Warhol at Kids’ Museum January 14, 2009
Posted by Marcel in Uncategorized.trackback
Saturday’s Record featured a review of the new Warhol exhibit at the KW Children’s Museum. One of the big questions here is whether or not Warhol belongs in a children’s museum. What do you think? Read the article and weigh in.
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I think Warhol hasa lots of good lessons about media, industrialization and beauty to teach chidren. Certainly, children can appreciate the face value of his works with the bright colours and graphic quality. Perhaps with further explanations and teaching children can learn to see whats benealth the surface in his work. Artificiality is a good lesson for children when it comes to news, media and beauty.
I have to agree with Michelle here. There are lessons for children in the art of Warhol. Although kids will surely miss the “plunge into Marilyn Monroe’s large, bedroom eyes” the basics of lessons such as Artificiality (as Michelle pointed out) can be learned. No doubt, the tots will enjoy the aesthetics of Warhol’s work as they would enjoy the graphics of films like Shrek. And while Warhol may not have lead the role-model life, let us not forget the recent Eddie Murphy(donkey) – Scary Spice situation. As Robert Reid writes, “let’s not confuse life with art.” (a phrase unintentionally loaded with semiotic power).
I’d just like to comment that the notion of whether a piece of work belongs to the field of education (aka “suitable for children”) has long been in debate. I would say that dependent upon one’s perspective, Warhol’s work can be seen both as a piece of art, as well as a pedagogical product that, similar to Blake’s songs, rejected the logical forms of education.
I feel that any art must have an inherent value and meaning that is worth teaching. I don’t see reasons why it should be a shock to anyone when Warhol’s work, vibrant and attractive to persons of any age, appears on the walls of a children’s museum.