Decolonizing Artmaking in a K-12 Art Room

What is Colonization?

The way we think about artmaking is altered by how society has functioned and by the unique experiences we have had up to this point. This means that every single person views art from a different perspective. The issue is that society is often run through the eyes of colonization. When reading this text I couldn't help but wonder how does that affect our artmaking and if the process of artmaking is inherently colonized?

The Oxford Dictionary defines colonization as

“The action or process of settling among and establishing control over the Indigenous people of an area.”

This means that colonization has power over people. I feel like the idea of colonization is often thought of as past tense or something that happened a while ago but in reality, it is ongoing and prevalent in society today. Specifically, in the art room, I think colonization takes place in the whitewashing and western practices. Because we live in America the classroom is set up in a way that is more "traditional" to western culture. The way the room is physically set up, the rules of the class, and the concepts taught all lend themselves to white western culture. Even my idea of teaching identity in the classroom is westernized and might not be as important tof a concept in other cultures. This being said, it's also important for me to go about the topic of identity in a way that isn't whitewashed and caterers to anyone that isn't the norm. This can show in ethnicity, disability, sexuality, and so many other ways.

What Does Decolonization Look Like?

Through my lesson plan, I hope to challenge the practice of colonization. Decolonizing artmaking is giving spaces, voices, representation, and acknowledgment to the "other". It expands beyond and decenters western ideology, colonial narratives, and hierarchical systems to create a more equitable picture of the world through equal inclusion of experiences, culture, and identity.

My Guidelines for Decolonization in the Art Room

When I think about how I want to decolonize the art classroom, I want to have some basic rules and guidelines to follow so that way I can hold myself accountable.

1. Challenge the Standard

Challenging the standard is an ability that requires courage. It is one of the hardest and most important steps to decolonizing, as it alters the mindset created by colonialism. I think this really is the first step to decolonizing a classroom because it takes away the norm which is important to do in the classroom anyways. Highlighting people's differences in a way that is celebrated can help break this standard.

2. Confront Conventional Educational Practices

The ways we give value to certain educational practices is colonized. The problems occur when value is only given to those who are educated in a specific academic setting. I think the way to combat this is to show working artists who might not have ever gone to college for art or even artists who are close to the age of the students. One does not need to be educated through academics to do art. A discussion about who the ones are that give value to the educated and what systems are in place to enact these values could be valuable too. There is very much two different sides to the art world, one where artists are trained through an academic institution and this side can sometimes be very posh or fall under a social hierarchy. The other side is current working artists often called struggling artists. It's important to acknowledge that both sides exist.

3. Honor the Past and Future

We are now at a time where the "other" is becoming recognized and appreciated or even celebrated. Showcasing artists from different backgrounds is probably the most important thing I can do as an art teacher. It's essential to show contemporary artists that are currently breaking the norm but it's also important to me that I show artists from famous movements who arent just classically trained straight white males. There are so many important artists who do not fit into the norm that are rarely recognized and should be represented. I want future generations to think back to their time and school and recognize that some of their inspiration came from diverse individuals.

Continuous Decolonization

Decolonizing the practice of artmaking has no single answer and will always be something I need to think about. My hope is that I can continue to grow this list and strive to do the unexpected and break cultural norms. Everyone shines a little differently and I want to celebrate that every day in my classroom.