Random Questions - Clyfford Still Museum

This game gives students opportunities to answer a variety of interpretation-based questions about an artwork while adding an element of chance.

Time: 5-10 mins

Materials:

Preparation:

Put students at ease by reminding them that there are no wrong answers when sharing their opinions about art.

Decide which questions the die numbers will correlate to.

Steps:

This activity can be done in pairs, small groups, or a large group. You might do a round as a large group, then pair students up for additional discussions.
Invite students to examine a pre-selected artwork. Give students a few minutes to silently look while taking note of all the things they are noticing. Students may want to write down their observations to help them remember.
Explain that students will roll a die (or multiple dice depending on how many questions you have), and the number they get will correlate to a question they will need to answer.
Have students take turns tossing the die and answering questions.
Encourage students to go deeper and defend their interpretations by asking questions like, “What do you see that makes you say that?”; “How does that make you feel?”; or “Why do you think Clyfford Still may have done that?”

Possible Questions:

What is surprising about this artwork?
What is exciting about this artwork?
If you could add something to this artwork, what would it be?
If you could take something away from this artwork, what would it be?
What emotions do you feel when you look at this artwork?
If this artwork was a food, what would it taste like?
If this artwork was a smell, what would it smell like?
If this artwork was music, what would it sound like?
If this artwork were a place, what would the weather be like?
If this artwork could talk, what would it say?
What would you ask the artist about this artwork?
What do you think the artist may have been feeling when they created this artwork?
If you could choose somewhere to display this artwork, where would you put it?
What is your favorite part of the artwork?
What is your least favorite part of the artwork?