O que eu vejo de onde estou : contributo de um programa artístico-pedagógico ao serviço do desenvolvimento da livre expressão criadora na infância

The theoretical and practical discourse of artistic experience and its importance in pedagogy addressed during the course of the 20th century constituted a relevant interest for the study of the harmonious development of children and youth. The present thesis presents a theoretical and practical study using references from the field of philosophy, pedagogy and art. Based on contributions by John Dewey (1859-1952), Herbert Read (1893-1968) and Elliot Eisner (1933-2014), we certify the extension of the arts in the field of life in general and pedagogy in particular, and even though, art allows the human being to be touched emotionally through a unique form of experience. We found reference and inspiration in the work of artist pedagogues such as John Cage, Tim Rollins, Joseph Beuys, Malangatana Valente Ngwenya, Bruno Munari, Madalena Cabral and Eurico Gonçalves. Artists in the educational role, often in experimental contexts display relevancy for conceptual thinking on the development of aesthetic experience in the field of art and pedagogy. Practices that present the creation of artistic structures or programs linked to reforming pedagogies that demonstrate the potential of artistic languages as an innovative concept in artistic-pedagogical programs. Such experiences also ensure that the methodology used allows for a natural shift between artist, pedagogue and researcher. Based on the theoretical references and the artistic and pedagogical practices mentioned above, we created the artistic-pedagogical program: “What I see from where I am” that takes shape in the practical part of this thesis and with which we tried to identify methods and test practices for the construction of artistic processes and products. This program was designed with an organized base structure, in artistic experimentation workshops, inspired by artistic movements of such references as: Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism and the KWY Group. The structure was designed to be flexible and adapted to different ages, heterogeneous groups, at different times and workspaces. Thus, we were able to observe the program in three different contexts: school, artistic residency and museum. The artistic activities performed during the workshops, brought about different interpretations despite of using the same materials and techniques allowing for free self-expression in childhood. They also made it possible to test the effectiveness of the strategies and resources involved in the sessions for the development of aesthetic sensitivity and openness to the arts, to be measured through the artistic objects produced, allowing participants to obtain knowledge in a metaphorical way