Estonian Academy of Arts
Tallinn, Estonia
Contemporary art – at least here and now – sees as one of its major tasks the critical reflection and analysis of society. This has resulted that the Academy in order to carry out its task in educating artists, has to constantly justify its relevance and necessity for its existence to the society and its decision-makers. The situation on Estonian art-scene today has created certain polarization where some of the public (as well as many decision-makers in society) are taking the position that contemporary art, and the art education establishment, is not fulfilling arts traditional goals as we know them anymore. This tendency is not expressed officially but has been noticed by the media covering art in its views and comments – and this, at every level. This tendency is also evident in the number of competitions for art for public spaces, where the specialist opinions are undervalued and preference is shown for the, so called, public opinion.
No doubt that art has changed over the decades. This has been particularly acutely felt in Estonia, where at the turn of the 1980ies to the 90ies the whole Fine Arts paradigm changed. We continue to be influenced by the effects of these changes today. The decision-makers of today and the majority of art consumers have had their art preferences shaped 30–40 years ago, in an entirely different cultural situation. At the same time the younger generation has increasingly turned toward commercial culture consumption. A certain vacuum seems to have developed where some do not 'want' and others do not 'know what to want'.
On the other hand it is natural that society has certain expectations towards art (including of art teaching Institutions), on exactly what and how art should be dealt with. As well, the generations of artists within the art community itself do not express agreement on the issue.
The foregoing dispute forms the basis for our Conference themes, where through discussion we will attempt to clarify points of view and to find answers to the following questions:
Whom should the Art Educational Institutions educate – those who follow tradition or those who want to change it?
What are the obligations of the Higher Art Educational Institutions to Society if any?
How should the dialogue between Contemporary Art and Society take place and what is the role of the Art Higher Education Institutions in this process?
Can (or must) everybody be an Artist? Or even understand Contemporary Art?
Is an artist who is critical of Society a creator or destroyer?
What is the role of aesthetics in Contemporary Art and Art education?
What should art education be like in schools, assuring broader understanding of art in the society on one hand and raising the new generation of artists on the other hand?
The Estonian Academy of Arts will be conducting a Conference entitled Public Expectations on 2–3 February, 2012 at the Rüütelkonna Building in Tallinn. The topic for discussion is the relationship among contemporary art, higher art education and society.
Participation in the seminar is free!
ORGANISER
Estonian Academy of Arts
Date: 2–3 February, 2012
Venue: Rüütelkonna Building, Kiriku plats 1, Tallinn
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Prof. Mikkel Bogh
(Royal Academy of Arts, Copenhagen, rector; theoretician)
Prof. Henrik B. Andersen
(Vilnius Academy of Arts, professor; artist)
Prof. Teemu Mäki
(Aalto University, School of Art and Design, professor; artist)
Prof. Tomaz Zupančič
(University of Maribor, Slovenia, professor of pedagogy)
Prof. Viive-Riina Ruus
(Tallinn University)
Expected audience of the two-day conference are representatives of higher art education, teachers and researchers, degree students, artists, education officials. The working languages are English and Estonian: simultaneous translation on first day; parallel sessions in English and Estonian on second day (second seminar aimed at international participants).
THEMES
Prof. Mikkel Bogh
(Royal Academy of Arts, Copenhagen, rector; theoretician)
"The Contemporary Art Academy Going Public"Judged by its architectonic cover, seen from the outside, the classical art academy— established in the wake of either absolutist power, enlightenment thinking or the newborn nation state—still has the face of an invincible castle, a place from where messages are sent, but which take no orders. But nothing could be farther from the truth than the conviction that the art academy is a secluded territory, a world of its own, granting only very limited access to the public as well as to professional peers. Over the last 10 years or more art academies have changed roles and purposes to the extent that today more than ever academies are considered as public institutions, even as machines for production of not only education but also of culture at large, offering ranges of exhibitions, collaborative projects, seminars, concerts, talks, debates, publications, open classes and other events to a broader public. The academy has gone public, big time. Thus it sits in a complex public and therefore also highly politicised domain invested with multiple ideas, desires and interests. And the expectations are high. However, sometimes expectations are also beside the point, even irrelevant, seen from the point of view of the art academy professionals. How to cope with this non-correspondence? Can the academy regain its power of definition in a context where everything, notions of art included, seems open to negotiation? Is it time to rethink ideas about public education, participation, the autonomy of art production and artistic research? This talk will argue that the contemporary art academy should develop new strategies for its own interface with the public. Neither in order to become even more open, nor to restore the old academic facades, but to be clearer about the nature of the dialogue and the exchange it wants to maintain with its surroundings.
Prof. Henrik B. Andersen
(Vilnius Academy of Arts, professor of sculpture; artist)
"The condition of contemporary practical teaching in art academies"General, education or academy—School or laboratory (Process)—Talent or pupil—Art history and contemporary art teaching—The role of the professor—Top / down—Down / up—Theory and art production—Language and art teaching—Class or course—Evaluation—The function of art today—Art market and art teaching—The medium is the message?—The art student as an individual—Applied procedure to art school—Art and life—Local culture tradition and global art world.
Prof. Teemu Mäki
(Aalto University, School of Art and Design, professor of fine arts; artist)
"What Is The Function Of Art In Contemporary Society—How To Justify The (Economically) Unprofitable?"In today's world art has no stable definition or purpose. That's why we have to constantly talk about art's function. Art is now a grey area, an open field where you can go and do anything and claim it's art—and nobody can prove that what you've made is not art. From the viewpoint of a market economy, art is mostly an irrational activity; and from the viewpoint of one social theory, art is a prop people use to define and inflate their social status. How to justify the making and consumption of art in this situation? In what way could art be seen as a vitally important sphere of society, not just a failing subgenre of the entertainment industry? What are the meaningful functions of art in a contemporary, market-driven society? What should artists do? Who do they serve (if not the market)? What is the function of art education: what are we training artists and art educators for? And what should the latter teach to children in schools?
Prof. Tomaž Zupančič
(University of Maribor, Slovenia, professor of pedagogy)
"Bridge over troubled waters"(A bit on contemporary art, a lot on art education and maybe something on society)
Who should be blamed for the gap between contemporary visual art and society? Certainly not art, irrespective of how strange it may be at first sight. Contemporary art education should build the bridge over troubled water of incomprehension between contemporary visual culture and society. According to Arthur Efland, the main purpose of art education in a post-modern era is to widen and deepen our understanding of the cultural landscape we inhabit. Today's art education involves using the same methods, attitudes, and principles that determine and are characteristic of contemporary art. It stresses teachers descending from the pedestal, the diversity of comprehending, reading artwork and other principles. An artist who is critical of society is a creator, not a destroyer. Contemporary art education tries to do its best and step toward contemporary art, enjoy it and permit it to mirror and reflect the other and sometimes the dark side of ourselves.
Prof. Em. Viive-Riina Ruus
(Tallinn University, professor emeritus, pedagogical scientist )
"Design of Curricula, Art Education and Innovation"The presentation will bring forward the importance of locality in the present situation and will make a longer focus on the opportunities of teachers and students to design their own curricula. A 3D-model with the following dimensions will be offered: 1) educational standards based on cultural norms, 2) curriculum creation at universities and schools and innovation and research related to it, 3) the inclusion of everyone in curriculum creation. The changed conception of learning will also be described. Special attention is paid to how such an approach shapes more democratic relations of power and provides both learners and teachers with an anchor for identity creation.
PROGRAMME
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Venue: EAA Fine Arts study building, Rüütelkonna Building, Kiriku plats 1, TallinnModerator: Prof. Andres Tali
(EKA Fine Arts, Dean)
12:00-13:00 — Registreerumine ja kohv
13:00-13:20 — Introduction. Prof. Andres Tali
13:20-13:30 — Opening address. Prof. Signe Kivi. EKA, Rector
13:30-14:15 — Speech of the Minister of Education and Research, Prof. Jaak Aaviksoo.
Discussion
14:15-15:15 — Presentation by Prof. Mikkel Bogh "The Contemporary Art Academy Going Public"
15:15-15:30 — Coffee break
15:30-16:30 — Presentation by Prof. Henrik B Andersen. "The Condition Of Contemporary Practical Teaching In Art Academies"
Discussion
16:30-17:30 —Presentation by Prof. Teemu Mäki "What Is The Function Of Art In Contemporary Society – How To Justify The (Economically) Unprofitable?"
Discussion
17:30-18:00 — Summary of the day
Friday, 3 February 2012
Venue: EAA Fine Arts study building, Rüütelkonna Building, Kiriku plats 1, TallinnModerator: Asst. Prof. Annely Köster
(Head of the Department of Art Pedagogy, EKA)
9:30-10:00 — Registration and coffee
10:00-10:30 — Introduction. Asst. Prof. Annely Köster
10:30-11:30 —Presentation by Prof. Tomaž Zupančič "Bridge over Troubled Waters. (A bit on contemporary art, a lot on art education and maybe something on society)"
Discussion
11:30-12:30 — Presentation by Prof. Em. Viive-Riina Ruus "Design Of Curricula, Art Education"
Discussion
12:30-13:15 — Working groups*
13:15-14:00 — Lunch
14:00-15:30 — Working groups*
15:30-16:30 — Summaries of the working groups
16:30-17:00 — Summary of the Conference
17:00-18:00 — Ending the Conference
*Working groups:
—From Higher Art Educational Institutions to Schools.
Moderator: Prof. Liina Siib, Academic Vice Rector, EKA
—The Position of Art(Education) in the Society.
Moderator:EKA Art History PhD student Maarin Ektermann
—Why and How to Teach Art and Study Art? Development of the training of art teachers on MA level.
Moderator: Asst. Prof Annely Köster
—What M stands for in MA? Development of teaching art on MA level.
Moderator: Prof. Andres Tali (in English)
EAA Fine Arts study building,
Rüütelkonna Building, Kiriku plats 1, Tallinn
www.artun.ee
