Pedagogical Art in Activist and Curatorial Practices

This edited volume highlights the historical, philosophical and theoretical legacies of pedagogical art and examines its connections with various forms of activism and institutional transformation.

Chapters reveal interconnected concerns related to institutional power structures, systemic racism, sexism and gender biases in art institutions, exclusionary tactics of neoliberal corporate interests, and the politicization of culture in authoritarian regimes. The volume brings together leading and emerging scholars, curators and artists who have written case studies from various geographical, cultural and political contexts. Through a range of different approaches and diverse perspectives, contributors address key debates and conversations on this topic including the lessons that can be learned from exploring global histories of critical pedagogy, the possibilities and constraints of institutional critique and transformation within museums, universities and other educational institutions, and the many ways in which contemporary pedagogical art has intersected with art and activism around the world. Through these debates, contributors investigate the potential of pedagogical art as a transformative institutional tool with the potential to activate discursive spaces for generating, sharing and amplifying knowledge as a powerful form of collective resistance.

The book will be of interest to scholars working in art history, art education, and museum studies, among other fields.