School mural with trademark and audience objections
Four SEC Art students have permission to paint a mural on an 8 m by 3 m exterior wall beside the school canteen. Their approved design shows a skeletal figure holding a giant burger, with a red-and-yellow logo resembling a well-known fast-food brand. Two teachers complain that it shames students who eat there; the head teacher says no trademarks and no 'distressing' imagery within sight of the dining area. The group has four weekends, €150 for acrylic masonry paint, and one tall scaffold tower that must be shared. One member wants to withdraw because her parents object to the word 'junk' in the original slogan. The art teacher is assessing the project as coursework and needs evidence of individual contribution.
1. Propose a redesign that keeps the group's critique of fast food but satisfies the head teacher's conditions.
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The group can keep the idea of excess without targeting diners or borrowing a brand. Replace the red-and-yellow logo with a generic wrapper marked only by a simple shape or question mark, avoiding trademark and implying no specific company. Change the skeletal figure to a queue of ordinary people of different ages, with one figure becoming overwhelmed by the size of the portions; this shifts the message from shaming eaters to questioning portion size and marketing. Remove the word 'junk' from the slogan and use an open question such as 'How much is enough?', which invites reflection rather than insult. Keep the strong composition: a diagonal table, oversized food, muted figures. Use colour to direct attention rather than to imitate a brand. Present two or three sketches to the head teacher and the objecting teachers, explain the changes, and record the negotiation. The result is still critical, but it is not distressing to students eating nearby and does not misuse a trademark.
2. Plan the four weekends of work safely and fairly, including the scaffold tower and the withdrawing member.
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Safety first: only trained staff or students under direct supervision should use the tower; check it is on firm ground, out of pedestrian routes, and never move it with someone on the platform. Use harnesses if required, keep paints and solvents away from food areas, and stop in rain or high wind. Divide the wall into a grid and assign pairs to sections so no one works alone at height. Rotate tasks-drawing, filling, detailing, documenting-so everyone contributes and fatigue is managed. Respect the withdrawing member: do not pressure her to continue; reassign her section and record the change. Keep a daily brief and a sign-off for tools. Four weekends is tight, so prepare a full-size cartoon and pre-mix colours. Assign one person as safety and documentation lead each day. The plan should be written and shared with the art teacher and site supervisor before the first weekend.
3. What evidence should the art teacher require for individual assessment, and how should the group handle trademark, consent and audience concerns?
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Require individual sketchbook pages showing each student's design proposals, colour studies, section drawings and written reflection, not just group photos. Add a contribution log with dates and tasks, and short individual evaluations of the negotiation and final outcome. The teacher should assess the collaborative process as well as the wall, using criteria for research, problem-solving, teamwork and realisation. For trademark, remove the logo-like device and any brand text; do not rely on parody exceptions. For consent, avoid identifiable portraits without permission, and respect the withdrawing student's decision. For audience, place the mural away from the immediate dining sightline or adjust the imagery as agreed; explain the work in a short statement. Keep records of permissions, risk assessments and the final design approved by the head teacher. This protects the students, the school and the assessment.