Looking and Discussing Activity

This is a group activity, requiring no other equipment other than you, the group and stools for comfort!

Organise the group into 3 smaller groups and spend 5 minutes on the following areas:

• Ask the first group to decide why this artwork, The Roaring Forties: Seven Boards in Seven Days, is in a display entitled 'Material Gestures'. What does this mean? If they need help with this, ask them to notice what sort of gestures are used in the artwork, big / small / gentle / vigorous etc.
• Ask the second group to notice what materials are used.
• Ask the third group to look at what the artwork is showing us. For example, is there a story to be told?

After 5 minutes reconvene and share ideas on the above.

It is important the group notice that chalk and blackboards have been used as the materials. Discuss together why Tacita Dean would choose such fragile materials.

There are links between the ephemeral nature of these materials and the fragile aspect of us, as humans, here shown in the storyboards.

Follow-up activity

Move to the Rothko room, using the accompanying Mark Rothko words activity if you wish.

Notice how Rothko uses gesture in these paintings. Tacita Dean has acknowledged that she is influenced by Rothko, so it may be useful to look at these and discuss your findings together.