Learning Objectives 

Students will: 

• Describe the characteristics of Surrealist artwork.
• Research Miró’s painting style and common characteristics of his work.
• Summarize Miró’s place within the Surrealist movement.
• Apply art techniques employed by Miró and the Surrealists.
• Create an original piece of artwork using Surrealist techniques.
• Explain the concepts behind their artwork.
• Discuss and critique peer work using constructive feedback.

Standards Alignment

National Core Arts StandardsNational Core Arts Standards

Common Core State StandardsCommon Core State Standards

Recommended Student Materials

Editable Documents: Before sharing these resources with students, you must first save them to your Google account by opening them, and selecting “Make a copy” from the File menu. Check out Sharing Tips or Instructional Benefits when implementing Google Docs and Google Slides with students.

• Slide: Joan Miró Paintings
• Miro Inquiry Project Planner

Website

• Exquisite Corpse Drawing

Additional Materials

• 1:1 computers 
• Sticky notes
• Drawing paper
• Canvases
• Paint 
• Paintbrushes

Teacher Background

Teachers should be advised that some Surrealist artwork contains graphic and sexual images. Be sure to preview Web sites and art images to make sure they are suitable for the classroom. Review the Pronunciation of Joan Miró and the Exquisite Corpse game explanation played by the Surrealists. Build background on the Dada and Surrealist art movements as well as Background information and selected works of Miró. 

Student Prerequisites 

Students should have familiarity with art terminology (composition, abstract, avant-garde, symbolism, geometric and biomorphic, etc.). If students play the writing version of Exquisite Corpse, they will need to know the parts of speech. Additional knowledge of the Dada movement and Sigmund Freud is helpful but not mandatory.

Accessibility Notes

Modify handouts, text, and utilize assistive technologies as needed. Allow extra time for task completion.

Engage 

1. Show The Tilled Field by Miró from the Slide: Joan Miró Paintings. Tell students about the artist and paintings. Ask students, how does an artist demonstrate elements of Surrealism? The odd collection of objects and figures creates a dream-like quality, which attests to the artist's imagination.The three flags in the painting are symbolic, referring to a region of Spain, Catalan, that wished to secede. Familiar objects in unfamiliar places is demonstrated in this painting by the eye that is located in the middle of the tree. Allow students time to discuss and raise questions about any other Surrealist characteristics or elements (color, shape, composition, etc.) of the painting.

2. Provide background information on Miró. Joan Miró was a Spanish painter who took great pride in the area of Spain he was from, Catalan. Miró was heavily influenced by Surrealist ideas but did not consider himself a Surrealist because he did not want to be limited by the movement. In particular, he made use of automatism to experiment with new painting techniques. In his later career, he experimented with other art forms, including sculpture, collage, ceramics, and murals.

3. Show Harlequin’s Carnival by Miró from the Slide: Joan Miró Paintings. Ask students to examine the painting and think about whether or not it fits into the Surrealist movement. Elicit or point out the following characteristics of the painting: Repeated lines and shapes, basic shapes (geometric and biomorphic), symbols and imagery (e.g., eye), basic primary color palette, dream-like quality (random images in an odd arrangement).

4. Have students use the title to think about the meaning or theme of the painting. The painting is likely intended to display a more humorous and light-hearted side of human nature.

Build

1. Using an inquiry approach, have students collaborate to research and gather information about Miró. Use the Miro Inquiry Project Planner to drive research. 

2. Design a Miró presentation. Due to the graphic nature of some of Miró’s work, teachers should conference with the students to determine if they have selected appropriate art pieces to share. Using their Miro Inquiry Project Planner as a guide, students should use a presentation software to present 2-3 minutes of information and art about Miró.

3. Present research and artwork. Each group should project their artwork and discuss it for 2-3 minutes. Give students 1-2 sticky notes and ask them to capture new details about Miró that they learned from the presentations. Allow time for questions in between each presentation. It may be helpful to generate and post a list of recurring characteristics in Miró’s work that are noted during the presentation.

Apply

1. Review automatism. Remind students that automatism is a technique that helps to remove rational thought from the creative process and to access the unconscious mind. Visual artists in the Surrealist movement used it to help put images together in a new fashion. Literary artists in the movement used a form of automatism by freely associating words or phrases.

2. Play the drawing game, “Exquisite Corpse.” The Surrealist artists commonly played this game to access the unconscious. View the Exquisite Corpse Drawing produced by Miró and other Surrealists while playing this game. Students should be organized into groups of 4-5 to play a written or illustrated version of the game. Identify the head, neck, torso, waist to knees, knees to feet, and arms as parts they can divide up. 

3. Create automatic drawings on drawing paper. Inform students that Miró often used this technique to develop sketches that he later used for his paintings. Encourage students to move their hands randomly and freely across the paper to create several drawings. Teachers may choose to play music in the background to inspire students.

4. Create a painting. Students should use their drawings to guide their painting. If possible, students should incorporate the characteristics of Surrealist paintings and Miró’s work into their own paintings. Review these characteristics as needed. Distribute the canvases and other art supplies.

Reflect

1. Display student work and have students take a “Gallery Walk.” Ask students to explore the art and leave sticky notes with comments or question. 

2. Assess students’ knowledge of Miró by responding to one or more of the following writing prompts: Describe how you felt when using automatism and whether or not you thought it was an effective technique. What characteristics of Miró and Surrealism are present in your painting? What is your intended or implied meaning of the painting?