Akron Art Museum 

Created by Ashli, a gallery teacher at Akron Art Museum. Special thanks to Jasmine, Sekoya, and Sloane for their aid in the creation of this resource kit. A HUGE shout out and thank you to the artist Janet Macoska, who provided additional insight and allowed the author to interview her for this project. 

You are on the photography team with Janet Macoska for a concert. However, you've accidentally locked yourself in the dressing room! Use the information you've learned about Macoska and her photos to figure out the keypad code. You have only ten minutes before the concert, so hurry! 

Escape the Dressing Room!

Janet Macoska provided some amazing tips for getting your own AWESOME photos! Follow the steps in the activity to get started. 

Try it Yourself!

Janet Macoska was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, later the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Take a look at how this city shaped her childhood. Then follow her career as she becomes one of the most well-known photographers in Rock and Roll history! 

Janet Macoska: Her Life

Janet Macoska often took pictures of the same performers several times. One such group is Devo, a band from Akron, Ohio. Compare these two pictures of Devo in the same setting but with different color schemes. How does the addition of color change the emotions in the picture? Why do you think Macoska chose to make two versions of the same photo? 

Group Shots: Devo

Janet Macoska is best known for her photographs of single performers, including David Bowie, Ted Nugent, and Michael Hutchence. Check out these photos and take a look at the differences in pose and direction of light and shadow! 

Single Performer Shots

Janet Macoska is known for her photography skills, especially her work documenting Rock and Roll artists. This resource kit explores various aspects of her work, including color, light and shadow, timing, and message. 

How does Macoska use color or lack of color to highlight her subjects? 

How does her manipulation of light and shadow change the perspective of her subjects? 

How does she show the emotional context of Rock and Roll in a standstill photo? 

How does Macoska's choice of photo timing change the message of a photo? How does it affect the viewer's interpretation of the performer?

Hello educators! This resource kit is fairly self-sustainable - there are no outside resources or printed materials. Students are encouraged to discuss the provided questions in groups to help facilitate greater meaning. Also, it's Rock and Roll! There's meant to be a little music and excitement around this kit. The try-it-yourself activity will require a camera, but can be completed by sharing the technology between students. 

Links have been provided to some songs from each artist featured, and we have tried to include clean versions of each song.

This document exapnds on these ideas, the goals for learning, and provides links to all the songs in the kit. 

Janet Macoska: Rock and Roll Photos

Music

The Arts

Visual Arts

David Bowie Song: "Starman"

Michael Hutchence Song: "Slideaway"

Ted Nugent Song: "Free For All"

KISS First televised performance

This picture was taken while Bowie was not singing, as we can see from the microphone hanging at his side. Macoska has said that this photo is one of her favorites, and it was taken totally by chance in less than a second. 

How does this photo differ from the other photos? Why do you think it resonates so much with Macoska as an artist and lifelong photographer?

This photo looks similar to the picture of David Bowie, but the story behind the photo is drastically different with the addition of the guitar and Nugent's interesting pose. 

What emotions are present in this photo, and how do they differ from the others? 

This photo of Michael Hutchence uses a different organization of light and shadow. The viewer cannot see any fine details about Michael Hutchence but can see multiple details in the background figures. 

How does this make the photo come across compared to other solo shot photos?

KISS is a band of several performers, like Devo. They all wear characteristic black and white makeup and outfits. 

What is the merit of taking single-performer shots in a group setting? How does Macoska adjust the perspective and angle to create a different feeling in the photo? 

Resource Kits

Object Library

Museums

Janet Macoska: Rock and Roll Photos

Single Performer Shots

Guiding Question

David Bowie