Adinkra Art

Today we learned about the Adinkra Tribe in Africa and how they use symbols in art. 

  

We talked about some essential questions. What are symbols? How are symbols used in art? Why do you think this tribe used symbols in their art to tell a story? 

 I had them pick an object from their backpack that was important to them or had a special story behind it. We talked about their objects in a circle on the floor and all were eager to share their story.

 I said that it's hard not to have a personal connection with our art form. Art is our own style and how we communicate our interests and our own individual personalities.

 First, I showed them symbols they see in everyday life. I explained that art is all around us, communicating thoughts and ideas with us all the time. We looked at pictures of Adinkra symbols and then asked them to go back to their seats to create their own "story" on their fabric square. First they sketched out their designs with pencil, then they outlined with sharpies, and filled in color with watercolor.

 Students were to create symbols on fabric to make their own story based from the designs they discovered they had a connection with.

I was surprised that a lot of students wanted to make up their own symbols, so I thought that if they had a stronger connection to something else, it would be easier for them to express that.