Exploring the Art of Chagall with Children

The Museum is very excited to offer our visitors the opportunity to explore, touch, listen, to learn about, look at, wonder about and feel the art of Marc Chagall.  Based on the work of this Russian-born French painter 1887-1985, the exhibit includes 15 reproductions of Chagall works, most with interactive elements that allow children to explore their own creativity. The exhibit is located in our Creativity Connections neighborhood from January 15 - April 20, 2011.

"Recurring themes in Chagall's work," according to our Interdisciplinary Arts Specialist, Marcia MacRae, are his love of family, his town and the way he was brought up.  It's those kinds of memories we want to make for our children."

Here are some suggestions for exploring the exhibit together:

Use your senses. Most of the reproductions and all of the accompanying exhibit  interactive components are designed to be explored. Marc Chagall's art appeals to the senses - look with your eyes, pretend to smell the flowers, hear the music or feel the fine textures.

Encourage your child by asking questions. Ask your child to tell you what he sees, hears or feels. Whether he's pretending or describing a real action, these opportunities nurture the development of your child's thinking and inquiry skills.

Cultivate curiosity. Allow your child the opportunity to move at his own pace. Tune in to his interests and then support his discoveries by reading the labels or prompts.

Relate what you see to something familiar. Chagall was struck by the beauty of French flowers. Talk about the flowers in your garden or home. Recall a time when flowers were purchased for a special occasion.

Extend the learning. Where else in our Museum do you see artwork? Explore and talk together. How is the artwork the same as Chagall's? How is it different? Pretend to be one of the characters in a Chagall painting on the main stage in our Interact with Art Gallery, Play's the Thing: Act II, located on the second floor.

Please take time to visit this inspiring exhibit. Leave us a comment or send us a picture through this blog! What did your child notice first? Extend the learning at home by challenging your child to draw a picture as Marc Chagall did.

The Chagall for Children traveling exhibit was developed by Kohl Children's Museum and premiered in July 1996 in Wilmette IL.