When there are no more emotions for the artist

Most artists seem to be hyper sensitive.Not many are prepared for fame.
I was 16 when Kurt Cobain decided to join the 27 club. At the time an avid listener of his music, I still remember that day.
I recently came across his suicidal letter and found that it could be good TOK material. Whether his death was prompted by drugs, or depression is not for me to say, but the read gives us an insight into an artist who hasn't felt "the excitement of listening to as well as creating music along with reading and writing for too many years now."

Does art imitate life or does life imitate art?

A couple of years ago, I took my father to an exhibition by Duane Hanson anticipating that he would dismiss it as 'not art' but definitely hoping that it would trigger a reaction, any reaction. He loved it.

Apparently, female students at Wellesley College don't seem to share his enthusiasm for hyper realism, or at least not on their campus.
It reminds me of Peter Greensway who said us Rembrandt j'accuse, that until the 19th century art was not confined o museum.

   The sleepwalker, by Tony Matelli on Welesley College campus

Tourists, by Duane Hanson     

Does art keep its value after restoration?

You have probably heard of Cecilia Giménez, a 80 year old Spanish woman behind what has been called 'the worst restoration of art history'.
The case raised a number of questions in the art world and sparked a variety of reactions. Rana spoke eloquently of different theories that can help us identify art, such as the artist intent, the mastery of skills, aesthetic appreciation or the audience's reception.

We may therefore wonder if a work of art is still art after restoration and/or it is a completely new piece.

Does art have a gender?

               

Like in so many other fields, women are suspiciously absent from the art scene in history books.
Why don't we know more famous female artists?

Art assignment

Starting from a chosen situation from the art world, identify a knowledge question that you will attempt to answer in a TOK presentation.

Make sure that you:

- start from a real life situation
- use TOKvocabulary
- unpack your question through the prism of one or more ways of knowing
- give your position
- present different perspectives
- engage the audience
- do not exceed 20 minutes

Art as a therapy

In 2008, philosopher Alain de Botton founded The School of life as an alternative to religion that would give people the chance o find fullfillment trough education.

In one of his Sunday Sermons, de Botton describes art as a powerful therapy.

Can art shape how we think?

Art as social critique

 Banksy              

                                                                                                                                                                                                      
 

Keizer

 

 
Pussy Riot

Art for the people

 Can art change people? Do we need to master artistic conventions to appreciate art?


There is something fascinating about artists like JR and Vik Muniz. Light years away from elitist art galleries,  they use their work to interact with people who are usually secluded from the art world.

Here are two highly recommended documentaries: Waste Land and Women are heroes:




To watch the whole film, follow this link.

'Most people are visually illiterate"

'Is what we see really what we see? Or do we see only what we want to see?'

In his original documentary, Peter Greenaway, famous film director and Baroque painting enthusiast, argues that in our text-based society, most of us are visually illiterate. He says that very few people read paintings the way they read text, devoting time and intelligence to the process. Why is that so? Greenaway blames our educational systems as they value text over image. But because we have eyes, doesn't mean that we can see and we need to learn to see just like we learn to read text.

What is beauty?

How do we define what is beautiful and what is not?
What defines aesthetic values?

Check out the following video in which Rino Stefano Tagliafierro gives life to paintings by the masters of beauty (Caravaggio, Rubens, Vermeer, etc.).



B E A U T Y - dir. Rino Stefano Tagliafierro from Rino Stefano Tagliafierro on Vimeo.

Now have a look at the following animation by Moebius to have a better understanding of Johann Sebastian Bach's genius.
To find out more about Moebius, the fantastic comic artist, I recommend this BBC documentary.

The ultimate TOK presentation checklist

1. Start with a real life situation
2. Identify a knowledge question
3. Link to AOKs and WOKs
4. Use key TOK concepts
5. Define your position
6. Apply the results of your reflection back to your initial real life situation
6. Explore other perspectives
7. Expand to other real life situations
8. Structure your presentation
9. Prepare your visuals
10. Develop your presentation skills
11. Practice


 

History assignment

Is history a science?

Can we question religion?

In the following two documentaries, Bill Maher, prominent American comedian, and Richard Hawkins, former Oxford professor, both set on similar journeys to question religions.
Their quest for the truth takes them to a variety of places where they interact with religious leaders and followers of different religions. While Maher's approach appeals mostly to reason, Dawkins focuses sorely on scientific evidence.
The narrators of Religulous and The God Delusion have the merit to question issues that not many have publicly addressed so bluntly before them. In this sense, they qualify as useful TOK materials.
However, you need to watch them with your TOK glasses as it must be said that persuasive techniques and the underlying bias are apparent in both films. I believe Maher's strong (but sometimes questionable) sense of humor is no less provocative and offensive than Dawkins' scientific arrogance. He may pretend to mock all religions equally, but as the film comes to an end it becomes evident that he dislkes one in particular.

Religion as History

In our approach of History, some of you referred to the Genesis as to primary evidence of historical facts. Unfortunately, we did not have time to expand and look at this topic from a TOK perspective.On the other hand, I did not plan to cover Faith as a Way Of Knowing this year. However, I recently watched the following BBC documentary that brought me back to the question of religion. The message that teachers should indeed address the question of the Creation directly appealed to me. What better course than TOK can lead to productive and reasoned discussions on the issue? In this documentary, Dr Rutherford shows that teachers can tackle evolution in science classes by engaging students in discussions in ways that do not necessarily negate creationist views.

A history of violence

A TED talk to question...TED talks

History assignment

Choose one historical point and change its outcome. Prepare a presentation (10 min), in which you will

- present immediate changes and long term impacts of your revisited history
- share a minimum of four 'new' primary sources

What if...?

A suprising history of the world

Maths as a language to understand history

An interesting talk that supports Maths as a way of knowing.