Multiliteracy (page 2)

Artistic Literacy

The concept of visual literacy originally referred to communication through film and the electronic media of television and computers (Curtiss, 1987). Today the term is adopted by educators and artists as well to refer to the ability to understand and use the fine arts (Rice, 1990). Literacy within the fine arts is now seen to encompass several domains—not only visual, but also aural, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, and aesthetic domains (Gardner, 1983; Wright, 1994a, 1997b, 2001a).

In the broad sense, literacy means well educated. To be literate means being able to participate in rich personal experiences and to use written signs or symbols, such as music notation, as a way to encode a variety of events. But notating in the arts is not the same as sign recognition. Some aspects of the arts have no notation, such as painting. So, what would it mean for a person to be literate in the abstract, two-dimensional art form of painting? Because painting requires no intermediary signs, we get its experience directly from the art itself. Hence, literacy in painting is developed indirectly, with no need for a functional sign-decoding type of literacy (Reimer, 1989). This is true as well for other visual art forms such as sculpture, photography, and textile art.

However, other domains, such as architecture, theater, film, dance, and music all use some form of encoding system—architects' plans, theatrical and films scripts, choreographic notation, and musical scores are examples of such systems. Yet, in spite of the presence of these systems, we seldom need to draw upon them to appreciate architecture, theater, film, or dance. In other words, we do not need to study architectural renderings, film and theater scripts, various dance notations, or opera scores to be educated about those arts (although knowledge might be assisted by including some acquaintance with these special notational systems). Nonetheless, a comprehensive curriculum should include some attention to notations as a helpful way for children to explore the nature of these art forms, even if their personally generated notations may be rudimentary (e.g., squiggly lines to show the contour of a melody). However, having knowledge of artistic notations in and of themselves would be a restrictive and narrow interpretation of the term artistic literacy, as notation is only one component of knowing in the arts (Reimer, 1989).

Let me illustrate how a person can be literate in a non-notational domain. While there are no notational equivalents for a painting, a person would be considered literate about painting who understood a great deal about the art of painting—how to respond to it appropriately and sensitively; how to make discerning judgments about it; how to understand the history, techniques, and many styles of painting; its major practitioners; and where to go to see good examples of paintings. Such a person would be literate, educated, perceptive, and knowledgeable about painting. While his or her literacy would be enhanced through personal experiences with the act of painting, many serious painting lovers—and even professional curators and dealers—do not paint themselves.

Complete artistic literacy, therefore, is not just a set of isolated analytical and verbal-based skills associated with describing the formal elements of the arts. Purely descriptive forms of analysis do not adequately provide a sense of artworks. We cannot simply see paintings, sculptures, and other art works, or view theater or dance, or hear musical performances and describe these through words alone. In making sense of performances or art exhibitions, people can only fully understand and appreciate the importance of artworks if they have the necessary schema or knowledge not only to see, view, and hear, but also interpret artworks—interpret the diverse subject matter and the abstracted function of the work (Rice, 1990).

For people with little background or previous exposure to art, associative experiences play a key role in the aesthetic interpretation of a work of art (Csikszentmihalyi & Rochbert-Halton, 1985; Parsons, 1987). Through association, people are reminded of pleasant events, such as a special social experience, or of special places, such as a beautiful lake. Thus, those who have only minimal exposure to art often appreciate paintings if they "tell a story," such as Breugel's Children's Games, where the viewer can identify a number of outdoor activities that children are playing. Paintings that tell an easily recognizable story do not seem as abstract, because they appear to have a specific use. They are similar to illustrations in a book or magazine. Similar associative responses can occur in music, dance, and drama.

Yet artistic literacy involves more than just associating a work with personal experiences or stories. Full appreciation involves an awareness that comes from direct viewing and listening. This helps us to think critically or evaluatively about the arts, to communicate subtle aesthetic impressions and feelings, and to expand our vocabulary so we can talk about the formal elements of the arts. In addition, the process of artistic appreciation requires an understanding of the cultural framework in which an artwork was created. Hence, it is closely connected to cultural literacy (Rice, 1990). Someone who can make sense of artworks—such as plays, musicals, films, or contemporary dance—can do this by knowing how these works fit into a historical context, having the skills to analyze them, and having sufficient understanding of the relevant culture from which they originated. But, while an artistically literate person is by definition also culturally literate, a culturally literate person is not necessarily artistically literate. It is possible for a person to have a great deal of cultural knowledge, for example, about literature or history, but still not know how to understand the arts (although this is likely to be a rare occurrence).

Children's cultural and artistic literacy develops from a very early age, and can be enhanced in a number of ways:

• By providing opportunities for them to create and present artworks
• By viewing, listening, and speaking, and in the case of older children, reading and writing in the artistic domains

Through describing, analyzing, interpreting, and judging artworks, children acquire an artistic vocabulary that enables them not only to take part in artistic practice, but also to participate in the discourse of arts criticism, arts history, and aesthetic judgment. It is through competency in nonverbal arts forms, and through discussing them verbally, that young children engage in potent forms of communication and expression. Regular exposure to the arts is critical in children's education, because aesthetic delight in the arts comes more naturally to children who already have a great deal of comfort and familiarity with artworks. This familiarity is generally achieved through repeated exposure to artistic objects and performances, which often involves "just looking" or "just listening."

Yet passive looking and listening is difficult for young children, because touching is a way of making contact with the physical world, and is as—or more—basic than looking. It is understandable but perhaps disappointing that art museums have to post signs asking people not to touch the exhibits. Therefore, children need to understand why they should not touch works of art, in the same way that they generally are discouraged from calling out responses to actors during live professional performances, or singing along with the music, or emulating the movements of dancers. Of course, many children's programs encourage them to interact with the actors or musicians, but in formal, adult-oriented performance, children are encouraged to listen quietly and watch live music, dance, and drama.

Sensitive viewing and listening is one of a number of literacy skills that can and should be taught to children. Young children are capable of learning the type of analytical looking and listening involved in appreciating the arts, as they begin to use their visual, aural, and kinesthetic senses contemplatively and analytically. However, the less active form of analytical looking and listening need not be a dreary experience. Indeed, understanding through seeing and hearing can be positively encouraged in young children with enjoyable results. Of course, a balance needs to be achieved between listening and looking, and doing. It is predominantly through the tangible, hands-on aspect of doing that children come to appreciate and become literate in the arts. Let us turn our attention now to ways in which children interact with the arts and processes that can help them become artistically literate.