Intellect

This book reviews past practice and theory in critical studies and discusses various trends; some papers keenly advocate a re-conceptualization of the whole subject area, while others describe aspects of current and past practice which exemplify the 'symbiotic' relationship between practical studio work and critical engagement with visual form.

Rod Taylor, who has done much to promote and develop critical studies in the UK, provides us with examples of classroom practice and gives us his more recent thoughts on fundamental issues – 'universal themes' in art – and gives examples of how both primary and secondary schools might develop their teaching of art through attending to themes such as 'identity', 'myth' and 'environments' to help 're-animate the practical curriculum'.

Although some of the discussion in this book centres on or arises from the English National curriculum, the issues are more global, and are relevant to anyone involved in developing or delivering art curricula in schools. An American perspective is given in papers by George Geahigan and Paul Duncum. Geahigan outlines an approach to teaching about visual form which begins with students' personal responses and is developed through structured instruction. In Duncum’s vision of ‘visual culture art education’, sites such as theme parks and shopping malls are the focus of students' critical attention in schools; Nick Stanley gives a lucid account of just such an enterprise, giving practical examples of ways to engage students with this particular form of visual pleasure.

This publication serves to highlight some of the more pressing issues of concern to art and design teachers in two aspects. Firstly it seeks to contextualize the development of critical studies, discussing its place in the general curriculum – possibly as a discrete subject – and secondly it examines different approaches to its teaching.


Chapter 1: 'Introduction: A Short History of Critical Studies in Art & Design Education' - Richard Hickman, senior lecturer at the University of Cambridge

Chapter 2: 'Don't Judge Pianists by their Hair' - Arthur Hughes, former head of art and art education at the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design

Chapter 3: 'Theoretical Comments' - Leslie Perry, former Chair in Philosophy of Education at King's College

Chapter 4: 'Curricular Development in Critical Studies' - David Thistlewood, former President of the National Society for Education in Art and Design

Chapter 5: 'What do Dragons Think About in their Dark Lonely Caves? Or Critical Studies: The Importance of Knowledge' - Alison Bancroft, head of art at Wembley High School

Chapter 6: 'Universal Themes: Content and Meaning in Art and Design Education' - Rod Taylor, freelance Art Education Consultant

Chapter 7: 'Critical Discourse and Art Criticism Instruction' - George Geahigan, professor of Art and Design at Purdue University

Chapter 8: 'Critical Enquiry in Art in the Primary School' - Sue Cox, senior lecturer in Primary Education at Nottingham Trent University

Chapter 9: 'Art and Worldview: Escaping the Formalist and Collectivist Labyrinth' - Lesie Cunliffe, senior lecturer in Art and Education at the University of Exeter

Chapter 10: 'School Student's Responses to Architecture: A Practical Studio Project' - Richard Hickman, senior lecturer at the University of Cambridge

Chapter 11: 'Visual Culture Art Education: Why, What and How?' - Paul Duncum, associate professor of Art Education at the University of illinois

Chapter 12: 'Out of this World: Theme Parks' Contribution to a Redefined Aesthetics and Educational Practice' - Nick Stanley, director of research and postgraduate studies at the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design

Chapter 13: 'Who's Afraid of Signs and Sgnification? Defending Semiotics in the Seconday Art and Design Curriculum' - Nicholas Addison, Chair of the Association of Art Historians Schools Group

'This book is a welcome addition to an under-discussed and thorny area. Many of the papers here make worthwhile interventions to that end. If all the strong points made could be taken into consideration, perhaps we could move towards a layered delivery of critical studies within art and design which can simultaneously provide for future producers, consumers, practitioners and theorists.' (The Higher Education Academy)