Seen Art?

Seen Art?Written By: Jon Scieszka
Illustrated By: Lane Smith

Misunderstandings are the beginnings of some of my favorite adventures. Seen Art? begins with a boy on a street corner in NYC waiting for his friend, Art. He asks a simple question of a passerby, if he has seen Art. The question is misinterpreted to mean where is “art” and the boy is directed to the Museum of Modern Art.

His misguided tour through the museum leads the reader on a quest of his own – What is art? Well known art from around the world is incorporated in the story in fun, fresh ways. Bonus material at the end includes detailed information on every piece that appears in the book.

Discussion/Project Ideas:

Story plots are often based on the “rule of threes.” I have shaped my activities on this principle and have grouped all tasks by this number.

1. Create a survey with three questions that will help you better understand what people think about art. The first question should be – What does art mean to you?

2. Using your survey, interview three people of varying ages and record their responses. Exchange and compare your results with others who have done the same.

3. Create a museum with three rooms that fit the following criteria.
a. Each room must contain three known pieces of art.
b. The art in each room must relate to each other in some way. State the commonality somewhere on your display. Example: All pieces are of activities that could happen on a bright summer day. Use your imagination. Get tricky!
c. You must give your museum a creative, luring name, and you must arrange it with optimal viewing of your pieces in mind. State three things you’ve included in your museum with viewing in mind. Example: specific distance between attractions.

Enjoy!