https://doi.org/10.21697/an.14431
The subject of the article refers to the role of contemporary art in educational activities at the Zachęta National Art Gallery. It points out the proximity of contemporary art and education. This proximity results from the nature of art, which has high educational potential. This issue is discussed based on an analysis of Zachęta's educational practices, which were built precisely on the basis of contemporary art. Tracing the educational activities of the Zachęta since the 1950s allows us to see the evolution of thinking about education and to look at the history of the Zachęta from a different perspective than the history of exhibitions.
By popularizing contemporary art and facilitating access to knowledge during the years of operation of the CBWA Zachęta did extremely important educational work. It covered the whole Poland with its initiatives. Guided by Bożena Kowalska, the Educational Department led to the development of standards for educational work. The socio-cultural changes following the political transformation in 1989 led to an evolution of the idea of popularizing art. The scope and nature of the created programs changed. There was a transition from large-scale nationwide programs to educational projects focused on work in the gallery and local environment. The wide range of popularizing activities was replaced by the idea of reaching into the depths, touching the essence of what education is. There has been a gradual transformation from the use of contemporary art in popularizing activities, carrying a prefabricated cultural message, to the implementation of contemporary artworks into educational situations in which this message is negotiated. The educational context of contemporary art is based on its ability to develop critical competence, through which we have the chance to transcend our own contextual limitations. Having this competence allows us to become aware of our social and cultural background. Zachęta's Education Department has been able to explore this potential of art in its practices. Zachęta has become a space of good educational practice.
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Język Polski
English