Abstract
The spiritual dimensions of education offer different ways of representing knowledge. This presentation describes possible spiritual connections in art education by linking between contemporary art and various spiritual practices. Spiritual dimensions of art and education offer different ways of understanding or representing knowledge. This presentation draws upon our experiences of walking in the Himalayan mountains with Tibetan Buddhist monks, conversations with rabbis in Jerusalem, and our own teaching within public school classrooms to explore topics of holiness, mindfulness and culture. The purpose of this presentation is to describe and interrogate the potential of the spiritual dimensions of education by drawing connections between contemporary art and various meditative practices. We will describe and discuss connections between teaching and holiness, links between the sacred and contemporary art, and how pedagogy can include the spiritual dimensions of life. Various aspects of the spiritual dimensions of teaching and learning will be illustrated through stories, artwork, photography, and the work of contemporary artists including such as Richard Long, Marina Abramovic, and Mark Dion. We are exploring spiritual dimensions of art and education because of their potential to offer a different kind of learning, different ways of understanding or representing knowledge or their potential to inspire and cultivate wholeness. Some scholars believe that religion and spirituality are powerful cultural phenomena that permeate nearly every facet of our lives, whether we see them or not, and they should be identified and critiqued. These topics are particularly relevant in understanding both culture and some contemporary art practices.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2021 Special Focus - Voices from the Edge: Negotiating the Local in the Global
KEYWORDS
Epistemology, Spiritual, Contemporary, Art. Education
