My+Identity+-+Gonkar+Gyatso


 * My Identity - Gonkar Gyatso**

Title: //My Identity// Nos. 1-4 Artist(s): Gonkar Gyatso Date: 2003 Period: Modern Country of Origin: Tibetan Cultural/Ethnic Affiliation: Tibet Medium: Photographs, Installation Dimensions:object: Each 61,5 x 78 x 3,4 cm Museum/Collection: Gallery of Rossi and Rossi Ltd. London, England Current Location and Manner of Display: Gallery of Rossi and Rossi Ltd. London, England
 * Artwork Identification**

Gonkar Gyatso is one of the foremost Tibetan political artists working today. Known primarily for his works portraying the Buddha without a face, but often either blank or super-imposed with another image such as a the sickle from the Chinese flag, or multiple images from stickers of a central theme, and collected by the artist, has created a political and social self-portrait in //My Identity//. An installation comprised of actually four separate works, //My Identity// showcases the artist in four different guises as a Tibetan artist, from four different time periods of the artists’ life. The result is a showcase of different aspects of Gonkar Gyatso’s personal life, to present a small biography of himself, while at the same time making it possible to view the individual pieces as snapshots of other individual Tibetan artists who may be in similar circumstances.
 * Introduction**

// My Identity // is in actuality a series of four self photographs, often shown as part of a single installation, that shows the artist costumed as a Tibetan artist from four different periods, painting four separate works to correspond with the four different periods of his professional career, and “is a re-enactment of a 1937 photo by C. Suydam Cutting, the first Westerner to enter the Tibetan capital, that portrays the Dalai Lama’s senior thangka painter at work”. ( [|Link] )
 * Descriptive Analysis**

The first photograph shows Gyatso dressed in a traditional Tibetan robe, painting a Buddha, as a traditional Tibetan artist would work. The second photograph shows Gyatso dressed in a Chinese communist uniform from the Cultural Revolutionary period surrounded by walls covered with newspapers, painting a picture of Mao. The third photograph shows Gyatso dressed as a modern Tibetan refugee artist painting another Buddhist oriented painting, but taking place in the Dalai Lama residence. The last photograph shows Gyatso as a refugee artist in London painting an abstract work, showing him as he is and works today.

The work is at once colorful and simple, drawing ones attention to the piece through its vibrant use of color and realistic settings. But it is upon closer observation it becomes apparent that the artist is using the simple first impression to convey a stronger political and social message of the life of a Tibetan artist living under Chinese rule, and the identity crisis that such a condition can force upon an individual over the course of a lifetime. From the utilization of a beginning artist attempting to live and paint as a Tibetan, through the forced assimilation into a Chinese culture that is at once pervasive and limited, to attempting to find ones identity as a Tibetan in exile in different locales and with different social groups, the work is a subtle look at not only Gonkar Gyatso’s life, but the life of many Tibetans and artists who live under Chinese domination watching their culture be absorbed or nullified.


 * Formal and Contextual Analysis**
 * With //My Identity// Gonkar Gyatso has produced a work that has been recognized as one of his most thoughtful and incisive pieces. Seen as a wonderful example of his signature type of work that “ ** charts the subtle shifts in identity and belonging caused by constant migration” ([| Link] ), //My Identity// while at first seems to strictly auto-biographical in nature, quickly takes on the roll of a piece of art that presents other concepts and ideas upon deeper examination. In addition to the obvious point of identity of the artist, the work also attempts to make the statement that “in reality they act as Barthesian “certificates of presence” that ask who, and what, has the power to control forms of iconization.” ( [|Link] )


 * While initially known for his pictures of Buddha’s that have been created from stickers made up of pictures such as cars, Spiderman, a sickle from the Chinese Communist flag, and images culled from the web to highlight a central theme (See Buddha @ Hotmail below), it is his underlying understanding of a wide variety of issues and multiple points of view that highlight Gyatso as an artist. This vision coupled with understanding allows the viewer to see “ ** fresh perspectives on the complex problems surrounding the rights of indigenous peoples in the contemporary world” ( [|Link] ) based on his ability to show and communicate Tibetan cultural issues simply and yet powerfully.


 * Gyatso is also known for being the founder of the web site and gallery in **** London **** known as [|The Sweet Tea House]. Designed from the start as a location and web site that would highlight Tibetan artists and works, they have been very successful in showing both traditional and modern works from a wide variety of Tibetan artists and works. **


 * Gonkar Gyatso was born in Tibet in 1961 and graduated from the Central Institute of Nationalities in Beijing, after which he joined the Art Department at Tibet University from 1985-1992, and then migrated to India, and then England where he received a degree in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Art and Design in 2000. (The **** Tibet **** Journal, 2008 ) **





Bibliography

Harris, Clare. (1999//) In the Image of// //Tibet// //Tibetan Painting after 1959//. London: Reaktion Books Ltd

[] Gonkar Gyatso’s personal web page

[] A background of Gonkar Gyatso at the University of Kansas Museum of Art

[] The Sweet Tea House. A web site begun by Gonkar Gyatso to spotlight Tibetan artists.

[] A review of the art show featuring Gonkar Gyatso at the University of Kansas.

[|http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/Tibet/Tserials/TibetJour/2003springtj.html#gyat] The home of The Tibet Journal, a scholarly journal dedicated to Tibet.

[] A preview in the Daily Kansan about the Tibet art show featuring Gonkar Gyatso at the University of Kansas.

[] A brief overview of the work //My Identity// by Gonkar Gyatso

http://www.asianart.com/exhibitions/waves/7.html Asian Art site that shows multiple Asian artists, including Gonkar Gyatso.

 **Grade level:** 7th-9th  **Time:** 4-6 fifty-minute class periods
 * Lesson Title: ** My Identity

This lesson meets the following National Standards for Arts Education (Visual Arts)  Standard 1:Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes  Standard 3: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas Standard 5: Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others
 * Standards: **

 This lesson meets the following National Educational Technology Standards for Students  1. Creativity and innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology  3. Research and Information fluency: Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information  5. Digital citizenship: Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. 6. Technology Operations and Concepts: Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.

Identity: The condition of being oneself or itself, and not another (definition from Dictionary.com). Gonkar Gyatso demonstrates his identity in a series of four art works as a Tibetan artist. The first photograph shows Gyatso as a traditional Tibetan artist.The second photograph shows Gyatso dressed in a Chinese communist uniform from the Cultural Revolutionary period. The third photograph shows Gyatso dressed as a modern Tibetan refugee artist. The last photograph of Gyatso shows him as he is and works today as a refugee artist in London.
 * Central concepts: **

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Biography: A written account of another person’s life (definition from Dictionary.com). Gonkar Gyatso’s personal life is showcased through four art works which depict four different time periods of the artists life.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Self-portrait: A portrait of oneself done by oneself. (Dictionary.com). Gonkar Gyatso took four self photographs of his self, which are considered a self-portrait.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Activity 1: Interpreting the artwork “My Identity” (One 50 minute class period)
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Lesson Activities: **
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Class will examine Gonkar Gyatso’s artwork “My Identity” projected on a big screen.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Class will discuss what they see going on in the artwork or what stands out to them.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Class will be asked what they think the artist intention was.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Class will be asked if the series of four would be successful separated as four individual artworks.
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Class will be given information on the history of artist and the artist intentions behind the work at the end of class.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Activity 2: Research Family Heritage (One 50 minute class period)
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Students will be told to research their family heritage and background by interviewing their family members and using online resources. If students are unaware of their history/background they will be told to research the American child’s life at twenty-year intervals. “What was a child your age doing in the year of 1920, 1940, 1960, and 1980?”
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 1.5;"> Students will have to document their research on a worksheet that will be provided by the teacher and given to the class before their research begins titled “Digging up the Dirt”.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">The research will help students identify four aspects of their family heritage and background that influence them the most and incorporate them into their own self-portrait, which will tell stories about them and their biography.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Students can collaborate and exchange information if they have some of the same background characteristics. (e.g., Scottish, German)

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Activity 3: Descriptive Images (One 50 minute class period) > <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Activity 4: Photographing one another (2-3 50 minute class periods)
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">The teacher will explain the lesson project titled “Mixed Media Collage Self-Portrait.” Students will use found images that describe their heritage and background and incorporate these into a self portrait in the next activity of the lesson.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Students will use the information they found through their research and find images in magazines or books in which they would like to incorporate into their self portrait. These images must help demonstrate their biography in their self-portrait.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Students will have to show the teacher a minimum of five images about their identity in which they will include in their self-portrait and get it approved by teacher. The teacher will demonstrate how to scan images and students will then scan images they would like to enlarge.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Students will pair up with classmates to discuss and exchange ideas for their self-portraits
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Class will be given a digital camera to take pictures of each other in which they will use as a photo reference for their final self portrait. Students can either draw or paint their self portrait while using their photo to help with details and proportions.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Once students’ photographs are uploaded onto the computer they will need to print out one photograph of their choice.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Students will create a mixed media self portrait which will demonstrate at least five characteristics of their identity Students will use their photograph along with their scanned images to use as references to work from.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Class will be shown examples by students of previous self-portraits as well as well known artist self-portraits that touch on their background and culture. (e.g. Frida Kahlo’s “Self-portrait on the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States”)
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Students will create their own self-portrait; which will tell about their identity and life story. Students will be able to use a variety of mediums of their choice. The choices include magazine clippings, scanned images, paint, glue, colored pencil, and pastel.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">/10 Participation in Art Discussion <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;"> /15 Digging up Dirt worksheet <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;"> /10 Approval of Five Images <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;"> /10 Photographing a classmate <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;"> /15 Printing of Photograph Reference <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;"> /40 Completion of Mixed Media Self Portrait <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">_/100 Total Points
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Assessment: **

<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">www.dictionary.com
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">References: **


 * Lesson Title:** My Identity
 * Grade Level:** 9th-12th
 * Time:** 15 one-hour class periods

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">This lesson meets the following [|National Standards for Arts Education (Visual Arts)]: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">NA-VA.9-12.1: Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">NA-VA.9-12.3: Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">NA-VA.9-12.6: Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Standards: **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">This lesson meets the following [|National Educational Technology Standards for Students]: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">1. Creativity and Innovation (a, b) 2. Communication and Collaboration (a) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">3. Research and Information Fluency (b, d) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making (a, b, c, d) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">5. Digital Citizenship (a, b, c, d) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">6. Technology Operations and Concepts (a, b, c, d)

Self Portrait: Capturing an image of ones self through artistic means, usually speaking for more than what is physically apparent. Gonkar uses photography as a medium to capture images of himself in costumes and constructed environments from various angles of his Tibetan culture. Political Art: Art often conveys a message, and sometimes artists wish to share ideas, opinions, beliefs, experiences and feelings pertaining to political environments. In My Identity, Gonkar explains how his current identity is defined by identities of his culture's past political environments. Mixing Tactile with Digital Media: Rather than being only painting or only photograph sometimes a piece which combines various mediums is the most successful of all. These images are photographs which contain paintings and installed settings and are later digitally manipulated to capture the desired atmosphere of each installation.
 * Central Concepts:**

Lesson Activities <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> -"What’s going on in this picture?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> -"What do you see that makes you think that?" and <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> -"What more can we find?" >> this second <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #00703c; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Anonymous <span class="x_Apple-tab-span" style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> s <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">ource, along with other self-portraits expressing heritage, culture, and personal interests. >
 * Activity 1: "Analyzing Art and Research" (One 1-hour class)
 * Analyze "My Identity" by Gonkar Gyatso using the Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) and sharing background information about the piece near the end of the discussion. VTS questions include
 * Usually VTS does not include an information drop, or shared background information about the work and artist, but our discussion also will include a drop. After the class understands the goals and messages of Gyatso's piece, we will have shorter discussions of other portraits with similar messages such as
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #00703c; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The Artist Painting a Portrait of an Old Woman, oil on canvas by Aert de Gelder, 1685
 * this<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #00703c; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Anonymous <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> source,
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #00703c; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Alfred Hallett with Painting of Tibetan friend <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">, 1980 and
 * Have students identify (for themselves)
 * 1) A setting which embodies who they are; their more obvious identity
 * 2) A more modern or recent cultural reference they could have seen themselves experiencing and they find interesting
 * 3) A historical cultural reference somehow relevant to their heritage
 * *All three images would have the same composition, and include the student and their piece of art in each setting.Explore online to learn about styles of art from chosen scenarios.
 * Example:
 * 1) Student, in modern/favorite clothes, sitting/standing, posed with a piece of art expressing their current interests.
 * 2) Maybe the student finds the 80s interesting, has passion for the revolutionary age of protests fighting for human rights, has a favorite band which was most popular at least 20 years ago, was inspired by a photograph of their parents or grandparents when they were the student’s age, etc.
 * 3) The student should look to their individual cultural history, ethnicity, family lineage, etc and aim to create a scene of at least 100 years ago.
 * Thumbnails of artworks and photo-settings are expected to be completed as homework for the next class period.


 * Activity 2: A Series of Three Paintings (10 one-hour classes)
 * After determining the theme of the three installations, students will make a painting to fit in with the theme of each of their settings.
 * Must also communicate plan for installations through thumbnail‍s.
 * Homework includes developing plans for installations, finding resources and even getting a head start on Activity 3.


 * Activity 3: Installation Capture:
 * This is an out-of-class assignment to be executed at completion of the image making activities.
 * Students are to work with partners and take photos of themselves with their three works in their three installed settings. Students must return with at least 5 photos from each setting.
 * Stress the importance of keeping them as similar as possible.


 * Activity 4: Conclusion (one one-hour class period)
 * Manipulate photos using Photoshop to further express intentions.


 * Activity 5: Class presentations (2 one-hour classes)
 * Students will explain to class what they learned and how it contributed to their projects.

Assessment: /15 Participation /10 Thumbnails Completed /25 Painting No. 1 /25 Painting No. 2 /25 Painting No.3 /10 2nd Thumbnails Completed /10 Photo-shoot accomplished /20 Final presentation of synthesized project /140 Total points
 * Student is productive during class time
 * Student's thumbnails show development of ideas, reflect cognitive exploration and were done in a timely manner.
 * Painting fits theme by reflecting knowledge gained through research and reflects time well spent.
 * Painting fits theme by reflecting knowledge gained through research and reflects time well spent.
 * Painting fits theme by reflecting knowledge gained through research and reflects time well spent.
 * Student's thumbnails show development of ideas, reflect cognitive exploration and were done in a timely manner.
 * Photographs of all three installations were completed by their due date and are ready to be worked on in the photo-manipulation class.
 * Student has completed all work by due date and gives a short, professional presentation to the class.

References:
 * Original artwork:
 * __<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #00703c; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">http://teachartwiki.wikispaces.com/My+Identity+-+Gonkar+Gyatso __
 * National Standards for Visual Arts Education:
 * __ [] __
 * References of similar works:
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #00703c; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">The Artist Painting a Portrait of an Old Woman, oil on canvas by Aert de Gelder, 1685
 * <span class="x_Apple-tab-span" style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;"> Anonymous <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;"> source
 * <span class="x_Apple-tab-span" style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;"> Alfred Hallett with Painting of Tibetan friend <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">, 1980
 * <span class="x_Apple-tab-span" style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;"> Anonymous s <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;">ource II