Visual culture and art making in tertiary art schools: A 'snapshot' from Hong Kong and New Zealand

Abstract

This paper provides a ‘snapshot’ of a small-scale qualitative research project that investigated the influences of contemporary visual culture on the art making processes and artworks of a sample of visual arts students at tertiary art institutions in Hong Kong and New Zealand. The Hong Kong born researcher, artist and tertiary art teacher, domiciled in New Zealand, was a participant researcher. The research was motivated by a paradigm shift that is occurring in visual arts education from its traditional ‘fine arts’ associations to ‘visual culture art education’ (VCAE). Understanding was sought from the participants about the impact of visual surroundings on their art making and whether visual culture informed the teaching programs at their art institutions. The research was informed by an interpretive arts-based paradigm, underpinned by the interconnected roles of artist, researcher and teacher. The findings, presented as participants’ ‘voices’ and visual images, showed a greater emphasis on teaching and learning about traditional fine arts compared with visual culture. This suggests that professional practice could be expanded to include the broadened domain of images found in visual culture and daily visual experiences, especially since tertiary art students now live in an image-saturated era and globalized world.