Inspiring Art Appreciation Amongst Students

The importance of exposure to art from the time of birth onward has been studied at length by scientists. Neuroscience has shown that the human brain is a complex structure that begins developing and responding to stimuli while a child is still in the womb. Introducing children to art soon after birth can provide a multitude of benefits that will enhance early childhood development. The use of art to express thoughts and feelings helps a child in increasing his overall cognitive abilities. Increasing these abilities leads to the development of tangible skills such as attention span, learning skills, retention of information and the ability to understand and apply abstract concepts. At BSS, teachers are the first to point out how Visual Art Curriculum has strongly influenced students' self-image and increased their academic success in the areas of math, science and arts. In order to further enhance students' appreciation of the development of art through history, first-hand experience of looking at the art created by the old masters is not only essential, but of vital importance. As there are insufficient means for exposure to international art in Pakistan, different ways have been devised to overcome this shortcoming. Teachers are provided with a comprehensive resource pack for Art consisting of full page coloured reproductions of the work done by the old masters and renowned contemporary artists. Beaconhouse has provided its schools with computers and projectors and the art teachers utilise the Internet to find images that they want to show to the students. Here are few examples of primary school students' work inspired by different artists like, Ghulam Rasul, Picasso, Matisse and Van Gogh: