Blackboards were turned into tables … Questioning ‘horizontality’ in collaborative pedagogical art projects

Blackboards were turned into tables … Questioning ‘horizontality’ in collaborative pedagogical art projects is research based on the practice of the collective microsillons, which is developing collaborative pedagogical art projects in different contexts. The aim of the research is to explore the possibilities offered by ‘horizontal pedagogical exchanges’ and to question the very notion of ‘horizontality’. It interrogates the possibility to challenge, through artistic projects in educational contexts, the traditional master–pupils (or artist–participants, or gallery educator–public) relationship. After a presentation of microsillons’ position in the cultural field, in particular regarding gallery education practices, collaborative art practices and the Educational Turn in Curating, a series of five collaborative pedagogical art projects realized by the collective between 2009 and 2011 are presented. Inspired by methods such as thick description and Participatory Action Research, situations in those projects are studied where a more horizontal pedagogical exchange is sought. Paulo Freire’s reflection about dialogical pedagogy serves as a starting point in this reflection. Anarchist and libertarian pedagogies, as well as the critical pedagogies discourses following Freire, are used to discuss the various strategies used by microsillons. Through those case studies are discussed the ideas of the classroom as a laboratory for democracy, of content co-generation, of network-like organization, of unpredictability and of constructive conflicts. Drawing from poststructuralist and feminist perspectives, key terms of critical pedagogy (such as empowerment) are then rethought and the idea of ‘horizontality’ questioned, complexified, presented as a utopian horizon rather than a practicable concept. Shortcomings and paradoxes in the projects’ attempts toward more egalitarian exchanges are identified and the limitations of the term are discussed. Thoughts about ways to overcome those reservations and to avoid romanticizing ‘horizontality’ are proposed, opening to microsillons’ future projects

Réinventer la pédagogie des opprimé·e·x·s pour développer une approche dialogique de l’art contemporain

Au-delà de la réception bien documentée de l’œuvre de Paulo Freire dans les champs des pédagogies émancipatrices, de l’alphabétisation ou encore des sciences de l’éducation, ses textes ont également connu un destin élargi dans le domaine de l’art – dans les processus de production artistique, l’éducation à l’art et/ou par l’art. Ce texte propose de revenir sur le projet « Réinventer la pédagogie des opprimé·e·x·s pour favoriser la participation culturelle dans les institutions d’art contemporain suisses (janvier 2021-janvier 2023) » (RPO). Cette réinvention a consisté en une relecture de Freire entre les membres de notre équipe de recherche, quatre collectifs ou associations dans quatre institutions artistiques en Suisse francophone, en vue de réengager sa pensée dans un projet d’émancipation. Les quatre groupes ayant collaboré au projet se distinguent par les formes d’engagement et leur taille. Les quatre institutions d’art contemporain se distinguent elles aussi par leur dimension, leur ancrage géographique et leurs modalités de gestion. Projet à géométrie variable, cette expérience révèle différentes inflexions des inédits possibles ouverts par la pensée de Paulo Freire, chaque projet soulignant en effet un point saillant de l’expérience d’émancipation.Para além de receção bem documentada de Paulo Freire no horizonte das pedagogias emancipatórias, da alfabetização e das ciências da educação, os seus textos tiveram um destino alargado no campo da arte – nos processos de produção artística, educação artística e/ou através da arte. Este texto propões revisitar o projeto “Reinventar a pedagogia para os oprimidos para promover a participação cultural nas instituições de arte contemporânea suíças (janeiro de 2021 a janeiro de 2023)” (RPO). Esta reinvenção consistiu numa reinterpretação de Freire entre os membros da nossa equipa de pesquisa, quatro coletivos ou associações em quatro instituições artísticas na Suíça francófona, com o objetivo de reenquadrar o seu pensamento num projeto de emancipação. Os quatro grupos que colaboraram no projeto distinguem-se pelas formas de compromisso e pelo tamanho. As quatro instituições de arte contemporânea também se destacam pela sua dimensão, localização geográfica e modalidades de gestão. Projeto de geometria variável, esta experiência revela diferente inflexões das possibilidades inéditas abertas pelo pensamento de Freire, sendo que cada projeto destaca um ponto saliente da experiência de emancipação.Beyond the well-documented reception of Paolo Freire’s work in the realm of emancipatory pedagogies, literacy, and education sciences, his texts have also found an expanded destiny in the field of art – within processes of artistic production, art education, and/or through art itself. This text aims to revisit the project “Reinventing the Pedagogy of the Oppressed to Foster Cultural Participation in Swiss Contemporary Art Institutions (January 2021-January 2023)” (RPO). This reinvention consisted of a reinterpretation of Freire among the members of our research team, four collectives or associations in four artistic institutions in French-speaking Switzerland, with the aim of reengaging his ideas in a project of emancipation. The four groups that collaborated on the project are distinguished by their forms of commitment and their size. The four contemporary art institutions also distinguish themselves by their size, geographic location, and management methods. A project with variable geometry, this experience reveals different inflections of the possible innovations opened up by Freire’s work, with each highlighting a salient point of the emancipation experience

Motifs incertains ::enseigner et apprendre les pratiques socialement engagées

Cette publication – réalisée à l’initiative du Master TRANS– de la HEAD – Genève – regroupe des textes rédigés par les responsables (et les étudiant·e·s) de cinq programmes d’études construits autour des les pratiques artistiques socialement engagées (MA Socially Engaged Art (National College of Art and Design, Dublin) / Art & Social Practice (Portland State University) / PEI (MACBA, Barcelona) / Institute für Kunst im Kontext (Universität der Künste, Berlin) / Master TRANS– (HEAD – Genève)). Elle contient également les traductions de deux textes fondamentaux (l’un de Pablo Helguera, auteur de Education for Socially Engaged Art et l’autre de Gregory Sholette, co-éditeur de Art as Social Action

Réinventer la pédagogie des opprimé·e·x·s pour développer une approche dialogique de l’art contemporain

Au-delà de la réception bien documentée de l’œuvre de Paulo Freire dans les champs des pédagogies émancipatrices, de l’alphabétisation ou encore des sciences de l’éducation, ses textes ont également connu un destin élargi dans le domaine de l’art – dans les processus de production artistique, l’éducation à l’art et/ou par l’art. Ce texte propose de revenir sur le projet « Réinventer la pédagogie des opprimé·e·x·s pour favoriser la participation culturelle dans les institutions d’art contemporain suisses (janvier 2021-janvier 2023) » (RPO). Cette réinvention a consisté en une relecture de Freire entre les membres de notre équipe de recherche, quatre collectifs ou associations dans quatre institutions artistiques en Suisse francophone, en vue de réengager sa pensée dans un projet d’émancipation. Les quatre groupes ayant collaboré au projet se distinguent par les formes d’engagement et leur taille. Les quatre institutions d’art contemporain se distinguent elles aussi par leur dimension, leur ancrage géographique et leurs modalités de gestion. Projet à géométrie variable, cette expérience révèle différentes inflexions des inédits possibles ouverts par la pensée de Paulo Freire, chaque projet soulignant en effet un point saillant de l’expérience d’émancipation