High school students will explore the art period called Dadaism and in particular Photomontage Art. Students should have some general background in the various art periods, analysis of artwork, and World War II.

Students will explore photomontage art using the Internet. The students will write their own analysis of what an artwork is conveying in meaning.

• Students will be able to define Dadaism and Photomontage.
• Students will be able to analyze a piece of photomontage art for the meaning conveyed.

Grades 9-12 students

Content Area - Art and History

Teaching Method - Presentation of the Internet examples of photomontage, and a group discussion of the meaning of the artwork

• Teacher work station computer connected to the Internet
• Internet browser
• Projection Device (connected to the computer)
• screen
• Individual computers that students can use and are connected to the internet

1. Present to students the academic definition of Dadaism and Photomontage. Dadaism has a definition at the website http://www.oir.ucf.edu/wm/paint/glo/dada/.
2. Introduce the web site http://www.mcae.k12.mn.us/school/media/99web/memomain.html to the students. This web site has photomontage art that students made digitally.
3. Show the first piece of artwork (but not the description below it) have students discuss the feelings the artwork conveys, meanings the students derive from the art. Have students discuss how the various photos and overlapping of these photos make a statement. Read the description given on web site.
4. Continue this through all pictures on the website.
5. Once all the pictures have been viewed, then go to the following web site. This web site contains information about the life, history and art of John Heartfield. The web address is http://www.towson.edu/heartfield/script/9_2.html.

Students will write a brief analysis of the meaning they believe John Heartfield was trying to convey in a self-selected piece of artwork selected from the site. (http://www.towson.edu/heartfield/script/9_2.html) Student’s analysis should include how the art was relevant to the world events happening. How the use of the photos conveyed the meaning.

Students (working in-groups) will make a presentation of other photomontage artists and artwork they can locate on the Internet. This presentation will include a history of the artist, and the general themes of the artists works.

Have students make their own photomontage art using a computer program.

AHS Media Arts Web Exhibition [on-line]. Available at: http://www.mcae.k12.mn.us/school/media/99web/memomain.html.

Pioch, N. (1995). WebMuseum: Dada [on-line]. Available at: http://www.oir.ucf.edu/wm/paint/glo/dada/.

Pioch, N. (1995). WebMuseum: Fantastic Art [on-line]. Available at: http://www.oir.ucf.edu/wm/paint/tl/20th/fantastic.html.

Pioch, N. (1995). WebMuseum: Surrealism [on-line]. Available at: http://www.oir.ucf.edu/wm/paint/glo/surrealism/.