What do you notice about the way this sculpture is made?
Why is it important for Yvonne Koolmatrie, a Ngarrindjeri artist from the river lands of South Australia, to use weaving?
Yvonne Koolmatrie
Bi-plane
1994
Yvonne Koolmatrie, Ngarrindjeri people, Bi-plane, 1994, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, purchased 1995 © Yvonne Koolmatrie
Begin by asking “what can you see?”. This will help you to gain insight into each participants’ perspective. Use these insights to build a discussion, then you could expand with the follow-up questions displayed on this page.
Discussion provides an opportunity to view and find inspiration from works of art in the National Collection. A process of discovery, using open-ended questions, allows multiple opinions to be shared. This method will elicit responses beyond yes or no, leading to meaningful discussion where people with dementia are able to demonstrate their ability.
For example: the question, "What colour is the sky?" could be experienced as a test with a 'correct' answer. Try instead: "Tell me about the sky." Asking the question in this way allows participants to make choices and give a variety of responses.
Be patient and open. Allow time for participants to look at the work of art, process the questions and to formulate an answer. Don’t be afraid of silence. Discussion should be fun, social, and intellectually stimulating to build confidence and learn something new.
Discussion tip: