Tala Tabrizi

Professor Amber Ward

Art 133 pm (85420)
24 September 2015
Unit Paper 2
Barretts article Interpreting Connotations in Visual Culture was a very interesting article,
and I was able to understand and relate to this reading. The big idea of Barretts reading is the
idea of denotations and connotations and how many images, stories, people of all ages
understand connotations and denotations visually. As do I, big ideas such as conservation/
ecology are hard for me to grasp. However, during the studio on Tuesday, I visually created a
work of art that helped me understand the big idea. Barrett (2003) explains a preschooler who
does not verbally understand denotations and connotations about a teddy bear, the child is able to
reflect on what other students thoughts and feelings about the bear are and the child was able to
explain the physical features, by comparing bears to toys. Barrett states, Bears are big, but our
teddy bears are small, and we can hold them (Barrett, 2003, p.12). People of all ages even may
not understand the big idea of a topic but visually, and working with others, they are able to
compare it to an object or item close to him or herself. I was able to reflect about the big idea of
conservation and ecology from class, as well as the exercise in class looking at the two images
and conversations about it with others, helps me notice aspects of the images I may have never
thought of before. Barretts reading made me realize that not everybody can understand the
vocabulary of a topic but to visually and socially talk about the topic will help. I plan on working
with visually with students when the children may not understand the big ideas.
Reference
Barrett, T. (2003). Interpreting visual culture. Art Education, 56(2), 6-12.

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