Dr. Megan Johnston: Critiquing Racism in Art

Lesson Plan: Power, Identity, and Bias in Art & Museum Studies

Lesson Focus

Listeners examine how race, gender, disability, theory, and curatorial practice shape artistic meaning, institutional power, and public interpretation.

Objectives (2)

• Objective 1: Listeners will analyze how visual, curatorial, and institutional choices reinforce or disrupt racial, gender, and disability hierarchies. Example: A listener explains how Western art centers whiteness through composition, symbolism, or narrative framing.
• Objective 2: Listeners will evaluate how theory (CRT, feminist theory, postcolonial theory) informs contemporary artistic practice and museum ethics. Example: A listener identifies how feminist or postcolonial artists challenge traditional norms through material, performance, or spatial intervention.

Outcomes (2)

• Outcome 1: Listeners produce evidence‑based critiques of museum practices. Example: A listener cites how curation or acquisition histories exclude disabled or non‑Western artists.
• Outcome 2: Listeners propose strategies for more equitable artistic and curatorial approaches. Example: A listener recommends contextual labels or redesigned displays that address racial or gender bias.

5E Learning Model

• Engage: Present artworks showing racial, gender, or disability bias.
• Explore: Listeners analyze museum labels, placement, omissions, and narrative framing.
• Explain: Instructor connects observations to theory and historical patterns.
• Elaborate: Listeners redesign a display or reinterpret an artwork using theory.
• Evaluate: Listeners justify their redesign using ethical and theoretical reasoning.

Formative Assessment

Listeners submit a short critique answering one of the provided questions, demonstrating:

• identification of bias
• use of theory
• proposed corrective strategy

Contact Mr. Lucky: 773-809-8594 or radiotaklr@gmail.com