Insight from a Hospital Bed

Week 8 - Discussion Post (also on FB)

Reading Eisner’s article took me back to one of our opening readings about the arts in education. In Phillip Jackson’s article, Judith Burton was referenced as identifying two approaches to art – “art with a capital A” and “art with a small a” (Jackson, 1994: 1). I couldn’t help but link, albeit loosely, Eisner’s “form” (noun) to “Art” and his “form” (verb) to “art” (or forming to artistry).

In thinking about these terms, I also thought about if one could be considered “nature” and which one “design.” Creating this link was somewhat more difficult. In the end, I wasn’t able to attach nature and / or design separately to either the noun or verb version of “form,” but it was interesting to read about and reflect on the design elements of the forms mentioned by Eisner and the nature evoked by them. In addition, I was intrigued by his discussion of form (verb), and how “To be able to produce such forms the qualities that constitute them [design?] must be appraised by their contribution to the life of feeling [nature?]” (Eisner, 1985: 27). Maybe this is redundant, but somehow the relationship between nature and design as they pertain to form (noun) and form (verb) were somehow proportioned differently. What do you think?

In applying Eisner’s concept of “form” to the domains of photography, television & film, and architecture & design, there are a relatively easily identifiable list of “qualities that constitute them,” as gleaned from our readings. In photography, of course, one must consider “Space distribution, color, mood, perspective, depth, light and time of day, shapes, etc.” (Hopkins, 2003). Frame boundaries, texture and patterns, leading lines, symmetry, depth of field, focus, foreground / background (Calvetti, 2006; Rowse, 2010; Tal, 2010) are other compositional elements to consider. One could argue that any amateur could apply these elements and end up with a “good photo,” a form that is functional and maybe even fabulous. What make a photo and photographer great, though, is when that final form seizes and stimulates story, sentiment, and something about the stuff of life (Calvetti, 2006; Hill, 2010)

Story (Groh, 2001) is also central to the success of television and film, but so are sound, score, sequencing, staging, and special effects (Oldham, 1995). Paul Hirsch says, a great deal of work also goes in to “the script, the set, the costumes, the lighting, the shooting, the acting, all that is devoted to accumulating the raw materials.” (Oldham, 1995: 192). On top of the more technical elements, filmmakers must carefully contemplate how tension, suspense, surprise, solemnity, foreboding, and humor enter in and affect an effect on the viewers. When done well, one might hear, “And the Oscar goes to…”

On the home front, Susan Susanka dares to design with three “simple” forms in mind – space, light, and order. Each, though, is split into subcategories, some of which are more tangible than others. Shelter around activity, light to walk toward, and theme and variations are just some elements that transform a house into a home.

Being holed up in the hospital with my husband, I’m trying to think of how form applies in this place. In medicine, the following of Eisner’s statements is true, “Not only must a certain kind of competence be acquired in order to perceive the qualities of form in the objects available to us, but the nature of our experience with these forms is influenced not only by the form itself but by our past” (Eisner, 1985: 26). I thought about this in the middle of the night, as a technician did an ultrasound on my husband’s abdominal area. As she poked and prodded and purposefully positioned the tools of her trade, interesting and informative images began to appear. As I watched he wander with the wand, I was fascinated by her ability to form the form on the screen, to be able to find the culprit of the pain. How much more amazing must this be for moms, when there is life looming inside?

So far this morning, we have had two visits from our surgeon. Thankfully, he likes to talk about his art and artistry. His initial visit came shortly after all the test results were in, so we got an anatomy lesson focused on the affected area. There was something artful about the verbal form he formed, a clear picture of each organ and its function (and potential faults). His ability to communicate clearly cultivated confidence and calm in us.

Later, he shared some about the impending surgery. To him, the inside of a human body must be like a lump of clay waiting to be formed or a canvas on which to leave his signature. Surely he could say, “The aesthetic, then, is motivated by our need to lead a stimulating life. Related to the need to explore and play, the aesthetic is part and parcel of what these processes are intended to yield, not only practical outcomes related to premeditated goals, but the delights of exploration” (Eisner, 1985: 30). As he engages in his art, surgery, his primary goal (practical outcome) is hopefully to fix the problem, but as he forms the fix, might he find some aesthetic (delights of exploration) in the incision or the process of suturing or in the study of what he finds inside. Just as he already drew on his past experience in order to communicate with us, his exploration of this form will be added to his experience and past, from which he will draw in the future. I’m sure if he was asked this question, he might be able to elaborate more fully on form, but this is as far as my flirtation with this form goes at the moment.

As a added note… I also appreciated the common call from these two authors to consider “the nature and design of compelling experiences.”

“The aesthetic in education has two major contributions to make, neither of which is yet a purposeful part of our educational agenda. First, it tells us about the world in ways specific to its nature. Second, it provides the experiential rewards of taking the journey itself. These potential contributions must surely be important to those who wish, as we do, to improve the quality of school for the young.” (Eisner, 1985: 36)

“‘Our children,’ they [Stake, Bresler, and Mabry] explain, ‘need to be encouraged to explore, to see and hear with other eyes and ears, to sense the power of understanding that can be gained from another’s point of view, to translate their own thoughts and feelings into a socially communicable and engaging form.’” (Jackson, 1994: 2)

Do the preceding two paragraphs not sound like they could have been written by the same author? Both advocate artistry and the aesthetic.