Kids explain art to experts

Watch five-year-old JJ describing three famous paintings to professional art critics. Can the experts guess the paintings correctly?

Do the preparation task first. Then watch the video and do the exercise. Remember you can read the transcript at any time.

Transcript

(Shana = the woman; John = the man; JJ = the child)

Shana: Lichtenstein?

JJ: No, way off! I thought you guys were gonna be experts!

JJ: Hello, my name is JJ. I'm five years old. I like to make things. Are you ready to Name That Art?

Shana and John: Yes!

Game On

Shana: What do you see in that picture?

JJ: There's, like, paint all over him. Like, orange paint, yellow paint ... He has, like, no, like, colour except the paint.

John: He looks like the colours of paint.

Shana: Interesting.

JJ: But he has nothing on, but he has no colours.

John: Huh.

JJ: It really is! I see it.

Shana: Like, I want to guess some stuff that's, like, super not age-appropriate.

John: Right!

Shana: Do you know what I'm saying?

John: I do! I do know!

JJ: The paint is, like, dripping down.

John: I've got a guess, JJ.

JJ: What?

John: Is it by Douglas Coupland and it's called Brilliant Information Overload Pop Head?

JJ: Yes!

Shana: Wow!

Round 2

Shana: What do you see this time?

JJ: There's a yellow background and there's, like, marbles all over.

Shana: When you say marbles, could it be dots?

JJ: Yeah, I think.

John: JJ, what happens when you zoom in on the painting?

JJ: It gets, like, even closer.

John: That’s kind of cool!

JJ: I found something. There’s faces in the tears.

Shana: Faces in the tears? Is the artist Chris Ofili, No Woman, No Cry?

JJ: Yes.

Shana: Oh, finally! Am I right?

John: Nice job, Shana.

Shana: Thank you, John.

Round 3

Shana: What are we looking at now?

JJ: There's one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight people. They're laughing.

Shana: And they're laughing.

John: Do they look like real people, like in a photo your mom or dad would take?

JJ: They look like cartoon characters.

Shana: Are they funny colours?

JJ: Pinkish ... peaches-ish

Shana: Peachish.

John: Can you smile like the people in the picture? [JJ smiles] OK, I have a guess for you, JJ. Is the artist Yue Minjun?

JJ: Yes, you're right!

John: Ah! He's one of the Chinese sarcastic realists. I bet it's Freedom And Leisure-10.

JJ: You're right again.

And the winner is …

JJ: John!

John: Thank you, JJ!

JJ: I made this.

John: Thank you! Thank you so much. Thank you.

Discussion

Were you surprised by any of JJ’s descriptions? Can you describe a painting that you love?

Download

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Language level

Intermediate: B1

Yes. I am. Yes, I could.

I'm definitely impressed with JJ. He is a smart and expressive little boy. It's very nice to see his spontaneity and creativity. I've laughed with his answer to John about the zoom in on the painting. Great content!

JJ's description was very good, he looks very talented boy. There are different forms of art which affect our emotions and feelings.It is through art that we can communicate to the world our inner feelings and our creativity that only exists within our minds.

very much interesting the boy explainning about the art and its information so nicely.

I think so!

JJ is a cute small TV animator. It's very pleasant to see him.

It surprised me how good was JJ decribing the paintings, I would've end up thinking too much about how to describe them and not actually doing it

it was interesting conversation.

it's really interesting and I like jj confidence in himself.

The best was the JJ's imitation of the smile of the people in the picture "Free and Leisure-10"

The child has a big imagination and the experts are exited

Very Smart Kid I Hope in the future he will be famous artiest

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