How can you represent an aspect of your identity in the form of a haiku box? What are some aspects of identity? Cultural, Familial, Stereotypical, Heroic, Fragmented, Economic, Palimpsestic (look it up), Cute/Anti Cute, etc.
I didn’t provide a prompt question or an introduction beyond having students describe the most basic structure of Haiku: three lines, 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables. You are to construct or appropriate an open-faced box (4 sides and a back) to arrange your Haiku assemblage in. You are to have 5 objects (syllables) on the top row, 7 objects (syllables) on the second row and 5 objects (syllables) on the bottom row. The objects are to be firmly secured to the back panel or on a shelf with glue, screws, etc., and the surface is to be embellished with paint, pigment or collage of some sort. I suggest you do not use objects of personal or family value that you wish to return.
You are not expected to write a haiku and then try to represent it. I would rather you did not begin with a written haiku as I would like you to try to think with objects, not words. Your objects can be almost anything. They can be toys and nicknacks and they can be organic items such as rocks, leaves and twigs. As you collect and organize you should try to determine what these things say about you. I will probably have you write haiku’s about each others’ assemblages. Your “box” can range from cardboard constructions to store-bought shadow boxes to re-purposed cases for other objects such as cigar boxes, instrument cases and briefcases.
One of the explanations I particularly liked when I Googled the word explains, “Haiku doesn’t rhyme. A Haiku must ‘paint’ a mental image in the reader’s mind. This is the challenge of Haiku – to put the poem’s meaning and imagery in the reader’s mind in ONLY 17 syllables over just 3 lines of poetry.” In our case we will sculpt or assemble a 3 dimensional mental image in the reader’s mind.
Perhaps there is complexity in the poetic simplicity of the endeavor. Consider the process as a meditation. Happy enlightenment…
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It is with sadness and heavy heart that I submit this final post. I doubt anyone will see this, but just in case… I retired from Wissahickon High School in June, 2021, after many wonderful years in art education. I miss my students BIG TIME and I wish my final year would have been a typical, old school, type of year where everyone attended and the thriving energy of room B05 was in full force. I would have preferred my final year to be one in which our studio was cooking with the creativity, growth, discovery and dialogue that had become my life blood. With the coronavirus that was not to be. I am very humbled and honored to have crossed paths with and shared the studio with so many wonderful, talented, sensitive, intelligent, gifted and passionate students of art and life. I wish you all the BEST and want you to know that you will always have a special place in my heart. I hope to see you around and hear about your accomplishments.
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