Year 9 - Art and design
Identity, art and self-expression
Personal identity
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit explores personal identity in art through self-expression, mapping, storytelling, and the interplay between personal and universal themes. Pupils will engage with a variety of art forms while considering how identity is shaped and communicated.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to engage in thinking, making and discussion about art as self-expression.
Key Notes
- Some artists only make art as pure self-expression - there is no intention to share with an audience.
- Some artists intend to make art as pure self-expression, but eventually do share their work with an audience.
- Some artists start by creating art as self-expression and with the intention of sharing with others.
- In many cultures, creative self-expression is woven into daily life.
Vocabulary To Learn
- self-expression: when an artist expresses personal perspectives, emotions, identity, or experiences in their work, rather than striving for objective representation
- intention: the artist's purpose or motivation behind creating a piece of work
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- All artists make art with the intention of sharing with an audience.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Some artists only make art as pure self-expression - there is no intention to share with an audience. Some artists intend to make art as pure self-expression, but eventually do share their work with an audience.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'self-expression'
when an artist expresses personal perspectives, emotions, identity, or experiences in their work, rather than striving for objective representation.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: All artists make art with the intention of sharing with an audience. Correction: Some art is made as an act of pure self-expression. Even deeply personal works are shaped by history, identity, and society, meaning they can take on wider meanings even if the artist did not intend them to.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 9 Art and design guide library.