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Description of initiative
"The Museum Through the Window" is an initiative organized by the Pedagogical Museum of Children's Art (MuPAI) at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Complutense University of Madrid, dedicated to the study of art in childhood (made by children). This project was made with the aim of improving the quality of life for children and teenagers through a series of artistic proposals to be carried out at home, serving as both the conceptual and physical starting point. The activities were mediated remotely by the museum's team of educators during the months of May, June, and July 2020, in response to the (de)confinement situation due to COVID-19.
The main objective of this study has been to evaluate the capacity of contemporary artistic practices as a tool to promote the well-being of children and young people at home. Likewise, the development and design of this educational program have allowed us to analyze the possibilities and implications of adapting our pedagogical proposals to the context of distance art education.
The methodology used for the research is identified as analytical-synthetic, carefully studying each practice carried out and finally examining its different processes holistically. This methodology consisted of designing artistic and educational proposals based on the work of contemporary artists (e.g., Guerrilla Girls, Colektivof, Los Torreznos, etc.) that could be developed in the participants’ homes, becoming their experimental space.
The activities took place through weekly one-hour meetings, where the educators introduced the participants to the work of the artists through the visualization of explanatory videos, proposing specific challenges to be developed. Thanks to remote support, certain specific activities were carried out, while the rest of the proposals were autonomously developed in their homes. In the following meetings, the results and conclusions were shared in order to weave a network of knowledge through shared artistic experiences.
Through observations of the educators, the results of proposals, and evaluations provided by the participants, it is noteworthy that the implementation of these activities in homes had a positive effect on the well-being of the participants, demonstrating great enjoyment and enthusiasm.
After reviewing the various adaptations made during the process, we can conclude that the parameters of redesign, support, guidance, and assistance have been fundamental both for the formalization and the development of the activities. These aspects were embodied in the figure of the mediators, who were completely essential for the execution of the proposals. Together with the participation of families, a context of intergenerational, plural, and enriching exchange and care was established for all parties. Undoubtedly, this project has opened the possibility of a future line of research on the possibilities of these proposals in the field of non-formal education.
Themes: Culture and...
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Results, benefits, impact and lessons learnt
The following conclusions have been reached in relation to the educational methodology developed for the project:
- The importance of personal interaction was identified and an educator was included in the project. The absence of an educator could influence the reluctance of families to share images.
- Interaction through the screen: the participants of the virtual camp, familiar with the project, showed a willingness to interact. At first there was shyness, but over time trust and interaction increased. Two key factors were the personal presentation of the educators and the presence and support of the parents in the activities.
- Humor as a resource: humor was used as a means to pose challenges and carry out daily activities, which increased the enjoyment and participation of the participants; it was a form of communication between the participants and the educators, creating a unique context. This is related to the playful dimension of humor, which encourages learning and allows a healthy escape from everyday reality.
- Approach to contemporary art from the game. The challenges and activities allowed them to learn and develop an interest in contemporary art in a playful way. The game provided them with satisfying personal experiences and allowed them to inhabit their homes from an aesthetic perspective. Although they worked with contemporary artists, the idea persists in the collective imagination that art is found mainly in figurative and classical works.
- The activities related to the daily life encouraged the experimentation and creativity of the participants. The selection of contemporary artists and the activities designed were appropriate to influence the family environment in a different way. This thematic approach is fundamental in contexts of vulnerability to observe reality in a different way. The involvement of the participants was surprising, possibly due to the unusual action of photographing and observing garbage, something present in everyday life.