"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness..." Thus begins Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities. Reading this for the first time as a 7th grade English student, our teacher explained how Dickens uses the technique of juxtaposition to bring to light the circumstances that led to the French Revolution, as we dutifully copied the definition and example in our notebooks. Over the course of my formal education, I would encounter this term several other times, say in Shakespeare, Milton, or Dylan Thomas, with each instance playing out more or less the same as the first one.
As an educator, I look back on moments like these in my schooling and ask questions: Why is juxtaposition significant? Is the idea of juxtaposition only present in works of literature? Why should I, or any student really, be taught this idea? Visiting the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego's recent show, San Diego Collects, I was reminded how juxtaposition is an idea that is present throughout our culture, from art to film to literature. Looking at Kehinde Wiley's “Portrait of Anthony Wheatley” (at right), juxtaposition becomes not just a term to be copied into a notebook, but an idea that springs to life through the visual image.. Here, the artist uses juxtaposition to engage the viewer in a discussion of our traditional ideas of status and power within society. How does the subject of the painting compare to traditional portraits in Western Art?. How are the subject's pose and his clothing in contrast to each other? Why does the artist place the subject on a floral background? How do these elements come together to make meaning in the piece?
This experience highlights how art can provide meaningful context and relevance to students learning literary devices in a way that goes beyond understanding the definitions. Terms like symbolism, irony, theme. allusion and metaphor gain new life when they can be applied to conversations involving art and interpreting an artists intentions.. Art museums should be seen as places where students can not only be exposed to objects of beauty and cultural significance, but where they can deepen their understanding of concepts from the classroom.
As an educator, I look back on moments like these in my schooling and ask questions: Why is juxtaposition significant? Is the idea of juxtaposition only present in works of literature? Why should I, or any student really, be taught this idea? Visiting the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego's recent show, San Diego Collects, I was reminded how juxtaposition is an idea that is present throughout our culture, from art to film to literature. Looking at Kehinde Wiley's “Portrait of Anthony Wheatley” (at right), juxtaposition becomes not just a term to be copied into a notebook, but an idea that springs to life through the visual image.. Here, the artist uses juxtaposition to engage the viewer in a discussion of our traditional ideas of status and power within society. How does the subject of the painting compare to traditional portraits in Western Art?. How are the subject's pose and his clothing in contrast to each other? Why does the artist place the subject on a floral background? How do these elements come together to make meaning in the piece?
This experience highlights how art can provide meaningful context and relevance to students learning literary devices in a way that goes beyond understanding the definitions. Terms like symbolism, irony, theme. allusion and metaphor gain new life when they can be applied to conversations involving art and interpreting an artists intentions.. Art museums should be seen as places where students can not only be exposed to objects of beauty and cultural significance, but where they can deepen their understanding of concepts from the classroom.