The subject-creating potential of art education : Subjectivity as an art educational instrument

This thesis investigates how art education can obtain subject-creating potential with Felix Guattarí discussion regarding the production of subjectivity, Mikhail Bakhtin theoretical discussion about dialogue-based understanding and a hermeneutic approach toward the process of interpretation as theoretical framework. By examining three observed art educational learning situations the aim is to investigate how art education can be considered as a constructor of subjectivity. The methodological approach is hermeneutic and therefore focused on the process of interpretation and the assumption that understanding is multifaceted and therefore depending on multiple perspectives. The art educational situations are analyzed thru four different perspectives – perception and material aspects, narrative aspects, relations and surroundings and lastly associations and connotations with an aim to regard different aspects of the art educational situation in relation to subjectivity constructing. The study emphasizes that the constructing of subjectivity thru art education requires a dialogue between participants, exhibition and art educator. A further requirement is a changeable approach toward meaning and interpretation in relation to the participants. A subject-creating art educational learning situation should therefore originate from the participants and their understandings and experiences of art, a specific concept, the exhibition or life in general rather than focus on knowledge intermediation of art history