Abstract
This paper explores how curatorial practices and situated encounters can serve as transformative pedagogical tools in contemporary art education. Drawing on over 25 undergraduate course integrations between 2018 and 2025, the study examines two interlinked professional initiatives—a university-based lecture and podcast series (Meet the Artist, 2018–2023) and experiential programming at the international art fair artgenève (2018–2024). Anchored in Kolb’s experiential learning cycle and Cochran-Smith and Lytle’s model of practitioner inquiry, the paper analyzes how assignments such as reflective writing, artist-led workshops, scavenger hunts, and formal analysis papers foster deep engagement, critical inquiry, and student agency. The two case studies demonstrate how professional practice can be harnessed both as a subject of study and a method of knowledge production. Through direct interaction with artists, curators, and cultural infrastructures, students developed not only visual literacy and conceptual fluency, but also the confidence to interpret, critique, and participate in contemporary cultural systems. Student reflections and creative outputs reveal a pedagogical arc from concrete experience to reflective synthesis, positioning learners as co-creators of meaning rather than passive recipients of content. This paper argues that practice-led, inquiry-based pedagogy offers a durable and portable model for interdisciplinary teaching—one that moves beyond content delivery to cultivate attentiveness, reflexivity, and transformative learning. While grounded in visual arts education, the framework has broad applicability across disciplines seeking to bridge theory and practice through real-world engagement and student-centered inquiry.
Presenters
Julianna Sandholm BarkProfessor/ Head of Global Citizenship Program, Global Citizenship Program, Webster University, Geneva Campus, Genève (fr), Switzerland
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Experiential Learning, Curatorial Pedagogy, Contemporary Art Education, Visual Literacy
