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overview
Lesson 2 | Summary
Activity Pages
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lesson 2 | the face of fame
social studies | grades 9-12
Andy Warhol famously predicted that “The day will come when
everyone will be famous for 15 minutes,” and to many it may
appear as though that time is now. With our image-saturated society
resorting to “reality” television series, the internet
capable of propelling personal images around the globe, and the
means of video production increasingly accessible, everyone, it
seems, has a shot at fame. But to be famous for what, and for how
long? Has fame itself become the standard of success, regardless
of how it is achieved? What is the allure of living famously? This
lesson considers the implications of celebrity and fame in a mass
media culture and the ways that contemporary artists are both utilizing
and criticizing this new accessibility to fame and the media that
generates it.
activities
The following activities can be implemented individually or collectively
as a longer unit of study.
A Relative History
of Fame
This activity will examine, through the eyes of the students,
what defines a person as a celebrity or hero. It will also address
how media, such as television, radio, movies and magazines, have
altered the definition of fame over the past several decades.
The Public Eye
This activity addresses the power of the media in shaping the
public’s perception of an individual through the work of Paul
Pfeiffer and Collier Schorr.
The Visible & Invisible
How can portraiture capture both the invisible and the visible?
This activity explores the work of Roni Horn
and Collier Schorr and asks students
to consider how individuals—from everyday citizens to movie
stars and political leaders—want to be viewed by the public
versus how they are actually represented in photographs and paintings.
Repeating Faces
Repetition is often used as a tool for grabbing the public’s
attention. This activity will explore how images such as Roni
Horn's portrait series that involve multiple images of the
same subject strengthens a statement, opinion, or stereotype.
15 Minutes of Fame
Using Andy Warhol’s statement, “the day will come
when everyone will be famous for 15 minutes,” students will
contemplate how they would want to present themselves to the public.
Fame & Social Responsibility
This activity examines the responsibilities and social obligations
that accompany the role of a public figure. The work of Krzysztof
Wodiczko initiates an exploration of the celebrity as a position
of power and responsibility.
objectives
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Students will critically
discuss the implications of celebrity culture. |
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Students will look
at the idea of the celebrity from early America to contemporary
times. |
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Students will be introduced to
the work of contemporary artists in order to explore the idea
of celebrity and fame in contemporary culture. |
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Students will consider how artists
represent both visible and invisible attributes of identity. |
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Students will discuss the responsibilities
that accompany fame. |
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Students will create a document
depicting their own “15 minutes of fame." |
critical questions
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What are the qualities
that contribute to becoming famous? Are there particular skills
or attributes that are necessary? |
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Are some kinds of
fame more desirable or deserved than others? |
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How has fame changed over the
course of American history? |
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Has fame become a pursuit in its
own right? |
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Are there rewards in our culture
more satisfying than fame? |
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What is the allure of living with
The Face of Fame? What sacrifices must be made? |
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What is celebrity culture? |
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What are the relationships between
contemporary society, mass media and the cult of celebrity? |
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Are there social responsibilities
to being famous? |
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How are contemporary artists involved
in the critique or propagation of celebrity culture? |
reflection & evaluation
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Did students articulate
an understanding of the changes in fame from early America
to contemporary times? |
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Did students critique
the concepts of celebrity and fame as they relate to contemporary
culture? |
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Did students create a document
that created “15 minutes of fame” for themselves
or for the person they chose to represent? |
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Did students consider the concept
of identity, and how to best represent personal attributes? |
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Did students consider the social
responsibilities of fame? |
national standards: social studies
| #1 |
Culture & cultural diversity |
| #2 |
People over time |
| #3 |
People & environment |
| #5 |
Individuals & institutions |
| #6 |
Power & governance |
| #10 |
Civic ideals & practices |
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Find out how this lesson plan correlates to
your state’s education standards by following the link
to PBS’s TeacherSource. |
going further
This lesson can be combined with others to create an extended unit
or course of study that explores concepts of fame, mass media, and
identity including:
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about this lesson
This lesson was written by Art:21 Director of Education
& Outreach Jessica Hamlin.
Additional contributors include Elly Wong,
Social Studies teacher at Trinity School, NY. The lesson was first published
on this Web site September 2003, and was revised September of 2005. For
questions and/or comments, please contact curriculum@art21.org
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other
lessons for public & private space
Lesson
1 | Personal Stories in the Public
| Language Arts
Many artists incorporate the intimate stories and objects of
other people in work that is exhibited in a public forum. In writing,
authors have often revealed the intimate details of real lives.
This lesson will look at the way private stories interface in a
public arena. Students will look at the way ordinary people contribute
objects, stories, and their own likeness to the creation of a work
of art, poetry, or story. Relics, keepsakes, and artifacts will
be explored for their emotional and inspirational qualities.
Lesson
3 | Public Façades, Private Interiors
| Visual & Performing Arts
Drawing from a discussion of architecture and the way in which
both the public and the private are contained in the design and
construction of a building, this lesson will look at a variety of
public and site specific works of art to explore the public and
private elements of sculpture. This lesson will introduce memorials,
site-specific installations, interventions in the landscape, the
relationship between a work of art and a building, and architecture
as an artistic form in it's own right.
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