line on a will be a new commission by Matt two-dimensional plane. Saunders entitled Century Rolls. Exhibited as silver gelatin prints, In McCall’s work, visitors can explore Saunders’ enigmatic works on paper the projected line by moving around are created by projecting light it, interacting with it and moving through a drawing or painting to within the cone of light created. expose a sheet of photosensitive paper. Alongside these prints will The exhibition features a number be a new animated film made from of works presented at Tate for the a huge number of ink on mylar first time since acquisition, such as drawings, edited into hypnotic William Orpen’s meticulously detailed moving images. Saunders’ inventive representations of the human figure, use of materials, which unites Anatomical Studies 1906, used by drawing, photography and film, students to study anatomy during offers another way to engage with the early part of the century. the themes within Tracing the Century.

4 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century Contents

CHALK ON PAPER Sir William Orpen Anatomical Study, Male Torso c1906 6

WATERCOLOUR ON PAPER Paul Cézanne Montagne Sainte-Victoire 1905–6 9

STEEL Julio González Maternity 1934 12

GARPHITE, INK GOUACHE AND WAX ON PAPER Henry Moore Pink and Green Sleepers 1941 14

OIL PAINT ON CANVAS Alberto Giacometti Caroline 1965 17

FILM PROJECTION Anthony McCall Line Describing a Cone 1973 19

5 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century CHALK ON PAPER Sir William Orpen Anatomical Study, Male Torso c1906 Tate, 2012

6 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century

Sir William Orpen was one of the In order to depict the human form For example, his Anatomical most popular portrait painters of with conviction, art students were Study, Man Hanging 1906 drawing the early 20th century. He was also a expected to gain an understanding demonstrates the muscle contortion gifted and inspiring teacher at the of its physiognomy: what lies of a crucifixion in art, and the pose Dublin Metropolitan School of Art beneath the skin; how the muscles of Anatomical Study, Turning Man where he produced a series of are stretched and contorted 1906 (after Michelangelo) is copied twenty anatomical drawings as during movement. from the Italian master’s drawings visual aids for his classes. for the unfinished fresco The Battle Before the widespread use of of Cascina 1504. Anatomical Study, Anatomical study has been a modern visual aids such as slides, Male Torso c1906 resembles the fundamental part of an artist’s these drawings were Orpen’s only classical Belvedere torso that education since the fifteenth support materials for his lessons, Michelangelo used as a source for century. Artists such as Leonardo, but they are also works of art in many of his male nudes in the Sistine Michelangelo and Durer are believed their own right – not simply medical Chapel frescoes. to have dissected corpses in the diagrams. His figures are full of course of their investigations and vitality and their fluid outlines often Orpen’s chief source of reference for the connection between fine art and echo recognisable poses from these drawings, however, was Gray’s medical science existed in academic art history. Anatomy which he stated was ‘the institutions well into the twentieth only book worth working from.’ The century. numbers on the work correspond to the various parts of the body that the students were required to identify.

7 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century Activities

MAKE your own copies of medical MAKE an anatomical model or drawings or scientific diagrams using assemblage using household chalk or crayons on coloured paper. materials such as macaroni, embroidery threads, buttons, string, STUDY the anatomical drawings of wire, plasticine etc. Leonardo, Ingres, Gericault, Stubbs etc and discuss the importance of FIND other examples of figure these studies to the artist’s practice. drawing in the exhibition. Discuss whether you think the artists drew VISIT your local museum and make directly from a real person or from sketches from classical sculptures, imagination. Give reasons for your wax anatomical models and answers. What materials has the drawings. Alternatively, artist used? Why do you think he or find examples of medical she chose that material? How does it schools’ teaching aids such as make you feel? Joseph Towne’s wax models at www.wellcomecollection.org.uk FURTHER RESOURCES IDENTIFY the parts of the body that correspond to the numbers on http://www.kbteachers.com/human- Orpen’s drawing. You could turn this anatomy/ into a research project or quiz! http://www.examiner.com/article/ anatomy-activities-for-kids-and- teens

8 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century WATERCOLOUR ON PAPER Paul Cézanne Montagne Sainte-Victoire 1905-6 Tate, 2012

9 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century The Montagne Sainte-Victoire near Emile Bernard visited Cézanne in the artist’s home in Aix en Provence 1904 and noted his unique approach became his favourite subject from to sketching in watercolours: the late 1880s until his death. He ‘His method was strange, entirely returned, day after day to sketch different from the usual practices it from different viewpoints and in and of an extreme complexity. He changing light conditions and this began with the shadows and with watercolour was painted from a touch, which he covered with a Les Lauves, a steep slope above second more extensive touch, then this studio. with a third, until all these tints, Cézanne exhibited with the forming a mesh, both coloured and Impressionists, 1874-7, but he modelled the object.’ sought to develop ‘something solid and enduring’ from Impressionism. In his landscapes, he abandoned traditional fixed-point perspective in an attempt to capture the natural movement of the eye as it roams across the vista. The viewer is led across the surface of his image through passages of carefully constructed brush-marks and subtle tones.

10 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century Activities

MAKE a landscape sketch in FURTHER RESOURCES watercolours using Cézanne’s Matthew Simms, Cézanne’s technique of building up layers of Watercolours:Between Drawing and delicate marks – no pencils allowed! Painting, Yale University Press 2008 You could capture the view from a window or work from a photograph. Paul Smith, Interpreting Cézanne, Tate Publishing 1996 FIND OUT more about Paul Cézanne. Compare his landscapes to those of http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/ Claude, Constable, Turner, Van Gogh, auth/cezanne/st-victoire/ Matisse. How do they differ? How do they make you feel? http://www.theartstory.org/artist- cezanne-paul.htm CREATE your own version of Mont Sainte-Victoire using different materials. Copy the outlines in thread; make a collage in cellophane, tissue or coloured paper; create a 3D version in wire. Be creative!

11 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century STEEL Julio González Maternity 1934

Born into a family of Spanish of this material and its proletarian the circular shapes as breasts and metalworkers, Julio González learnt connotations would have appealed the configuration below them as this trade from an early age. When to González, however, he also chose possibly representing a child. The the family moved to Paris in 1900, he iron out of necessity. He could not conical structure of rods in the lower supported himself through making afford to have his works cast in part of the sculpture suggests the jewellery and decorative metalwork bronze or other more costly metals. woman’s drapery. This form also has but also exhibited paintings and a functional role as a support for the Welded iron offered the tensile sculpture. He continued to explore work which is rooted securely into a strength and flexibility that enabled the artistic potential of this material stone base. him to create his unique open- by forging, riveting and welding form sculptures which he referred It has been suggested that the artist pieces of iron and in the late 1920s to as ‘drawings in space.’ Although may have been inspired by Virgin he decided to devote his career these works may appear abstract and Child sculptures found in Gothic to sculpture. He introduced his at first, González emphasised churches, but female figures were good friend Picasso to working in features such as hair, teeth and arms common in the work of González metal during this period and they which identify them as figurative. and Picasso particularly during collaborated on several works. Sometimes an outline is suggested the Spanish Civil War and Second González was aware of the long by the artist through points in space, World War. He found the female history of iron and its many uses. He perforations or loops which require form appropriate for expressing the intended to free the material from the viewer’s imagination to complete suffering of civilians during conflict. its associations with mechanical the form. Maternity, for example, science and warfare so that it could has an open loop at the top with An image of this work can be found at be ‘at last, forged and hammered projecting lines which resemble http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/ by the hands of a peaceful artist.’ hairs sticking out of a head. The gonzalez-maternity-t01242 As a socialist, the humble origins title of the work leads us to ‘read’

12 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century Activities

FIND other examples of work by FIND OUT about iron as a material. González in the exhibition. Discuss What is it? How has it been used since differences or similarities between ancient times? (eg decorative objects, them – what materials are used? Are tools, utensils, building materials, they abstract or figurative? How do transport, weapons etc.) they make you feel? DISCUSS the work of others who have MAKE a free-standing figure from worked in metal (eg David Smith, wire or draw an outline with thread Anthony Caro, Richard Serra, onto paper and use it as a basis Antony Gormley etc. Compare and for a collage. contrast their work. Do you think that they might have been influenced by Gonzalez?

13 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century GRAPHITE, INK GOUACHE AND WAX ON PAPER Henry Moore Pink and Green Sleepers 1941 Tate, 2012

14 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century Henry Moore was 42 and teaching at ‘I had never seen so many reclining materials; using thick impasto and Chelsea Polytechnic at the beginning figures and even the holes out thin washes; alternating fine wispy of World War II. At first, his life of which the trains were coming lines with heavy contours. The effect carried on as normal, though he seemed to me like the holes in my was perhaps more sculptural in was unable to work on his sculptures sculpture... people who were obvious texture than traditional drawing. due to a scarcity of materials. One strangers to one another were The rough surfaces and scratchy evening, he was delayed on his forming intimate groups.’ lines are also reminiscent of natural journey home from London and came forms such as weather-worn upon the scenes that would provide He returned again and again to stone. The sheltering forms almost him with his most poignant wartime make discrete sketches so as to become part of their underground subjects – the temporary shelters avoid intrusion on the sleepers’ surroundings. Such associations for civilians on the underground privacy. The rough drawings that between the topographical sleepers tube platforms. When he arrived he made were developed once he and nature supported a general at his station, Belsize Park he was reached home, using a range of propaganda message that British astonished by the sight of these techniques: wax crayon, watercolour people during the War remained sleeping figures and immediately wash, pencil, inks. He also tried out an indomitable force which would made a connection with his own art: different techniques: allowing wax prevail against all hostilities. crayon to dispel water-based paints or inks; scratching into paint and crayon with sharp objects; smudging

15 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century Activities

COPY images of war victims from DISCUSS the role of artists during photographs in newpapers or conflict. How do artists convey their sourced from the internet and then experience of war? What materials make large drawings from your have they used? What does an Official sketches in the style of Henry Moore. War Artist do? Are there any other Use whatever media you feel is works in the Tate exhibition that were appropriate – experiment with inks, made in response to war? wax crayons, paint, coffee, beetroot juice, candles, used tea bags dabbed FURTHER RESOURCES in water...be inventive! Julian Andrews, London’s War: FIND OUT about how WWII affected The Shelter Drawings of Henry Moore, your town. Which buildings were Lund Humphries Publishers 2002 bombed? Where did people shelter? http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching- Ask older relatives about their resource/Henry-Moore-6196786/ wartime experiences. MAKE sculptures or models from http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/ Moore’s drawings in clay or plastcine. clips/henry-moore-sunderground- shelter-drawings-fromworld-war- ii/11626.html

http://ww2today.com/henry-moores- wartime-sketchbook 16 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century OIL PAINT ON CANVAS Alberto Giacometti Caroline 1965

Giacometti drew and sculpted the constructed a complicated network of people close to him again and lines. The layering of paint causes the again. Caroline was a friend of the heavily reworked facial area to stand artist who sat for him almost every out in relief from the paper which night between 9pm and around buckles beneath its weight. Caroline’s midnight for over four years. These face becomes the focus of his activity paintings evoke the intensity of and bears the traces of this constant the relationship between artist and revision. Thin vertical and horizontal sitter within the confined space of lines divide the sitter’s features into the studio. In this image, Caroline is symmetrical zones while the rapidly painted from close-up which allows applied lines appear like contours her face to dominate the canvas. around her face. Heavy rings encircle

her eyes, making them the focus of Giacometti’s drawings reveal the the image as she returns the viewer’s concerted energy with which gaze with intensity. he worked: he mapped out his subject and then through the rapid An image of this work can be found at: application of strokes, constantly http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/ altering and rebuilding, he giacometti-caroline-t00782

17 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century Activities

DRAW a portrait in the style of WATCH a video of Giacometti drawing: Giacometti – working and reworking https://www.youtube.com/ your image without using an eraser. watch?v=QS0PzOwfmHo You could try drawing with your eyes constantly on your model and FURTHER RESOURCES without looking at the paper. Angela Schneider, Alberto Giacometti: FIND other examples of portraits in Sculpture, Painting, Drawings, Art,Flexi the exhibition. Who is portrayed? Series, Prestel 2008 How has the artist represented http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/ him or her? (Comment on clothes, programmes/world_news_ pose, expression etc. and the today/9256313.stm materials used by the artist). Write a description of the sitter’s personality – use your imagination! RESEARCH Giacometti’s sculptures. How did he make them? What do they look like? How do they make you feel?

18 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century FILM PROJECTION Anothony McCall Line Describing a Cone 1973

McCall’s work demonstrates that The beam is given greater definition drawing is not restricted to making and substance by the addition of static lines on two-dimensional mist from smoke machines. surfaces. His projected line of light The cone takes time to form and the activates the space around it and artist has stated that ‘to fully see invites the viewer to become part of the emerging form it is necessary to the work. The audience can move move around and through it, to look around the line and also break at it from the inside and from the through the cone of light itself to outside.’ become enveloped by it. Line Describing a Cone explores The beam of white light is emitted the boundaries of visual and from a film projector positioned at performance art, film and sculpture, one end of a darkened room. An materiality and immateriality. animated film of a thin curving line Conventional film or cinema is passed through the projector and requires the viewer to be static and frame by frame this gradually joins passive throughout its duration, up to form a complete circle. Over whilst McCall’s work activates the the course of thirty minutes, this line experience and involves time, space of light traces the circumference of and movement. the circle as a projection on the far wall while the beam takes the form of a three-dimensional hollow cone.

19 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century Activities

THINK of different ways you could MAKE a two-dimensional work draw in space using light. Experiment based on your experience of Line with a camera, torches, beams, Describing a Cone. You could make a shadows, coloured bulbs, sparklers collage using transparent paper in a darkened room. or cellophane. DESCRIBE your experience of Line DESIGN and make a sculpture using Describing a Cone. What do you cones and lines. You could use see, hear, smell? How does it cardboard strips and tubes or wire make you feel? mesh covered with tissue paper.

20 Teachers Pack — Tracing the Century