In the Courtyard, I explained that we were going to explore the galleries, looking for mythical creatures, starting with dragons. We started with a brief discussion about dragons, their history, geographical locations, and physical attributes.
Dragon’s Landing – See, Think, Me, We: From three positions (far to near), students were asked to write down what they saw. Then they shared, discussing thoughts (what are you thinking about the work?) Finally, they were asked how (or does?) this work applied personally to them, and then to the world? Good discussions.
Next, the students explored Room 1, mainly looking for dragon artifacts and noting differences among the pieces. We discussed that different cultures, in different countries, had different interpretations of the creatures in mythology and that often those interpretations were very based on fears.
Four Guardians – closed (unannounced)
Courtyard/Crossroads – Students created a sketch of a hybrid creature based on their own fears. First group, sketching, but little sharing; second group, little sketching, lots of talking about fears. (This was done in the Crossroads gallery because another group was in the Wetlands.
Wetlands (1st group, only): Discussed the 10 Symbols of Longevity. Honestly, not much interest. Had I been prepared to present this object (thought it would be closed), I would have been better prepared.
Forest Gallery (2nd group, only): I asked them to break into pairs/trios and choose just one of the objects on the pedestals, then create a story based on it. The students eagerly engaged in this activity. They were given 5 minutes to discuss and create the story.
The students explained that this object depicts a person from the past (at the center), being embraced by their present self. They thought that the title “What Was, Back Then” suggested that one’s present is somehow protected or guided by one’s past.
The group that worked with this object was the most clear about their story. This explained that “Beauty is rotten from the inside.” They explained that young people are constantly being bombarded with “beauty standards” and find it difficult to navigate the pressure to meet them. They said that the “worms” surrounding the “self” are the standards they struggle to meet. They also indicated that it was difficult to be different. They were inspired by the title “Don’t look at the sun. She is ugly.”
This group had the most difficulty creating the story. They basically described the object, though they did give it serious thought.
On both tours, we visited Gold Mountain and Feng Huang and had brief discussions about their significance, symbolism, and stories. They were somewhat interested in the differences between the meanings behind the Feng Huang and the Phoenix.
Both groups of students participated thoughtfully and were well-behaved. They asked excellent questions and were impressed by much of the work. The routes were quite disjointed due to closures and other factors. Also, navigating the space with four groups was difficult.
I hope that for the next tour, all rooms will be open and the route will be direct.
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