Kevin Tavin Lecture

1.) 3 most interesting facts and why?

• Visual Culture is not just what we see, but HOW we see it, how the source effects it and us, and WHOM we see it with. Not just who is physically present, but whom we are mentally present with. I never really thought about this before and it adds a new level of discussion as to how we absorb an image differently when seeing it with different people. 
• Tavin talks about an instant where Guanica (an antiwar piece) is covered so that a speech could be given to convince the US that war was the right answer (The art work would be hanging behind the speaker if not covered). This sort of ties back to our discussion a week or two ago about editing photographs. Was removing this painting from the background ethical? I had never heard this story before so it stood out to me. The quote "if we do not learn from history, we are destine to repeat it" came to mind as I heard him talk about this.
• Near the end of the lecture Tavin talks about how schools have become a less important source for a childs education. He mentions the Box Tops program where kids can cut "Box Tops" off of cereal boxes and soup cans to help raise moneys for their school because they are so greatly lacking funds otherwise. This isn't exactly a fact, and we all know that there are a lot of issues with the current state of the education system in America, but it made me stop and think when he talked about this. He mentions that his step children (I'm assuming they are not American) find Box Tops strange... And I would image that the concept is strange to a person who lives in a place that puts more emphasis on public education. This part of the lecture was important to me because it made me reflection on how I can help to change this. What is lacking in schools that they are being considered less of a primary source for education?

2.)The Role of an art educator in regards to visual culture... I feel that art educators are weighted with the job of exposing students to visual culture. Not just one viewpoint, but all different viewpoints. It is important that we make students well rounded by representing different cultures, peoples, and thoughts. Tavin discusses letting students come to their own conclusions. You can hope they eventually make it to the same conclusion you have when viewing a piece of art, but you should let them get there on their own. Not to "predetermine" the reaction to something. This is important to remember when standing in front of a classroom.

3.)I think one of the most important things I took away from this lecture was to teach a non-biased, and well rounded class. I also like the idea of discussing social issues and how visual culture does or does not feed into them. He uses the example of Disney and I think it would be interesting to not only hear a kids perspective of this, but to make them aware of it in hopes to not let them fall prey to it.