Specific elements of established pedagogical models, largely inherited from modernism, conflict directly with the nature of contemporary artistic thinking. The tension arises from models designed to produce autonomous, medium-specific objects, whereas contemporary practice is often post-medium, research-based, and context-dependent.
| Point of Conflict | Established Pedagogical Element | Contemporary Artistic Thinking |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Skill vs. Concept | The curriculum prioritizes sequential, medium-specific skill acquisition as a prerequisite for artistic expression. | Conceptual and material concerns are often co-dependent. The medium is not always subordinate to a pre-existing concept, rather, concepts can emerge from the process of making and material investigation. |
| 2. Specialization vs. Interdisciplinarity | Institutional structures are siloed by department (Painting, Sculpture), enforcing specialization. | Practice is inherently interdisciplinary, combining diverse media and methods within a single project. |
| 3. Object vs. System | Assessment centers on the (often formal) critique of a finished, autonomous object treated as a self-contained entity. | Practice has expanded to include non-object-based forms like systems and social platforms. Even when objects are produced, their meaning is often derived from their context and network, aspects which formalist critique is ill-equipped to analyze. |
| 4. Authorship vs. Collaboration | The framework is built around the individual artist, focusing on unique style and originality, with individual assessment. | The notion of a single author is frequently critiqued through appropriation or generative methods. |
| 5. Studio vs. Context | The studio is treated as the primary and most legitimate site of artistic production. | Practice is "post-studio," taking place in archives, labs, online, or within communities as dictated by the project's needs. |