DALI UNIVERSE - CURRICULUM LINKS

Art & design
The Tarot series on display in the gallery is one of the many good examples of a mixed media piece. Studying these works could lead to producing collage or experimenting with multi-media back in the classroom.

Get the children to study and sketch from the jewellery, objets d’art, and tableware, on display in the gallery. When you get back to the classroom ask the children to design their own surrealist jewellery, objets d’art and tableware. There are many examples of simplistically drawn human figures on display in the gallery, for example, Blanchefleur (Le Decameron) and Isacar (The Twelve Tribes Of Israel).

These drawings are based mainly on shapes and forms and are quite helpful for beginners to study and copy as they are so simple. Get the children to produce more works like these when they are back in the classroom to improve their drawing skills of the human figure.

Many of Dali’s most important works were the result of wild images that came to him in his dreams. Ask the children to keep a ‘dream diary’ – where they keep a notebook next to their bed and when they wake up they write down what they dreamt about that night.

After about a week of writing in their ‘dream diary’, ask the children to take it into the classroom and try to illustrate the wild images that came to them in their dreams, just like Dali did.

Craft & design or design technology
The first idea is based on the two surrealist objects on display in the gallery, the Lobster Telephone and Surrealist Object Functioning Symbolically. The children should attempt to make their own surrealist objects from everyday items.

Although the main idea for Dali and other surrealist artists was to make objects that did not function, it might be interesting for the children to try and make objects that do function.

The second idea is based on the surrealist furniture on display in the gallery. The children should plan their own piece of surreal furniture taking into consideration dimensions and materials. If you have the space and facilities within the school, it might be interesting to make a life-size piece of furniture; otherwise, they can just make models.

English
While visiting the gallery, children should sketch the works they find the most interesting. When they have returned to the classroom they can use the drawings as the basis for some creative writing.

Dali illustrated many of the greatest works of literature, some of which we have on display in the gallery, L’Art D’aimer (Ovid), Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare) and Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carol).

Music
Ask the children to choose their favourite piece of work from the gallery. Then suggest to think about how they could try and create the sound they feel would come from that particular piece. It could be a case of composing music, which they believe, reflects the mood of the artwork.

The music playing in the gallery was specially composed as an ode to Dali and his work, so make sure they take some time to listen to it whilst visiting the gallery.

Religious education
There are several works on display in the gallery that reflect how the Catholic faith was very important to Dali. Examples include the sculpture St. George and the Dragon, a Surrealistic interpretation of a defining Christian story and two of Dali’s most famous masterpieces, the illustrations of The Bible, and of Dante’s spectacular Divine Comedy.

The time he devoted to the perfection of these graphic masterpieces was closely linked with his ongoing spiritual development. Taking Dali’s work into consideration, the children could attempt to draw, paint or sculpt something in their life that is important to them, for example religion, love, culture or safety.

FOR ENQUIRIES about school group visits or to request a full education pack and booking form, please contact us on 020 7450 7617 or email us on groups@countyhallgallery.com.