MY BLOG - VISUAL ARTS PRACTICE 1

Exploring the Role of Participation within Artistic and Pedagogic Practice by Worwood

Wormwood introduces the term ‘participatory artistic practice’ which includes for her both the artistic and pedagogic practices which take place in a gallery and involves everyone who takes part.  Collaboration is the focus of today’s contemporary art and involves an interdisciplinary approach while considering international ideas and experiences.  There is also more cooperation between artists and curators and although this can have very creative outcomes there has to be respect for the knowledge of both and this has to be taken into account – an issue raised by Jankowicz.  Wormwood recognises the awareness needed when curator and artist, and indeed educationalists, work together and she suggests that the ‘development in the critique of participatory practice’ is necessary.

 

New thinking in collaborative ventures dates back to the 60’s with the move to incorporate art into society and using it to serve the community.  In her role as designer of educational programmes for gallery education, Wormwood aims for participation and collaboration through social interaction.  Her programmes cater for all kinds of people with varying levels of knowledge and are interdisciplinary. She uses contemporary art to help participants to justify and resolve their life experiences and explore the self.
 

The need for new teaching approaches has not only been recognized by Wormwood but has also been noted by Dennis Atkinson in his paper ‘Pedagogy against the State’.  Our rapidly changing world with internationalization needs an approach which involves collaboration between participants and artists in a local setting.  Collaboration of this type ensures common goals, relevance and interest as well as being learner centred.

 

Wormwood highlights the term ‘communities of practice’ which is normally attributed to Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger.  It is in fact, social learning where participants are fully involved in the learning process and where they see the purpose of learning.  The group has a common goal, are independent and choose their own artistic direction.  This need for autonomy states Wormwood is not only important for participants but also for herself.

This article made me feel inadequate as I realised how little I knew about the world of contemporary art, participation and education.  However, I learned a lot from Wormwood.  The following quote sums up what I see as being one of the most profound statements of the article, ‘The role of artwork today is no longer to form imaginary and utopian realities but to actually be ways of living and models of action within the existing real, whatever the scale chosen by the artist.’

 

I would like to think that my own walking artist project can be seen as being part of the real and is part of people’s lives today. It certainly is an important part of mine.

 

References

Worwood, K. (2009) ´Exploring the Role of Participation within Artistic and Pedagogic Practice’ in Artist Teacher Exhibition Catalogue 2009, Northumbria University.