Systems of Control

     As I read about arts education during the period of time between Ancient Greece and the Renaissance, I began to recognize themes of activity that resemble contemporary issues in arts education. Primarily, how systems of control have dictated over time how available art education is to people. Aristotle observed “To make art is to know the dynamics of nature and the psychology of human affairs” (15). I believe the intent of that statement was to describe the attitude required to create convincing representations in art, but the statement also identifies art as a discipline encouraging those who practice it to study science and the behavior of others. Over the period covered during these chapters, art education evolved from an endeavor of self and environmental awareness practiced within the community to formal academies teaching students how to accurately copy the work of prior celebrated masters. The will of those in power will always challenge what information society is allowed formal access to. If I’m a representative of the Church, I will want to have a say in just how much science my patrons believe. If I’m a government official, particularly one fearful of loosing my power, I may not want subjects who question my behavior. It’s that darn critical thinking side effect art has that I believe will always doom it’s security in public education programs.

Z590: A History of Art Education Introduction

  

  Image credit: Philosophy: A Discovery in Comics (2012) by Margreet de Heer 

          In beginning my exploration of the text A History of Art Education: Intellectual and Social Currents in Teaching the Visual Arts (1990) by Arthur D. Efland, I must say I am happy to be gaining a perspective of history that focuses on the arts in education. I minored in history during undergraduate school, but of course little reference is made in general history texts to the significance of art or art education over time.  On the second page of the first chapter, the author has already observed “instruction was affected by class, gender, and the general social status of the visual arts as a subject for study” (2).  I found the variety of individuals believed to be suitable artists and how their specific culture dictated that belief amusing. For some societies it was only the wealthy (and typically male) students who were allowed access to arts education, while others deemed art a slave or workingman’s trade, something only patronized by the wealthy.  Such a variance in reverence for art education must surely be the foundation of art’s continued vulnerability in education today.

I agree with the author’s observance “the arts reflect the society in which they arise, but so does the art education system that teaches the arts. Whether the system narrows access to the arts or makes them broadly available tells us something of the character of the society” (4). I wrote “Hello Kokomo” in the margin of my text next to this passage. Access to the arts and arts education is growing in my community, but mainly on the backs of loyal volunteers like myself. Our public art also often reflects our manufacturing town heritage. Kokomoans should have an appreciation of the factories and the incomes they have provided over the decades to generations of good hard working folk, but I sometimes step back and think shouldn’t we consider something new for our public art to say? I see it as Kokomo’s cultural policy in action. The author defines cultural policy as “the ways the arts are used to promote the values of a society” (5). I think when Kokomo creates this art honoring our manufacturing past, it also perpetuates the social control these manufacturers have established in our town during their decades of residency here. 

            I found the chapter Western origins of art education very helpful to me on a personal level. Much of the general history was familiar to me. The role and status of art in relation to the periods of time I was less familiar with and that knowledge caused me to have a serious “ah-ha” moment. My realization that the advocacy battle for the importance of the arts has been going on since before Christ was born has strangely lessened my urgency to convert the world to a bunch of arts advocates. I think I should have more patience now when communicating with those who don’t hold the same high opinion of art as I do.

            I look forward to the upcoming readings. We are delving into topics I enjoy very much: art, philosophy, history, culture, religion, and science to name the main areas.  I am a terribly slow reader and a very busy bank teller and community volunteer during the summer so I am relieved by the more open format of this independent study version of the course. Thank you again, Dr. Manifold for allowing me this summer option!

Visual Review of Philosophy: The Athenian Philosophers: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle by Leigh T. Denault. Heather Fouts (2014)