Symbolism in Contemporary Art

Active learning helps students move from passive observation to close reading of visual language, which is essential for understanding symbolism. By investigating real artworks in a Gallery Walk or analyzing their own symbols, students see that meaning is constructed, not given. This hands-on approach builds the critical literacy needed to interpret contemporary art with confidence.

• Year 6
• The Arts
• 3 activities
• 20 min–45 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze how specific objects or colors function as symbols in contemporary artworks by Australian artists.
2. Evaluate an artist's deliberate choices in composition, scale, and placement to guide a viewer's interpretation of symbolic elements.
3. Explain how changes in scale impact the meaning and emotional resonance of a symbol within an artwork.
4. Create a visual artwork that employs at least two distinct symbols to represent a personal identity or social issue.
5. Compare the symbolic language used in two different contemporary artworks to convey messages about social justice.

Gallery Walk

⏱ 30 min·Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Symbol Detectives

Place five contemporary artworks around the room. In small groups, students rotate to each station and use sticky notes to identify potential symbols and what they might represent before the teacher reveals the artist's intent.

Prepare & details

Analyze how a simple object can represent a complex human emotion.

Facilitation Tip: During the Gallery Walk, give each pair a clipboard with a focus question like 'What cultural knowledge might the artist assume viewers have?' to guide their observations.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 20 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Personal Totems

Students select one everyday object that represents a part of their cultural identity. They explain their choice to a partner, then work together to sketch how that object could be transformed into a large-scale sculpture to change its meaning.

Prepare & details

Evaluate the choices an artist makes to guide the viewer's eye through symbolic elements.

Facilitation Tip: In the Think-Pair-Share, assign roles: one student explains their totem, one paraphrases, and one connects it to a social issue to ensure equitable participation.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Power of Color

Groups are assigned a specific social issue and must choose three symbols and a color palette that communicates that issue without using words. They present their 'visual pitch' to the class for feedback.

Prepare & details

Explain how the use of scale changes the meaning and impact of a symbol in an artwork.

Facilitation Tip: For the Collaborative Investigation, provide a color wheel and emotional word banks to help students articulate how color choices influence mood and meaning.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Teaching symbolism works best when you model how to look closely, not just at what is shown but at what is implied. Avoid telling students what a symbol means; instead, guide them to consider the artist's background, the artwork's context, and their own cultural lens. Research shows that students develop deeper understanding when they create their own symbols, as this forces them to think about how meaning is constructed.

What to Expect

Students will confidently discuss how symbols carry layered meanings and justify their interpretations with evidence from artworks. They will use terms like context, scale, and placement to describe an artist's choices. Most importantly, they will begin to transfer this understanding to their own symbolic representations.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Gallery Walk: Symbol Detectives, watch for students who assume a symbol's meaning is the same for everyone.

What to Teach Instead

Use the activity's focus question to redirect them: 'What cultural or personal experiences might change how someone interprets this symbol? Share your thoughts with your partner.'

Common Misconception

During Think-Pair-Share: Personal Totems, watch for students who dismiss their chosen object as 'just a thing' without symbolic potential.

What to Teach Instead

Ask them to sketch their object and brainstorm two emotions or ideas it could represent, using the totem symbol sheets provided in the activity.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

After Gallery Walk: Symbol Detectives, present students with two artworks by different contemporary Australian artists. Ask them to choose one symbol from each artwork and explain its meaning, referencing scale or placement. Have them discuss their interpretations with a partner to assess how well they connect symbolism to the artwork's message about identity or social issues.

Quick Check

During Think-Pair-Share: Personal Totems, collect students' written responses explaining how their chosen object could represent a complex emotion or idea. Use these responses to gauge their understanding of symbolic representation before they share in pairs.

Peer Assessment

After Collaborative Investigation: The Power of Color, have students present their planned symbol and its intended meaning in small groups. Peers provide feedback using the assessment criteria: 'Is the symbol's meaning clear? How could the artist make its symbolic meaning stronger through scale or context?'

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge students to research a contemporary artist from the Asia-Pacific region and create a two-minute presentation on how they use symbols to address social justice.
• Scaffolding: Provide sentence starters like 'This symbol likely represents... because...' on sticky notes during the Gallery Walk to support struggling students.
• Deeper exploration: Ask students to compare a traditional symbol (e.g., the Aboriginal flag) with a contemporary reinterpretation to analyze how meaning shifts over time.

Key Vocabulary

Symbolism	The use of objects, colors, or images to represent abstract ideas or emotions. In art, symbols carry deeper meanings beyond their literal appearance.
Iconography	The study and interpretation of visual images and symbols used in a work of art. It helps understand the cultural and historical context of symbols.
Scale	The size of an object or element within an artwork relative to its surroundings or to the viewer. Changing scale can alter the power or significance of a symbol.
Juxtaposition	Placing different elements, objects, or symbols side by side. This can create new meanings or highlight contrasts within an artwork.
Visual Metaphor	An image or symbol that represents an abstract concept, similar to how a metaphor in writing uses words to represent ideas.