Is art class still necessary? And if so, why? Art is often referred to as an orchid subject: beautiful, but dispensable! So it happens that in some federal states art lessons are further shortened and in many schools, they are outsourced to the afternoon area. In the morning, the core subjects taught, in the afternoon – when the students’ ability to concentrate declines – art classes are taught.
Art didactics defends itself against the fact that the subject of art is increasingly marginalized and emphasizes the importance of art lessons for general education.
Five arguments for the educational relevance of the subject “art”
- Art as an educational value. Contemporary art is often difficult to access without prior knowledge, which often leads to head shaking. One does not do justice to historical art if one reduces it to its decorative function: “I think this painting is beautiful.” Art, on the other hand, can make the invisible visible. Art can help to see and represent something ambiguously. It leverages everyday perception to a certain extent and lets us see the world “with different eyes”. Of course, this does not happen through superficial observation, but through intensive discussion and reflection – not least inspired by one’s own artistic design practice. The world and self-perception become more complex and richer and thereby promote general education.
- Image competence. Visual language is becoming more and more important in our culture. At school, however, pupils hardly acquire the skills to deal with images in a self-determined and reflective manner, to receive images appropriately, or to produce them themselves.
- Media literacy. Dealing with digital media, which is also often image-generating (e.g. digital photography, website design), must not remain in the leisure area or be limited to the technical aspects of computer science. Designing with digital media is the task of art lessons within the framework of open processes. Here the medium can be deliberately brushed “against the grain”.
- Action Orientation and performativity. Dealing with materials and things train the hand and the whole body values, practical skills, and thereby opens up authentic situations of learning and self-awareness in one’s own actions. The notion that meaning is not formed either in verbal language or in the visual, but rather first in concrete actions, is expressed in the concept of the performative.
- Creativity. Art education repeatedly refers to the key competence of creativity. On the one hand, there is a risk that creativity as a phrase has become too contourless. The characteristics of the creativity theorem should be an indispensable part of the art class.
We have entered the digital age and even in this modern era of internet technology, the value of art shows its importance in all aspects. From web programming, web design, and even in social media posts to applications, there is an art in it. So it is just right to say that art classes should be given importance by educators all over the world.