Western
Washington University is presenting “Back to the Sandbox: Art as Radical
Pedagogy,” a project throughout the academic year focused on the junctions of
art and education that will include a partnership with the Bellingham School
District, Western Gallery art exhibition, a summit with international and local
artists, and a Black History Month summit with national artists, performers and
participatory workshops.
Many
project events are free and open to the public.
The
project includes:
Western
Gallery Exhibition
Jan.
9 to March 2018; opening reception Jan. 24, 2018.
Back
to the Sandbox brings together an international group of artists who explore
the critical state of education. The exhibition is based on collaborations of
prominent artists, scientists and educators and includes works of art,
scientific and educational experiments, and archival material.
Works
by Luis Camnitzer (Germany/Uruguay); James Duignan (Chicago); Priscila
Fernandes (Portugal); Michael Joaquin Grey (New York); Ane Hjort Guttu
(Norway); Markus Kayser (Germany); Eva Koťátková (Czech Republic); James
Mollison (Kenya/Italy); Palle Nielsen (Denmark); and Petr Nikl (Czech Republic)
are included in the exhibition.
The
curator of the exhibition, Jaroslav Anděl, Ph.D., is an independent curator and
author of over 40 books on contemporary art. He was artistic director of the
DOX Center for Contemporary Art in Prague from 2009 – 2014.
“By
asking radical questions, art becomes a radical pedagogy which transcends
institutional boundaries and inspires mind-changing narratives,” Anděl said.
Art
and Radical Pedagogy International Summit
Jan.
27, 2018 – Performing Arts Center (PAC) Concert Hall.
Renowned
artist Luis Camnitzer will give a keynote address on the pedagogy of art.
Visual, dance and theater artists will engage the audience in creative
approaches they use in their education-oriented art projects.
Panelists
will include include: Jaroslav Anděl, curator; Eva Bakkeslett, artist; Doug
Banner, CREATE director, WWU Wooding College of Education; Andrew Brown,
professor of Performance Art, WWU Fairhaven College; Luis Camnitzer, artist;
Deb Currier, WWU Theater faculty; Karen Dade, co-director, Woodring College of
Education; William John, Lummi language teacher; Pam Kuntz, WWU Dance faculty
and artistic director of Kuntz and Company; Vanessa Oliveira Andreotti, Canada
Research chair in Race, Inequalities and Global Change, University of British
Columbia, Vancouver, and Kristina Lee Podesva, artist.
Back
to the Sandbox: Art as Radical Pedagogy Black History Month Summit
Feb.
9-10, 2018, PAC, Concert Hall, and Wilson Library.
Activities
on Feb. 9 will include a Black History Month cultural reception with welcoming
performers, an “Africa to America” participatory performance workshop and
African Diaspora Fashion Show. Activities on Feb. 10 will include African
descent visual and performing arts featuring local and non-local Black artists
and art collectors to exhibit, perform and participate in education panel
discussions on the works of Black artists. The panel discussions will highlight
topics such as: art as radical pedagogy; current challenges in the profession;
learning to invest in Black art; understanding the world of Black art
collectors; the social movements of Pan African artists, critical race theory
(CRT) and racial identity development using art, Black renaissances, and
understanding culture and traditions through art pedagogy.
Panelists
will include national artists such as Knowledge Bennett; national art dealer
Alitash Kebede; art collector Edward Moore, and Nyanda Miata Donaldson,
co-partner/curator of Gross Art Gallery. In addition, a visual artists’ gallery
walk, student talent showcase, mural painting and participatory social justice
arts workshops/sessions will take place the afternoon of Feb. 10.
The
Black History Month Summit is being co-hosted by members of the Black Student
Union, African Caribbean Club, African Descent Faculty & Staff affinity
group, Snohomish/Everett NAACP, and individuals from the Bellingham community.
The event is being organized by the Black History Month planning committee,
which includes representatives from each of the groups listed above.
Partnership
with Bellingham School District
This
component of the project included an in-service professional development
training for Bellingham School District teachers at Whatcom Middle School
Commons on Oct. 19, 2017, led by trainer Roger Fernandes, that looked at the
role of storytelling and art in the education of children through the lens of
Coast Salish tribal cultures of the western Washington region.
Also
included in the partnership are five 30-hour residencies. Teaching artists will
develop a critical arts education integrated curriculum with school district
teachers, providing on-going professional development throughout the year. Some
component of the project will be displayed or performed during Children’s Art
Walk on May 4, which will include K-12 student exhibits and performances.
Participating
Teaching artists include Deb Currier, WWU Theater faculty; Pam Kuntz, WWU Dance
faculty; Doug Banner, WWU CREATE, Rachel Simpson, AAWC Visual Arts, and Roger
Fernandes, member of the Lower Elwha Band of the S’Klallam Indians and an
expert in Native American Studies.
The
“Back to the Sandbox: Art as Radical Pedagogy” was initiated through a generous
gift from the Dreier Family. Doug Dreier graduated from Western’s College of
Fine and Performing arts in 1996 and taught in Baltimore inner city schools. In
addition, various WWU programs have contributed to the yearlong project, which
is continuing to seek additional funding and volunteers for all events.
Western’s
campus community is particularly encouraged to attend project events and WWU
faculty are invited to add these events in their winter course syllabi to
encourage Western student attendance and participation.
