Some Questions Concerning Art Education
By Ana Lois-Borzi
1.) Graduate school in the arts: what are the ethical problems faced by art educators? Do we, as educators, depict the “whole” picture to our students?
2.) Why do art schools continue to glorify (read: teach from) a global, exclusive art star system whose work is used in high stakes investment endgames in the art market? (google “financial times” “art market prices” or “NYT art market” and you’ll see what I mean). Who are the artists that we show our students? And by implication, what type of art and art practice do we validate?
3.) Where is the humanity of the artist in the frenetic capitalist institutionalization of art if an artist happens to “make it” as described by the values we currently instill in the students we teach? Ultimately, why do we make art? Why do we teach art making?
4.) What can educational institutions promise students when they choose to train as artists? How can art instructors transmit the real, transformative potential in the future of art? And, what are the future promises of art in the world?
As the debate progressed, I realized that we could have a few more conversations that would open up dialogue in related areas:
1. Art and money, reality and utopia: Bringing Rudolph Steiner’s Three Folding principle into life. (more info at: http://www.threefolding.org/gliederung/)
2. Art teaching and critical pedagogy (Paulo Freire): Exploring ways in which arts and humanity instructors and students can revolutionize teaching and learning from inside or outside institutions.
3. Student loans vs free education in relation to the current US economic crisis and the wars. Please see: http://costofwar.com/en/ and http://forgivestudentloandebt.com/content/proposal.
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