Find inspiration in the work and process of artist Ray Yoshida. Take a moment to learn more about him by downloading his artist overview and then use materials and objects from your home to complete the Try it! activity.
Ray Yoshida Artist Overview
Try it!
What you will need
A collection of objects you already own, a pencil and paper and/or a person to talk to
Step 1
Where do you keep the objects you collect or the objects that are important to you? Head over to that place to get started. Observe the objects just as they are and think about the questions below. During this time you may want to journal your answers or have a conversation with another person to discuss.
Start by describing the objects or draw them. What are their most important characteristics? Are they tall? Small? What are they made out of? What color are they? Where did they come from? Why do you like them? Why are they organized the way they are right now? Does the way they are organized right now tell you anything about the objects?
Step 2
By yourself or as a group, use your answers to the questions above to decide how to rearrange the objects either in the same place or in a different space. You can take some objects away or add new objects to the arrangement.
Step 3
Write in a journal or talk with someone to answer the following question.
Has the meaning of the objects changed now that they are arranged in this new way? Why or why not?
Additional Resources and Extension
– Optional Step 4: Repeat this activity with the same objects or different objects. Reflect on how the experience changes, now that you have practiced the activity.
– Look at more images of Yoshida’s artwork and his collections at jmkac.org/collections
– Learn about the Chicago Imagists at chicagoimagists.com
– Try Ray Yoshida’s college process. Cut out images, such as comics, and then organize them in containers and create collages on paper or canvas.
(photo above) Ray Yoshida’s Museum of Extraordinary Values installation view (Tableau 5, detail) at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, 2013. John Michael Kohler Arts Center Collection, gift of the Raymond K. Yoshida Living Trust and Kohler Foundation Inc.
We want to hear from you! Share with us in the comment area a list of your important items, what objects you enjoy collecting, or what questions you used to decide how the items would be arranged.