Ortonville- Not all kids get to visit the Detroit Institute of Arts, but this week, students in Brandon had a small glimpse of what the museum offers brought to them.
‘DIA Away: Think Like an Artist,? a free, mobile interactive classroom in a 53’ double expandable trailer, was parked behind the Brandon Fletcher Intermediate School from March 9-12, and students of all ages were able to view and participate in the exhibit.
On Monday, Brandon Middle School students were brought in, one language arts class at a time.
DIA gallery teacher Olivia Marsh asked students who had visited the DIA museum to raise their hands. Only a few hands went up.
‘The models that museums are taking in to the 21st century is to reach out to the broadest base of visitors as possible,? said Alden Kennedy, also a DIA gallery teacher. ‘The typical visitor to the DIA is a caucasian, educated female in her 30s. The DIA is trying to reach out to a broader range of people. Without art, how do we generate meaning? It’s how we reflect and facilitate emotional connections between people… The idea is that all that art belongs to the people and they should take ownership and share it with their friends and family.?
The museum launched the DIA Away mobile unit last fall, made possible by a millage passed by voters in the tri-county area in 2012. The exhibit features digital and graphic reproductions of five works of art from the DIA’s collection, as well as interactive elements for students to learn how artists think and enabling them to put what they have learned into action.
Brandon Middle School art teacher Jody Daniels, who is a member of the Oakland Schools Fine Arts Council, learned about DIA Away during an arts council meeting and requested it be brought to the district. The exhibit was booked as a cross-curricular educational opportunity for Brandon students.
‘I wanted to expose the students to understanding how artists think,? said Daniels. ‘Learning how to critically think in all aspects of life is a huge component of success.?
In an assignment in BMS teacher Jen Bernia’s language arts class after visiting the DIA Away mobile unit, students wrote their observations.
‘Art can be built out of anything, in any way,? said Dylan Zrnich. ‘A lot of people are artists without knowing it.?
‘Anybody can be an artist,? said Olivia McNeil. ‘Just be open-minded and think outside the box.?
‘There are so many connections here,? said Daniels on Monday as she gazed at the exhibit. ‘There is art, but also, language arts, history, and even the welding has a connection to science. Everything we educate for is here.?
She points to a representation of ‘Caged Brain,? by artist Tyree Guyton of Heidelberg Project fame.
‘I want to have Tyree Guyton come to my classroom,? Daniels said. ‘He’s so dynamic and inspiring.?
Whether she will be able to bring Guyton to the district remains to be seen, but the DIA will return to the community next month with the Inside|Out program.
The Village of Ortonville was selected last fall to be one of 10 communities in which reproductions from the DIA’s art collection will be featured from April 15-July 15. Each community that is chosen receives between 7-12 pieces to display, depending on size, locations within the community for display and programming planned to coincide with the art displays.