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After participating in a provocative summer workshop on Visual Thinking Strategies at the Cleveland Museum of Art, literacy specialist Elizabeth WalshMoorman felt inspired to develop a day-long professional learning experience at the museum for twelve of her colleagues.
The twelve teachers sat around in a semicircle, some were kneeling, a few were standing, and two were situated on a bench just behind the group. Each was eagerly inspecting a large, muted collage on canvas that hung before them. The artwork included acrylic, sand, fumage, coffee stains, and superimposed political posters, photographs, and slogans. Red handprints, script, and torn Pepsi logos gave the work the feel of graffiti and destruction. The work was created by Turkish artist Burhan Dogancay, but the teachers did not know that because the facilitator and the museum's director of gallery teaching, Hanna, stood in front of the wall plaque to block their view. Had they been able to read the plaque, the work's title, Peace Partners, 1978-2008, may have offered clues to the artist's intentions for this visiting installation at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Instead, they were searching for answers together.
"I think this is about the problems with Middle East peace," Mary offered. Laurie agreed as she pointed to the photographs in the collage before her. "It's got to be about Egypt and America's tough relationship over the years. Maybe even the Arab Spring."
Gently, Hanna stopped them. "You're getting ahead of yourself. What do you see?" She emphasized the word see, cueing the teachers to observe closely before delving into interpretation. The group quieted and redirected their attention to the work. After a few minutes, others started to share. Kathy chimed in. "I see red handprints. It feels sort of violent."
"Stick with what you see," Hanna encouraged again.
For nearly thirty minutes more, the teachers observed the piece. Some pointed out elements others had not noticed, prompting members of the group to stand and take closer looks. Occasionally, Hanna would simply ask the group, "What else do you see?" When the group seemed to exhaust their observations, Hanna returned to Mary and Laurie. "Why do you think this is about war?" They spoke about the painting-the red hands that looked like bloody handprints and the odd...