Week 5 was spent concentrating on aspects of Zhang Hongtu’s influences and comparing and contrasting his different bodies of work. Students looked at some of the books from Zhang’s library in the sunken living room and thought about how these books could have influenced Zhang. Books we looked at included Chinese Painting by James Cahill, The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff, Falling Up by Shel Silverstein and an Illustrated Classic of Mountains and Seas by Ma Changyi. Students found similarities and differences in the different time periods of Zhang’s work and used compare and contrast words to articulate these differences and similarities. In the pieces that were direct quotations of western paintings by Van Gogh, Cezanne and Monet we compared his stylistic use of western painting to comment on eastern sensibilities. Compare words used were: both, alike, like, same, similar. Contrast words used were: different, however, while, unless. Next week we will visit Zhang’s studio. Students brought in questions that they formed for Zhang’s visit next week and there was some discussion on which questions might be most interesting to ask him.

Semana 5.-  Nos  concentramos en aquellos aspectos que han sido las  influencias de la obra de Zhang Hongtu y  los usamos para comparar y contrastar sus diferentes trabajos usando nuevas palabras de vocabulario. Los estudiantes encontraron similitudes y diferencias en los distintos períodos del trabajo del artista  Zhang y los  utilizaron para usar palabras de contraste y  articular  oraciones de diferencias y similitudes. En las piezas que eran citas directas de pinturas occidentales como Van Gogh, Cezanne y Monet se comparó el uso estilístico de la pintura occidental. La próxima semana vamos a visitar el estudio de Zhang, alli nuestros estudiantes llevaran preguntas que se formalaran durante la visita.