Be Like Banksy: Use Context.
A 40+ minute activity to show how context and meaning relate. Students create a unique piece of writing by cutting stuff up.
Welcome to the Plug & Play section of Desk Notes! Every week you’ll receive an ELA/creative writing activity that I’ve had success with in my classroom.
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TLDR: After viewing one of Banksy’s videos to learn about context, students cut up words from books to collage their own story together.
What could be more fun to your students then cutting apart pages of books? Plus the activity stems from looking at artistic vandalism, so of course they’re going to be invested.
Here’s what you need for this activity:
This video.
One blank piece of paper for each student.
Glue or tape.
Scissors.
Books you don’t care if people cut up OR photocopies of some pages from books.
The Plan
Overview:
Start with the video.
Talk about context and start the activity.
Ideas for what to do next.
Start with the Video
Possible Scripting —
“I have a video to show you all. How many of you know about Banksy? Have any of you seen his work? The dude is cool. Now, disclaimer: even though I’m showing you this video, I’m not suggesting you all go out and start spray painting random walls. Okay? Okay.
“I’m going to prime your brain for watching the video: think about context. Oh. And before we start, do you all know who Bob Ross is? (Explain if they don’t know.) Okay, in this video, Banksy takes audio from one of Bob Ross’s video and puts it in a new context.”
Play Video
Pair and Share: Give time and means for students to process their thoughts on the video. Some questions for them to consider:
What would the video/piece of art been like without Bob Ross’s words?
What were you thinking the meaning of the artwork was partway through?
How did the zoom-out at the end change what the artwork can mean?
In what ways do you see context being used to shape meaning?
Scroll to the footnote for some of my takeaways of what the video teaches about context.1
Talk about Context and Start the Activity
After the pair and share, do what you feel you should to reinforce and add to what the students have learned about context.
Students then take pages from books, cut out words and phrases, and rearrange them on the blank piece of paper to form a new story, poem, piece of writing, etc.
Possible Scripting —
“Okay, we’re going to borrow some of the principles from Banksy’s video. No, no, we’re not going to vandalize stuff. Well, not in the same way he did. Each of you will need a page or two from a book, this piece of paper (hold up a blank sheet), and some glue and scissors. Your task is to cut out words or phrases from their original context and rearrange them into a new context. You can also add your own writing in between the lines and words you cut out. There aren’t many rules here, just have fun and make something you’re proud of. Here’s what mine looks like (show them an example2).”
Give students as much time as you want.
Because of all the cutting and gluing, this activity tends to take a while, but my students have stayed engaged for it.
Ideas for Extending the Activity
Show and tell.
Have them think through principles they used in the activity that they could transfer to other writing situations.
Hang up their work.
Clean up. ◡̈
Thank you for reading! I’d love to hear from you if you use this activity or any adaptations of it in your class! If you find something that makes it better, let us know in the comments.
Cheers,
Brandon Merrill
The full meaning of the artwork isn’t clear until the camera zooms out and we see the “canvas” Banksy was painting on. The context of a prison specifies the meaning of the artwork.
Banksy takes Bob Ross’s words and uses them in a way that initially seems humorous. At the end, suddenly Bob’s commentary is a necessary part of the piece: it interprets it.
“Painting, to me, represents freedom. I can create the kind of world that I want to see, that I want to be part of. Look at that, isn’t he a cute little rascal? A big son of a gun. He just goes all the way off the canvas. I just want to show you a technique and turn you loose on the world. Just absolutely turn you loose on the world.”
The word “canvas” is quite close to “campus” which is interesting. The prisoner goes all the way off the campus.
Calling the escaping convict a “cute little rascal” alters the tone of the artwork.
Bob Ross says he wants to “turn you loose on the world.” What does that mean when we see the painting?
The typewriter shows how reading and writing are avenues for freedom (literally and metaphorically).
Upon further investigation, we can learn that the prison is Reading Prison in Berkshire, England and was operable until 2014. The name itself is a homograph that reinforces meaning.
Oscar Wilde was held at this prison and some people speculate that the artwork depicts and acts as a tribute to him.
Partway through the activity, one of my students said, “Mr. Merrill, you should make one!” I sat next to some students to make this and had them help me when I got stuck. Most students did something longer than this.
