Work
of Art: Coconut-Shell Cup
Subject
Area: Art
Time
Frame: Two to Three Classes (45 minute periods each)
Lesson
Objectives:
The
students will be able to:
- create
their own "drinking" vessel from papier-mâché.
- experiment
with different shapes for drinking vessels and different
patterns for them.
Relevant
TEKS:
Knowledge
and skills. Complete TEKS
for 6th grade art.
1.
Perception: a.
2. Creative expression/performance: a. and c.
3. Historical cultural heritage: b.
Materials:
- water
- flour
- newspaper
- string
- foil
- balloons
- glue
- poster
board
Procedures:
Introducing
the Work of Art
Coconut-shell
cups were indispensable to the daily aristocratic ritual
of drinking hot chocolate and were produced in large quantities
from the seventeenth century onward.
Function |
Coconut-shell
cups were indispensable to the daily aristocratic
ritual of drinking hot chocolate and were produced
in large quantities from the seventeenth century
onward.
|
Technique
or Process |
Coconut
shells were decorated with all kinds of engraved
motifs and equipped with silver bases, handles,
and rims, conforming to the traditional Western
design of a cup. The carved decorations used on
the coconuts' outer surface tended to be geometrical
motifs and figures of animals, birds, flowers, etc.,
according to the styles and fashion of the time.
|
Cultural
Roots |
Legend
would have it that the coconuts were cut, hollowed
out, polished, and decorated by the inmates of the
San Juan de Ulúa jail in the port of Veracruz. However,
given the large number of these objects within colonial
Mexican homes, they must have been made in many
parts of New Spain and not merely by groups of prisoners.
|
Link
to image on exhibition web site - Coconut
Shell Cup
- Have
students view the coconut-shell cup. Discuss how it was
used and how it was created.
-
What was the function/purpose of this work of art?
-
Which group of Mexican citizens would use this cup?
- Discuss
the decorations that adorn the cup.
- What
is the first thing you notice about the cup?
- What
might the ornate decorations represent?
- Does
the design fit into the Mexican culture of the time
period?
- Discuss
traditional and contemporary patterns and motifs.
- What
are some of the items we use today for the same purpose?
- Who
are the individuals that use such items?
- How
do these items compare in relationship to this coconut-shell
cup.
Art
Activity:
- Students
will create a papier-mâché vessel (cup).
To make papier-mâché you will need"
balloons, water, flour and 1" strips of newspaper.
Mix flour and water in a large bowl (1 part flour to one
part water) until it makes a smooth paste. Dip in the
newspaper strips, one at a time, and lay the coated newspaper
on the balloon. Smooth out the wrinkles and continue to
place coated newspaper over the surface until completely
covered.
- While
the papier-mâché is drying, create a stand
for the cup using poster board. Paint the stand. After
the papier-mâché is dry, pop the balloon.
Glue string in a pattern onto the cup. You can use the
string to create geometric designs, shapes or figures.
After the glue is dry cover the cup in foil and lightly
rub the foil so that the pattern of the string will show
through. You can also use the other end of a paintbrush
to create recessed designs in the cup.
- The
students will compare their work of art with the coconut-shell
cup from the exhibition.
- Now
that you have replicated the work of art, what skills,
techniques and talents when into producing your cup?
- Which
of these skills would have been used by makers of
the coconut-shell cup?
- What
other skills did they use that you did not in making
your cup (engraving, hollowing out shell, etc)?
- What
types of decorations did you use in making your cup?
Does it represent the current trends of our time?
- What
about the coconut-shell cup in the exhibition?
Evaluation
Procedure:
Each
papier-mâché cup should be covered with foil
with a string pattern and have a painted base.
See
assessment matrix.
Extension
Activity Ideas:
Social
Studies: Decorations that could be fashionable at
that time
Health: How chocolate affects the body
Science: How hot chocolate was made at that time
or the composition of the materials in the cup
|