Background of topic

The background of this topic as mentioned in the rationale section of my lesson plan was

structured based on James Beanes integrative curriculum, which I revolved around social issues.

Social issues are apart of the human condition and therefore lend themselves to be great subject

matter to integrate into an art class. Alice C. Pennisis research reflecting an eighth grade lesson

titled The Self Project, which negotiated the curriculum with students, formed the conceptual

framework and organization of my lesson. The creation of patches and pins stemmed from the

history of DIY. Do it yourself is a term that is broad to many disciplines and is not exclusive to

any group. However, the background of DIY patches and pins for my lesson was rooted in a

feminist perspective.

In the early 1990s there was an underground feminist music movement that began in the

pacific north west. This movement was a subculture music scene that gave rise to female bands

and musicians to express their struggles and female fight for justice. The music was a platform

and safe environment for female voices. In conjunction with expression through music, the Riot

Grrls created DIY patches and pins promoting their bands and including subject related to the

ideas and beliefs of the Riot Grrls. It was a simple way to bring awareness to the movement and

was easy to mass produce. Do it yourself culture has been seen throughout history, and is used

for many reasons. The focus of this lesson is to include DIY movements that relate to social

issues, and communicate a message.

Another DIY group is the Guerrilla Girls, which began in the mid 1980s in New York

City in response to the inequalities of the art world. Often in the art world females are excluded

as part of art history. This was visible in art history curriculum, and art museums. Guerrilla Girls
fought the sexism and racism with a DIY approach to these inequalities by communicating their

message to the public through the creation of flyers and dressing up in guerrillas suits. It was a

way of creating attention to issues of the art world.

Within the art world, artist themselves use DIY approaches to making art containing

subject related to social issues. Artist such as Keith Haring began by making chalk drawings in

the city of New York on sidewalks and on the subway walls. Banksy is another artist who would

make graffiti art that often made social commentary on current events. The connection between

these movements and artist is that they were using a DIY art making process to create work and

make aware movements that communicated messages of social issues and voiced opinion.

Students make connections between their concerns and beliefs to social issues which

makes ideas relatable and understandable from a students perspective. Students will get to

express themselves conceptually and creatively. Students will learn through DIY culture the

importance that an individual can have on an issue. Students will appreciate and understand how

art can be used as a communication tool. Through examination of history and movements,

students realize the impact of DIY related to the importance of social issues.