My first post (after a long hiatus) is dedicated to objects that contain other objects: jars!Kirsty Hall, an artist in the UK, is in the middle of a project called 365 Jars, where she creates a new art jar each day to hide outside somewhere for passersby to find. She includes a "jar form" for the lucky person to fill out and send back, so Hall gets a glimpse into the affect her jars have. This project combines two really great things: vessels and scavenging. Imagine one's delight at finding a lovely little art installation in a jar! And of course, this project also reuses items that are often discarded and turns them into something lovely and memorable.
365 Jars could be the basis of a number of great projects for students of all ages. Teachers and students begin by collecting empty jars from home (and maybe even the cafeteria!). There are so many directions this could take, but a few thoughts are time capsules, terrariums, a scavenger hunt, a pen pal exchange, or fund-raising for a cause (each student makes a jar to be sold at an event).
This could be a lesson in looking, seeing, observing. Students could be asked to collect little trinkets from their daily lives, with "a day in the life of me" (or pure aesthetics) in mind.
Jars could be part of a large sculpture or could be strategically placed for strangers to find, a la Kirsty Hall. This latter possibility could be carried out in conjunction with a sociology class to see how people react to finding these treasures. How many people responded? How does it make the students feel to do a project like this (journal writing)?
Big ideas: preciousness, nostalgia, human nature, seeing one's surroundings
