Ziggurats and Minimalism- a study in similarities across millenia

 The painting begins...

Sixth grade students study incredibly interesting civilizations as part of their social studies work. The first of these is the Mesopotamian culture. Mesopotamia was built around some of the first successful specialized labor groupings. Relatively few farmers could feed the masses while others worked on other necessary jobs. This allowed time for some of the first large-scale architectural works. The ziggurats were pyramid-like structures which were both religious temples and symbols of privileged power. They were bold and powerful in line and design.

Some millenia later, American artists like Donald Judd, Frank Stella, Mark Rothko, and Barnett Newman explored demonstrating power through simple, spare design and color work in a movement called Minimalism.

The task set forth for our students was to understand the basic design premises of both periods and compare them for similarities. Then, after developing an assessment rubric, compose an original minimalist work to be displayed in array with classmates in the form of a zuggurat which echoes the power, mystery/religious nature, and formality of the mesopatamian monuments. The thinking was rich and conversation began to shift perspectives about both art and understanding of design. Students grappled with how to make something so simple still hold power and elegance. We are now in the middle of the painting process, expected to take two class sessions, and will move on to formal presentation and justification of artist choices in written and oral presentation.

I appreciate the thoughtful and brave pursuit of new thinking that our sixth grade students have brought to this project.