Excellent feedback! Specifically that on Van Gough.
The activity of "Pin the Ear..." was an idea proposed by one of our artists
in residents here who had seen it at another venue. And yet we are now all
in complete agreement that such an activity is not appropriate for the
Children's Museum.
Thank you for your feedback!

Best regards,
December

-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Indigo Nights
Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 10:42 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Art Activities & Games suggestion

While I concur with the concerns about pinning his ear
on and mental illness, it can and SHOULD be explained
to the crayon set.

I have been explaining it to my two grandkids since I
first took them to the Norton Simon when they were
three and four.  There are a number of Van Gogh works
there.  While we don't make a special emphasis about
Van Gogh over the other great masters (my
granddaughter loves the ballerinas of Degas), we do
talk about Vincent Van Gogh, about recognizing his
style of art, and that he cut off his ear.

That prompts the question:  "Grandma, why did he cut
off his ear?"

The answer they receive is that he was very, very sad
and confused.  Sometimes a mind breaks when it is too
sad and doesn't work.  That sometimes beautiful work
comes from people who are different and that everyone
has value.

Very simple.  Very matter of fact.  You get follow-up
questions about why was he sad, which are sometimes
remedied with I don't know, why do you think he might
be sad?

But you don't have to hide mental illness from a small
child.  They'll see it if they make it out in public
and downtown, and speaking about it frankly helps to
alleviate fear that comes from suppressing the topic.
It may also make them more cognizant of the concept of
mental health for the years to come.

But, I concur, pin the ear on Vincent is a little
creepy.



--- Katherine Bolinger <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I had the same reaction. How do you explain mental
> illness to the crayon set?
>


=====
Indigo Nights
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