Back to the Sandbox: Art and Radical Pedagogy
Back to the Sandbox: Art and Radical Pedagogy
Hafnarhús
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The relationship between art and education, creation and production, is a topic that is often addressed in today’s social discourse. This applies both to the question of potential for development in industry and the economy,and the role of education in society.
In the exhibition Back to the Sandbox: Art and Radical Pedagogy, curator Jaroslav Anděl has selected works by a number of contemporary artists who pose questions about the nature and role of education, while also seeing creativity as a key factor in today’s society.
The exhibition references ideas of reformers and ideologues in the field of education, and highlights two conflicting aspects of education: on the one hand the liberating potential of education and learning, relating to democracy and its grounding principles such as freedom and justice. On the other hand the point is made that the educational system has grown out of Enlightenment ideas and a drive to formalisation, with the focus on homogeneity and compliance, rather than creativity and diversity.
The works in the exhibition span a wide range.
Some will involve participation by visitors, taking place both inside the Museum and outside. Works by such artists as Michael Joaquin Grey, Ane Hjort Guttu and Priscila Fernandes form the core of the exhibition, together with a piece by Luis Camnitzer which extends beyond the Museum’s walls. In addition the exhibition includes works by Jim Duignan, Markus Kayser, Eva Koťátková, James Mollison, Calvin Seibert, Renzo Piano and The Society for a Merrier Present.
From the Reykjavík Art Museum, Back to the Sandbox: Art and Radical Pedagogy will be touring Europe and the USA. The objective is, among other things, to bring together people in different fields both in Iceland and abroad.
The exhibition is founded on international collaboration among artists, scientists and educators – all leaders in their own fields.
In conjunction with the exhibition an ambitious programme of events will take place, for the public and professional educators. In addition to lectures and a seminar on radical pedagogy, the Biophilia educational project will hold workshops at Hafnarhús during the exhibition.
Curator Jaroslav Anděl (b.
1949) has organised numerous exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, mainly in Europe but also in the USA and Japan. He has written many books and been a consultant to the Council of Europe on its platform Smarter Creativity, Smarter Democracy. He lives in Prague and New York..
Images of exhibition
