AGO & ID

So much of art is about the personal. Using one’s experience, emotions, and ideas to express them in a visual manner.This connected the Buffington article (2014) and our field trip to the Art Gallery of Ontario. The history of the AGO was Euro-centric. The pieces of art, the stories being told were one that completely rejected a large part of Canadian history and identity. Living in the Greater Toronto Area, the diversity of cultures and experiences from my students will need to be represented, celebrated, and shared. As there is a shift in understanding and desire for more diverse and inclusive art, it opens the space for all of the public - young and old - settlers and Indigenous peoples to enjoy and feel like they belong in the space. This is supported by the Ontario curriculum (2009) which states, “In an inclusive arts program, learning resources and art work presented for analysis reflect the broad range of both female and male students’ interests, backgrounds, cultures, and experiences.” (p. 50)

When we were walking through the gallery, I was more familiar with the art on the lower floor, mainly because that is the type of art I was exposed to in school and it was implied that this is real art. When we moved upstairs my interest piqued mainly because it was different. I wanted to know more about it. The major themes of transformation and identity was explored with Indigenous artists, but they are themes that I relate to as a first generation Canadian. This highlighted by Roberts (2005) who stated that art is “the emphasis on individual exploration and reflection invites student artists to grapple with and make meaning of these issues in their own lives.” (p. 41). I connected to the idea that as a minority in Canada there is extra effort to find a space where my heritage and “Canadian-ness” belongs. It was beautifully comforting to see art that celebrated Canada and its people. This relates to the video "What is art for?", where it explains that art is a way for multiple stories and perspectives to be shared. It validates our emotions, and our exciting and mundane experiences.

Whether in the classroom or outside of the school, the arts curriculum needs to reflect the students the community they are from. There is a responsibility as the teacher to value student experiences and identities (Buffington, 2014). The art that I show to my students need to come from a variety of Canadian and global artists sharing their unique perspective. The lessons also need to reflect my students’ ideas and culture. By expanding the narrative it can empower my students, who have something worth sharing.

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Buffington, M. (2014). Power play: Rethinking roles in the art classroom. Art Education, 67(4), 6-11.

Ontario Ministry of Education (2009). Curriculum Guidelines: The Arts. www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/arts18b09curr.pdf

Roberts, T. (2005). Teaching real art making. Art Education, 58(2)

#ArtsCurriculum #Creativity