Critical Pedagogy and Art

Synonyms

Aesthetics; Artworks; Critical education; Visual literacy

Introduction: Critical Pedagogy and Visual Art Discourse

Critical pedagogy has a rich history in the fields of education and curriculum studies. Paulo Freire’s seminal text, Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1968), is grounded in a Marxist class analysis. It posits education’s purpose as mobilizing students to question their social conditions and to assert agency or the capacity to self-manage individually and collectively. Freire’s concept of praxis, or the combination of critical reflection and action in service of a democratic and emancipatory project, reflects his conviction that education is inseparable from ethical and political concerns. His work set the stage for subsequent, more explicit explorations of race, sexuality, and gender. Drawing on Freire’s work and the progressive education movement championed by John Dewey – in which he asserted the centrality of schools in producing a democratic citizenry – North...