Julia Mikos & Nathan Matoska

Art Gallery Visits

Gallery field trips are an exciting opportunity for students to learn in an interactive
setting. Art galleries provide a chance for students to engage with fine art on a more personal
level in an environment that is intended to showcase art. These visits are not only a useful
teaching resource for art educators but for general education as well. Many art galleries also
provide a lot of insight into the lifestyles and cultures of people worldwide, which will broaden
student’s multicultural knowledge.
Fine art is often displayed with intention, and it is important for students to experience
the atmosphere of an art gallery in order to engage with art in the way that it was meant to be
interacted with. The conceptual complexity of some pieces is related to their scale and physical
placement in a gallery, and so a trip to see art in person is one way to truly understand the
meaning of a piece. For example, at the Lockport Illinois State Museum Gallery, the exhibition
‘Edgewise’ intends to give a voice to artists who are ignored and dismissed in society. The piece
River (2003), by Gerda Meyer Bernstein, is a 3-dimensional mixed media piece with a base of
wood. The wooden structure is shaped like a coffin and is full to the brim of vials of blood,
which spill out from one end of the coffin onto the floor. This piece brings the AIDS/HIV crisis
to light, and the levity of the sculpture can only truly be captured by viewing the size of the piece
as well as the number of vials firsthand, in person. Giving students the chance to physically
engage with an art piece, view it from all sides, and take in the weight of the meaning will not
only help strengthen their understanding of the piece itself, but also help students recognize how
personal interactions with art can influence the meaning. Understanding this is a great asset for
student artists and non-artists alike, as it bolsters their grasp on how experiences can influence
one’s perception of something. Gallery visits provide a unique opportunity to engage with art on
a personal level.
Art gallery field trips can be a resource to not only teach about the visual arts but about
other subjects as well. Another piece at the Lockport Illinois State Museum Gallery was titled
Apartheid (1960s) by Pearl Hirshfield. This oil on canvas and wood painting resembled a cross
on fire, and the museum label of this piece defined the term apartheid as well as gave a brief
history on colonialism, Jim Crow laws, and the Klu Klux Klan. A piece like this can be a tool for
conversations on history and social justice, especially for an English or History class. Some
students may learn better through visual means, and looking at art that relates to or was made by
people from a certain era or world event can often help student’s make connections to what they
are learning. The Lockport Gallery changes exhibits every 6 months, and the next exhibition’s
focus is on the art of Illinois’ native prairies. An exhibit like this could be a great resource for
talking about environmental science and climate change while utilizing the artwork and museum
labels to teach students.
Art gallery visits also provide an opportunity for students to learn about new lifestyles
and cultures. The exhibit ‘Edgewise’ featured Illinoisian artists who struggled to find a voice in
society. This included works by women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ people. Students who
visit art galleries that feature a diverse range of artists can learn about different people and
cultures that they may not be exposed to on a daily basis. Through viewing art made by different
kinds of artists, students can see a variety of perspectives, lifestyles, and experiences from a new
lens. Museums like the Lockport Gallery are a great place to start conversations about social
issues as a class alongside examples of artwork by a diverse range of artists.