How to use this resource

This resource is designed for the classroom,

displayed on an interactive whiteboard or via a
laptop and projector.

Guidelines for teachers are contained within the

notes section along with links to further education
resources and any documents you may wish to
print for your students.
Welcome to the MCA

Click on image to play

Creative Guide to Contemporary Art

Welcome!

Click on image to play

Pre-Visit

What is Contemporary Art?

THINK
What do you think
contemporary means?

What do you think art is?

Let’s look at some art!

Nicholas Folland
The door was open... 2006
Pre-Visit

Performance Art
Rebecca Baumann Hiromi Tango
Rebecca Baumann Hiromi Tango
Improvised Smoke Device 2010/2011 Hiromi Hotel – Mixed Blood 2011

Click on image to play

Pre-Visit

Video Art
THINK
Shaun Gladwell filmed
himself doing tricks on his
skateboard in slow motion.

What do you think makes

video art different
to other types of art?

Shaun Gladwell
Storm Sequence 2000
Pre-Visit

Installation Art
Some artworks change shape
depending on where they are
exhibited.
This is called an ‘installation’.

LOOK
What do you think Maria
Maria Fernanda Cardoso Fernanda Cardoso used to
Woven Water: Submarine Landscape I 2003
make this installation?
See more of her ‘animal’
sculptures here.
Pre-Visit

Painting?
Rosalie Gascoigne cut up
old road signs and
rearranged them to make
these artworks that are
displayed like paintings.

THINK Rosalie Gascoigne

Tiger Tiger 1987

Are these really paintings?

Why/why not?
Hear curator Hannah Fink speak
about the artist here.
Pre-Visit

Sculpture
Hany Armanious made a
large sculpture of part of
the body.

Can you guess what part

it is?

See how this large sculpture

Hany Armanious
arrived at the MCA here. Fountain 2012

Click on image and scroll down page to

installation video
Pre-Visit

Conceptual Art
Sometimes contemporary
artists don’t make the
finished artwork
themselves.

Kerrie Poliness has left

instructions so others can
make her wall drawing for
exhibitions.
Kerrie Poliness
Red Matter wall drawing #2 1994
Pre-Visit

Instruction Drawing
Pre-Visit

How was it made?

See how
Red Matter Wall Drawing #2
was made.

Click on image to play

Pre-Visit

Movable Sculpture
Gemma Smith makes
paintings and
sculptures that explore
colour, space and
shape. She calls her
sculptures ‘adaptables’.
Gemma Smith
(Left) Adaptable (dark peach/red oxide) 2008 (Right) Adaptable (mint/golden green) 2008

LOOK
Which parts do you
think might move?
Pre-Visit

Movable Sculpture
Watch Gemma Smith
moving one of her
adaptables.
(start at 4:30min)

Click on image to play, video is contained at the

bottom of the webpage
Pre-Visit

I want to see for myself!

Let’s go and
visit the MCA
and explore
contemporary
art.
Post-Visit

How was your visit?

Post-Visit

Make a word cloud!

Create a word cloud based on

your visit to the MCA here.
Post-Visit

Guess what I saw?

REFLECT
Choose an artwork you
saw at the MCA and tell
someone about it!
Nicholas Folland Maria Kozic
The door was open... Manster (the picture of Dorian Grey) 1986
2006

Stephen Birch Brown Council Robert Owen

Untitled 2005 The One Hour Laugh 2009 Sunrise #3 2005
Post-Visit

Your exhibition
RESPOND
Did you make anything at the
MCA?

Photograph your class work

and project it onto the
whiteboard or create a virtual
exhibition.
Post-Visit

Drawing without a pencil

RESPOND
You are a contemporary artist!
Use some unusual materials
to create art.
Automatic (Kite Drawing) Drawing Machine by Eske Rex

Make a drawing without using

any pens or pencils.

Be creative!
Sand Pendulum Activity Pendulum Painting 2
Here are some ideas…
Click on image to play
Post-Visit

Can I use that wall?

You may have noticed
many wall drawings at the
MCA, by artists like Helen
Eager and Robert Owen.

Follow artist Lucas Ihlein’s

instructions to make your
own wall drawing.
Post-Visit

Or…
Use your interactive
whiteboard to create a
wall drawing.

The artwork may exist for

a short-time only (known
as a ephemeral).

Bridget Riley, Composition with circles 4

being painted by an MCA Art Installer in 2004
Post-Visit

See you soon!

We look forward to
your next visit at the
MCA.

www.mca.com.au

Be creative!
Our supporters

This digital resource supported by

Help us help you…
Help us create innovative teacher resources for you and your students.

Your feedback is important to us, and you can let us know what you
think about this resource by completing the survey here.

By completing this survey, you go into the draw to win a Volume One: MCA Collection
catalogue! The winner is drawn at the end of each term and will be notified by email.