Symbolism

Centring on New Zealand painting from the late 18th century to today, The Fletcher Trust Collection offers a rich resource for learning and inspiration. This unit introduces ākonga to artworks created in and reflecting Aotearoa New Zealand, offering deeper insight into the pieces, the artists behind them, and their broader cultural, historical, and thematic contexts.

Designed for ākonga in Years 11–13 (Curriculum Levels 5–8), the unit explores the theme of Symbolism through three artworks from the Collection. It considers how artists use symbolism to express ideas about identity, culture, society, politics and the world around them. Students will engage in observation, discussion, critical thinking, and art-making to explore symbolism as a rich tool to create layers of meaning, or to subvert dominant narratives.

While primarily aligned with the Visual Arts learning area, this resource also supports learning in Art History. It has been designed as an adaptable toolkit, allowing teachers to select and customise materials to suit their classroom needs. Key sections are structured to be easily extractable as handouts for direct student use.