Genetics

About the Artist and Artwork

Kaltenbach, Stephen J. (American, born 1940)

In the late 1960s, Stephen Kaltenbach was at the center of New York’s avant-garde and, during the 1970s, achieved acclaim for the arcane ads he ran in Artforum. These were, according to the artist, “a passing on of possibilities,” in statements such as “Perpetuate a Hoax” or “Start a Rumor;” many of these were then cast as bronze plaques, for example: Art Works.

The cast plaques were well-received by Kaltenbach’s circle at the University of California, Davis, and at California State University, Sacramento. As a Davis student, Kaltenbach was mentored by faculty Robert Arneson and William Wiley, but he also overlapped with the conceptualist Bruce Nauman’s study there. “I was turned on by Bruce Nauman’s art. . . . I like Bruce’s thinking and use a lot of his ideas. Usually it’s pretty much unconscious. This time the source didn’t occur to me until the plaques were cast in bronze.”1

For all of his success as a conceptual artist, Kaltenbach is also known for paintings such as Portrait of My Father. In a California barn, the artist labored for seven years over this testament to life, love, and the loss confronting us all. That his pursuit was spiritual is evident in the manner by which light and color permeates each intertwining arabesque and intersection with whisker, brow, and pore. The subject is returning to the light from which he came in a vision of infinity and the rightness of nature. While a photograph provided its basis, this portrait is far removed from the cool detachment of the Photorealists due to Kaltenbach’s prolonged engagement. Kaltenbach’s sole aim was to celebrate the human bond and make a memorial to his father that only he could create.

1. Cindy Nemser, “An Interview with Stephen Kaltenbach,” Artforum, 9, no. 3 (November 1970): 47-53.

Lesson Procedure

Day 1

1. Have students look carefully at the image, Portrait of My Father. This image is accessible on Digital Crocker at crockerartmuseum.org, on the Striking Gold CD ROM, and slides and overheads available for purchase through School Services.

2. Ask the students to describe what colors and patterns they see in Portrait of My Father. Provide a definition of arabesque, value, Photo Realism, and Abstract Expressionism.

3. Lead an open class discussion with questions, and record all comments on the board. Ask:

a. Who do you think is the subject of the painting? What do you think he is doing?

b. What areas of the painting are abstract and what part appears Photo Realistic? What is the effect of the patterning – what is the mood of the artwork?

c. This painting is very large, measuring 9.5 feet by 14.25 feet. Imagine standing directly in front of the painting. Would the size have any impact on your experience viewing it? How long do you think it took the artist to paint it?

d. Look closely at how the artist painted the areas of hair and beard. Do you see changes in value? Why do you think the artist painted it that way, what meaning might that convey?

4. Break students into groups and have them discuss the following biology problems:

a. What number of chromosomes can be found in humans? Why is it an even number?

b. Based only on the gender chromosomes in typical human reproductive cells at fertilization, what is the probability of producing a female? A male?

c. In the breed of dog that Miguel owns, hip dysplasia is due to a recessive allele (d) of a particular gene, and normal hip anatomy is due to its dominant allele (D). What percentage of the offspring of a normal heterozygous (Dd) dog and a dog with hip dysplasia (dd) would be expected to have normal hip anatomy?

d. If a human baby boy inherits a recessive allele from his mother, would he most likely show the trait from it if the allele is on the X or Y chromosome?

Day 2

1. Art production: Show students an example of the self-portrait art project (see the provided example). Lead the class in a discussion of self-portraiture. The self-portrait is an extremely important type of artwork that many artists explore throughout their lifetimes. Why do you think some artists create so many self-portraits? What do you think artists are trying to communicate about themselves in their portraits? Students will portray one inherited trait for themselves or a pet and one personal interest in their self-portraits through the use of pattern.

2. Have students write ideas on scratch paper for symbols that will represent their traits and interests. For example, a circle can represent a cell or a basketball, an oval can represent an eye, an X or Y can represent gendered chromosomes, a straight line can represent fur, etc. Students should list six symbols that will be used for different values from light to dark. Using thick lines will create darker values. Spacing symbols apart will create lighter values. Distribute the ink pens, so students may practice by writing the symbols in rows on the scratch paper to see which symbols appear lighter or darker.

3. While students are writing ideas, photograph head-shots of each student with a digital camera. Encourage students to consider different poses (tilting the head, resting on an arm, etc.). Posterize the photos in Photoshop for 5 values (open image with Photoshop, select image, adjustments, posterize, and then enter 5 for the number of values) and print 2 copies for each student. * Note - the provided examples have 7 values (5 patterns)

Day 3 - 4

4. Distribute copies to students. Distribute final paper and rulers. Have students measure one-inch borders. Students will shade the back of the paper of one of the copies completely with lead. Students will then trace the posterized image onto the sheet of final paper so that it transfers the image (like using carbon paper).

5. Students must select three different symbols for three clearly different values from their scratch paper draft (advise students to leave the paper white for the lightest value and use ink fill for the darkest value). One pattern must represent an inherited trait and one pattern must represent an aspect of their personality or interests. Remind students to review the second copy of their photograph to ensure they are putting the correct value pattern in each posterized area.

6. After students have completed their drawings, have students write what each symbol represents on the back of their artworks.