Value The Diverse Culture Through Art Education

 

 

 

 

 

Value The Diverse Culture Through Art Education

 

 

 

Subcultures play the important roles and enhance our global culture. However, there are many obstacles between people who speak different languages, who worship different gods, and who live and work under completely different cultural backgrounds. Especially in the United States where various ethnic groups are living together, the barriers still exist among different ethnic groups who are carrying traditional culture from their motherland. Recently, art educational research groups suggest the remarkable communication skills from primary human analysis through art. For example, “The Journal of Multicultural and Cross-cultural Research in Art Education,” founded in 1981, published the significant treatises: “to promote a greater understanding of diverse cultures and to explore the role of art in multicultural education” (Degge). In particular, the study for the art education focus on these areas; “art and social understanding, cultural identity and pride, community art education” (Degge).

 

First, the relations of art and social understanding which emphasized on communication, the research begins with fundamental origins of mankind. Before the primary language had been developed, human had communicated with symbols and drawings on ancient cave walls. The Vice President of “International Society for Education through Art (INSEA),” Rachel Mason and the co-writer, Doug Boughton stated, “In educational terms art is a unique tool for the investigation of cultural values because it transcends the barrier of language and provides visceral and tacit insights into cultural change” (Mason), in “Beyond Multicultural Art Education, International Perspectives.” Likewise, Thomas Garrigue Masaryk, the author of “The Ideals Of Humanity and How To Work,” stated “Art lends itself more easily to popularization than does science, it is more accessible, it speaks directly to man’s heart” (167). The perfect occasion to make a fascinating and stimulating discovery in diverse cultural environments, art education is a useful tool; allowing us to access the lessons and experience previously learned and lived.

 

Second, the relations of art and cultural identity and pride, Masaryk encouraged us further study of John Ruskin’s thought: “how all art in its foundation is of ethical origin, how it can lead to ethical goals, and how it aids learning” (168). This inspiring art examines influences to our lives and traditional life styles that have carried on our ancestors’ characters. When we recognize who we are and where we are coming from, we can respect other cultures as well. Consequently, the more we know ourselves better, the more we are likely to accept other cultures in our lives. Moreover, art education reveals the skills learned from origins to enrich our lives through finding identification in multicultural environments and appreciate our valuable original culture.

Furthermore, analysis of experience from art, we understand more about subcultures in a big picture. Irwin Edman in “Arts and The Man, A Short Introduction to Aesthetics,” states the relations of art and experience, “Whatever life may be, it is an experience; whatever experience may be, it is a flow through time, a duration, a many-colored episode in eternity” (11). When we begin to learn the origin and the backgrounds of other culture, we can discover the value with various perspectives and mobilize the ways of life with different cultures. Therefore, bringing our self-assurance and a clearer knowledge of ourselves, art education can help us to better understand our characters, behavior and actions in multicultural environments.

 

Third, for the community art education, it is needed to explore our perspectives and how we fit into the global culture. Education Secretary Richard Riley notes: "In nearly every field in which we need to foster new ideas in order to succeed - from computers to communications - people with an education in the arts are playing critical conceptual roles” (CSM). Furthermore, some schools treat art as essential, with extensive cultural programs that is integrated into the rest of the curriculum. For Instance, “The Heritage School was pioneered by a university arts educator devoted to making the arts central to general learning” (Pogrebin). Art education offers the ways to transcend the obstacles between people of diverse culture. Moreover, art education can be premeditated to the detail with aesthetic work in communities to cities and so on. Consequently, the whole nation will be elevated aesthetically and morally, and general education through art will be spread in global culture.

 

In conclusion, living in a multicultural environment where the political, economic, and social developments are rapidly changing, we all need certain basic capacities to overcome in our diverse community. Our particular talents can lie dormant, the spirit searching to learn and acquire new and unfamiliar skills and experiences. Art education will guide its discovery revealing these talents and release the potential which we would have otherwise been unaware of. These unexplored talents are present however, lying just below the surface of our consciousness and with a little effort these talents can shake off our slumber. “Savvy educators have always known that the arts, far from a frill, contribute mightily to a young person's intellectual development. Self-ｅxpression, creativity, exactness and accuracy - all get a boost from visual arts, music, or drama” (Stern). Successful arts education does not only explore the aesthetic view points but inspire spiritual abundance across the cultures, allowing access to previously untapped sources of energy. Value the diverse culture through art education.

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Degge, Rogena, M., Ed. "Journal of Multicultural and Cross-cultural Research in Art Education, v1-8 1983- 1990." The Journal of Multicultural and Cross-Cultural  Research in Art Education, 1983- 1990. 1990.

Editorials. “Make Room for Art.":[ALL Edition] Christian    Science Monitor (CSM) [Boston] 8 Dec 1998, Mass.: 08. ProQuest Newspapers. ProQuest Information and Learning Co. El Camino Coll. Lib., Torrance. 20 Jul. 2004

 

Edman, Irwin. ARTS AND THE MAN, A Short Introduction to Aesthetics. New York, N.Y. W. W. Norton & Co. Inc. Publishers. 1939.

 

Masaryk, Thomas Garrigue. THE IDEALS OF HUMANITY and HOW TO WORK. Essay Index Reprint Series.

Freeport, New York. Books for libraries press. 1969.

 

Mason, Rachel. and Boughton, Doug. Beyond Multicultural Art Education, International Perspectives. Waxmann. 1999.

          

 

Pogrebin, Robin. "Battling the Chaos in Schools’ Arts Classes."

           New York Times [New York] 5 Jun 2003,

late ed(East Coast).: p. E. 1. ProQuest Newspapers. ProQuest Information and Learning Co. El Camino Coll. Lib., Torrance 20 Jul. 2004

 

Stern, Seth. "The benefits of blending art into the palette of the         Curriculum.": [ALL Edition]
        Christian Science Monitor [Boston] 5 Nov 2002, Mass.: p. 14.

ProQuest Newspapers. ProQuest Information and Learning Co. El Camino Coll. Lib., Torrance. 20 Jul. 2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stacy S. Rhee

Dr. S. Waterworth

English 1A 6309

July 29, 2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Cecil L. CHAMINADE Autumn