“CUT WITH A KITCHEN KNIFE”: BREAKING DOWN POLITICS BY BREAKING DOWN STEREOTYPES

 

PRE-READING QUESTIONS

• What role do intellectuals play in a new government, such as the Weimar Republic?

• Do they have a special obligation to be supportive and not overly critical of their new government? Do we have intellectuals like that now in certain regions?

• When you learn about a new place and understand its political system for the first time, what was the first thing you noticed?

• What are the stereotypes that fall upon the culture, military, and economic power within your assigned region?

• Do you think of yourself as a modernist or a postmodernist?

 

READING

Read Why Study Weimar Germany and Read the essay “Hannah Hoch”. This reading introduces us to an artist who is considered to be the innovator of the photomontage, the next project we will undertake.  Throughout the week, we will discuss the reading in class to review vocabulary and content.  Be prepared for a vocabulary quiz!

 

Definitions

 

Photomontage: A combination of several photographs or printed matter joined together for artistic effect or to show more of the subject than can be shown in a single photograph.

 

Dada: An early twentieth century art movement that ridiculed contemporary culture and traditional art forms.  The movement was formed to prove the bankruptcy of existing style of artistic expression rather than to promote a particular style itself.  It was born as a consequence of the collapse during World War I of social and moral values that had developed to that time.

 

PHOTOMONTAGE – Part 1

Now that you have read about Hannah Hoch, the Weimar Republic and learned about photomontage, you will create your own as a means of thinking about how we might break down the politics of your region and promote cross-cultural awareness. 

• Think about comparisons: List words, images, colors, etc., which express individuality as well as perceived stereotypes of your region.  Which traits or qualities of images lend themselves to be stereotypes?  List in your notebook.

• Looking: View magazines with reproductions of color photographs and use photographs from web resources that display stereotypes of your region-you may use any type of magazines, newspapers, comic books, etc. Ask yourself: Which images are similar? Which are different? How do the images combine into a different shape, composition, or situation to create a personal statement about how you feel about stereotypes?

• Selecting: Choose images that express your opinion.  Tear or cut these out of the magazine or reproduce these from the computer.  Research Hannah Hoch in the library as well as over the Internet and choose a few of her images, which you find express a successful composition that you would like to use as an inspiration.  Print out examples or reproduce these and use them when you are working on your personal photomontage.

 

 

PHOTOMONTAGE – PART 2

Now that you have selected your images:

• Cut up your photographs and the images from mass media into interesting shapes necessary for your composition.  Try various ways of assembling them in to a “finished” composition.

• Paste cut outs onto a board making an interesting composition that expresses a comparison of stereotypes of your assigned region/country as you see fit.  You may use paint to enhance the background or build it into the composition.  However, DO NOT PAINT OR DRAW your images!  All images MUST be of photo media.

• You may use text to enhance your composition.

• Coat your images with the acrylic medium so the cut outs will not come up or peel off of the composition.

• Take a photo or photos of your final product.

 

HOMEWORK

Upload a photo or photos of your photomontage.  Then, drawing on concepts from the readings about color, practices of seeing, and stereotypes, discuss your photomontage.

 

CRITIQUE

Students will present their photomontage and receive feedback from their peers and instructors.