Touching Art

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The following has been designed to give you information in advance of your visit to Manchester Art Gallery so that you can get the most out of your morning or afternoon activity session.

Aims:

View of the Gallery of Craft and Design

  • To make the pupils visit to a public art gallery an enjoyable and memorable experience
  • To introduce and welcome young visitors to the Art Gallery building and key pieces from its collections, particularly in relation to the sense of touch
  • To explore the qualities of materials through description, drawing and sculptural techniques
  • To expand pupils vocabulary for describing objects and develop skills that examine how an object changes when you consider what it might feel like

What happens in a session:

  • The session is made up of two parts - a talk and tour around the Gallery, exploring a selection of art works through discussion, and a practical session in the studios
  • Pupils will be able to look closely at exhibits, using them to develop ideas about how objects, paintings and sculpture may feel
  • Drawing techniques and props assist pupils in exploring the collection through the sense of touch
  • In the practical workshop, pupils will develop their understanding of objects through the creation of a personal sculpture using soft, spiky or shiny materials
  • The tour will be led by a Gallery Educator who will stay with the group throughout

Preparation:

  • Prior to the visit, discuss the value of directly experiencing 'real' objects through a gallery visit
  • In the classroom, experiment with using descriptive words to explore materials
  • Take a look at the artist that has informed and developed the session Susie Mac Murray, www.susiemacmurray.co.uk
  • Explain the reasons for no touching or eating in the galleries, i.e. for the protection and conservation of artworks
  • Bring a minimum of 1 adult to 5 pupils and ensure that adults are briefed to be aware of their supervisory role and responsibilities for engaging the children

Follow Up:

  • Use the sculptural objects to display in the classroom and allow the pupils to draw from their own artwork using chalks, oil pastels or charcoal
  • Create a list of descriptive words associated to the individual pupils sculptures and cross reference to create a whole class word bank that can be used for further sculptural exploration

For more information including booking, parking, facilities and a downloadable risk assessment, please go to plan your visit.