People have relationships to each other, to things, and to places. Sometimes things are connected to other things, as in a relationship of scale. This tour explores the way artists portray different kinds of relationships. Artists may be very close to the relationships they portray or not close at all. Each approach allows a different point of view about the significant connections we make in relationships.

Classroom Activities
Have students look very carefully at something or someone in their classroom and draw the person or object from three different angles. Have them reflect on how their relationships with these objects changed with each point of view.

Have each student think about a relationship that is important to them. Discuss what the challenges might be if each was to try to portray that relationship? What would they be concerned about? What would be easiest?

Have students imagine they are a person portrayed in one of these works of art. Ask them to write about their reactions to the way the artists portrayed them using the following prompts: "I liked the way the artist...," "I wonder why the artist...," "I'm surprised by the way the artist..."

Have students write an imagined conversation between the artist and the subject of one of the works of art in this theme.

Relationships can be with people as well as with things, such as the environment or music. Have each student create a work of art about something he feels is especially important to him.

Have students arrange the works of art in this theme on a timeline. What does one work of art's relationship to others in time tell you about it?