An example of collections for Storytelling. Caroline holds a bouquet of flowers up to the Marfa skyline.

Storytelling

Why do artists tell stories?

Many artists, like Ilya Kabakov, tell stories through their art. There are many ways to tell a story—a single object, a graphic novel, and a staged scene can all share a narrative with us. Stories can teach us about ourselves, our cultures, and the places where we live; they can also introduce us to new perspectives and experiences. These projects will challenge participants to craft and express their stories through different media and processes.

Calm, Cool, and Collecting

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This week is all about storytelling. Though storytelling is generally associated with literature, art can tell stories too! Ilya Kabakov, whose installation titled “School No. 6” lives at Chinati, is a prime example of an artist who tells stories, both real and imagined, through his art. To kick the week off, we are going to be collecting objects that tell stories. Any object can tell a story! What will you collect? Photo by: Wayland Scogin Mayo #chinatimakingtogether #chinatieducation #chinatifoundation #museumfromhome. Ilya Kabakov, School No. 6, 1993. Permanent collection, the Chinati Foundation, Marfa, Texas. Photo by Wayland Scogin Mayo, courtesy of the Chinati Foundation. © 2020 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn

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Let's make a book

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Let's get lost in a book today! Books can take many forms: some books are sewn along the spine, some are folded together accordion style, while other books are unrolling scrolls. Throughout the history of art, artists have crafted books, from early illuminated manuscripts, to the rise of the artist book in the 1960s. Roni Horn, an artist in Chianti's collection, often makes books dedicated to a single theme photographed over and over again. All books have the capacity to introduce us to new ideas, perspectives, and lives. Today you'll make your very own book! In the spirit of bookmaking, in the comments let us know what you are reading right now! #chinatimakingtogether #chinatieducation #chinatifoundation #museumfromhome #ronihorn. © 2020 Roni Horn, New York

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Making a scene

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Through their total installations, Emilia and Ilya Kabakov create completely immersive scenes, transporting the viewer into imagined lives and stories. Many artists develop scenes as a means of expression or to land the viewer in an unexpected reality. In 2015, Chinati exhibited Zoe Leonard's "100 North Nevill Street," a camera obscura that brought the West Texas sky and landscape indoors. How can you create a scene that transports us to a different world? Molly was missing her coworkers and going into work this week, so in her scene she brought the office to her! To share your scenes with us at #chinatimakingtogether ! . . . Image: Zoe Leonard, 100 North Nevill Street, 2013. Installation view. Photo: Fredrik Nilson. © 2020 Zoe Leonard . #chinatiedu #chinatifoundation #museumfromhome #zoeleonard.

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Self-made person

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Today we want to hear the story of YOU! Through creating a collage self-portrait, tell us who you are. You can use any materials to describe any aspect of yourself– perhaps you'll capture your personality, your hairdo, or your emotional state at this moment. Perhaps you'll combine all three! As an example, John Wesley, a painter in the Chinati collection whose drawing is featured in this post, often takes a humorous and sometimes surreal approach to making portraits of people. Share your self-portraits with us at #chinatimakingtogether ! . . Image: Detail from John Wesley sketchbook. Published in: John Wesley. Author: Germano Clement. Publisher: Fondazione Prada. Date: 2009. . . #chinatieducation #chinatifoundation #museumfromhome #johnwesley

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