Leigh Drake

When we had to start out the school year in a virtual setting, I was inspired to come up with a project that I wouldnʼt typically be able to implement in the classroom. Several projects I assigned students that semester involved items and places in their homes. Not all my students were in their homes during class time; some were in safe learning centers, so this assignment allowed them to adapt to the setting they were in and use the materials available to them.

Location as an Art Tool
We began by looking at installation art, which involves artists creating scenes in various types of locations. Some artworks are permanent, while others are temporary. We discussed how artists document and preserve their installation work using cameras.

From building the scene to documenting the process, students gained a lot from the experience of creating an installation.

Next, I shared images of the installations of Sandy Skoglund, one of my studentsʼ favorite artists. We discussed how Skoglund uses home settings in most of her work to create vibrant and eye-catching fictional scenes. We also talked about why someone might choose to create installation art and the challenges and limitations one might face when creating on-site.

Finding an Installation Space
After our discussion, I told students that they would be creating their own installation in their home or learning center. I told them that our installations would not be on a large scale like Skoglundʼs, and that we would create miniature scenes inspired by her work.

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