Week 7 Read and Reflect VTS II
About Interpretation....
Although I made a million notes as I read this article, Ive decided to focus on three sentences in the reading.
“ An Interpretation that is wholly individual and personal runs the risk of being overly idiosyncratic or too personal. An interpretation that is too personal is one that does not shed any light on the object that is being interpreted”
and
“ An interpretation that is wholly communal runs the risk of irrelevance to the individual interpreter”
The author goes on to say that it is more or less the marriage of both these things which makes interpretation beneficial and informative, and although I agree, I also believe there is a place in art interpretation that makes each of these concepts individually sound as well. The marriage of the concepts of course supports the VTS process. As with any process, the intention behind it is where the attention should rest. What, as a teacher, do we want our students to know? What are we trying to achieve through dialogue about an art work?
I worry about over thinking things. (Its easy for me to do...) We can make an argument for just about anything if we believe in it strongly enough. All perception is subjective to the individual perceiving. Whether its an art work, a piece of music, a new food, what ever, it does not matter. Individual perception will influence interpretation until another offers their own interpretation to broaden the perception. SOmetimes..... something will open our eyes to something new, that might not happen IF OTHERS were already sharing their perceptions......
Interpretation gets interesting when students learn how to open their eyes, hearts and minds, when they notice the filters they already have and are able to look beyond. I believe VTS helps facilitate this skill. I say this because Ive watched my own students talk about what they see and as they do that, they also are listening to their own interpretations. I see them thinking beyond and hear the next though which builds on the first.
OK, Im babbling.... Ill stop.
Keep "babbling!" Your thoughts are insightful and profound. You said, "Interpretation gets interesting when students learn how to open their eyes, hearts and minds, when they notice the filters they already have and are able to look beyond. I believe VTS helps facilitate this skill." I love that insight that VTS helps students recognize their filters and push beyond in the meaning making process. The idea of listening, not only to the observations of others, but to their own interpretations as well is likewise,profound. I've heard Yenawine say, of very small children, that they need to SAY what they see in order to own it; that just hearing someone else say it doesn't make it theirs. I guess with older students, saying what they see helps them examine it and, quite possibly, cast it aside; disown it, if you will. It seems to be on a meanin making continuum. You've given me something to ponder...again!
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