Art and the Everyday
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ART AND THE EVERYDAY: WALKING AS AN INTERACTIVE METHOD FOR DEVELOPING VISUAL AND AESTHETIC AWARENESS by Jaclyn Emily Griner Dissertation Committee: Professor Richard Jochum, Sponsor Professor Mary Hafeli Approved by the Committee on the Degree of Doctor of Education Date 16 October 2019 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education in Teachers College, Columbia University 2019 ABSTRACT ART AND THE EVERYDAY: WALKING AS AN INTERACTIVE METHOD FOR DEVELOPING VISUAL AND AESTHETIC AWARENESS Jaclyn Emily Griner This research follows the topic of art and the everyday, and focuses on how our experience of the everyday is a significant area of educational inquiry. This study investigates the potential of walking as an interactive method of art education that relates to the way we learn from our everyday environment, and is connected to the field of visual culture art education, and the aesthetics of everyday life. By taking participants on an art walk, I can observe how they engage with their everyday environment directly, and examine whether walking can promote visual and aesthetic awareness towards their ordinary surroundings. A total of eight participants will be studied during the walk; participants represent a mixed variation of age and gender, with and without backgrounds in art, and will participate in a walking interview followed by a sit-down interview. © Copyright Jaclyn Emily Griner 2019 All Rights Reserved ii DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my family, whose love and support are deeply cherished. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Chapter I—INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 1 Overview ........................................................................................................... 1 Personal Background ........................................................................................ 3 Background to the Problem .............................................................................. 4 Visual Culture Art Education ................................................................... 4 The Everyday Social Environment .......................................................... 5 Mobile and Social Learning ..................................................................... 6 Art Walk as Intervention .......................................................................... 7 Interactive Teaching ................................................................................. 8 Models and Precedents for Art Walks ................................................... 10 Problem Statement .......................................................................................... 13 Research Questions ......................................................................................... 18 Theoretical Framework ................................................................................... 18 Visual and Aesthetic Awareness ............................................................ 21 The Context of Learning in the Everyday .............................................. 22 The Aesthetics of Everyday Life ........................................................... 23 Assumptions .................................................................................................... 27 Assumptions not to be Debated ............................................................. 27 Assumptions to be Debated ................................................................... 27 Limitations of the Study and Educational Aims ............................................. 28 Chapter Overview ........................................................................................... 28 Chapter II—LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................... 30 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 30 The History and Practice of Walking .............................................................. 31 Walking as Knowing ....................................................................................... 38 Precedents for Art Walks ................................................................................ 42 Visual and Aesthetic Awareness ..................................................................... 49 Creative Vision in Everyday Spaces ............................................................... 54 Vision and Visuality ....................................................................................... 58 The World of Vision ............................................................................................. 63 The Concept of the Everyday ......................................................................... 65 Ways of Seeing ............................................................................................... 69 Visual Culture Art Education .......................................................................... 73 Graffiti ............................................................................................................. 74 Art and the Everyday ...................................................................................... 76 Finding Sites of Expression in the City .......................................................... 79 The Everyday as a Creative Learning Space .................................................. 82 Expanded Field of Art and Learning .............................................................. 84 Public Art and Education ................................................................................ 85 My Own Art Walk .......................................................................................... 88 Discovering the City on Foot .......................................................................... 91 Learning Environments of Art ........................................................................ 95 iv Chapter Summary ........................................................................................... 99 Chapter III—METHODOLOGY .............................................................................. 100 Methodology ................................................................................................. 100 Walking as an Instrument for Arts-Based Research and Design .................. 102 Design of the Study ....................................................................................... 109 Site ................................................................................................................ 110 Participants .................................................................................................... 111 Data Collection ............................................................................................. 111 Data Analysis ................................................................................................ 113 Positionality .................................................................................................. 114 Researcher’s Role ......................................................................................... 114 Ethical Considerations .................................................................................. 116 Chapter IV—FINDINGS .......................................................................................... 117 Section I ........................................................................................................ 120 Karen D: Art Walk ............................................................................... 121 Karen D: Professional and Educational Background ........................... 122 Karen D: Personal Background ........................................................... 124 Phil A: Art Walk .................................................................................. 124 Phil A: Educational and Professional Background .............................. 125 Phil A: Personal Background ............................................................... 126 Howard H: Art Walk ............................................................................ 127 Howard H: Educational and Professional Background ....................... 128 Howard H: Personal Background ........................................................ 128 Max: Art Walk ..................................................................................... 129 Max: Educational and Professional Background ................................. 130 Max: Personal Background .................................................................. 132 Alanna S: Art Walk .............................................................................. 132 Alanna S: Educational and Professional Background ......................... 133 Alanna S: Personal Background .......................................................... 133 Roz W: Art Walk ................................................................................. 135 Roz W: Educational and Professional Background ............................. 137 Roz W: Personal Background .............................................................. 138 Ben K: Art Walk .................................................................................. 138 Ben K: Educational and Professional Background .............................. 140 Ben K: Personal Background ............................................................... 141 Sharon P: Art Walk .............................................................................