Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/arte-publico-pedagogia
Are you looking to explore the cutting edge of public art and its intersection with social engagement and education? Then look no further than Coursera’s “ART of the MOOC: Arte Público y Pedagogía.” This course, expertly designed by Duke artist and professor Pedro Lasch and co-taught with Creative Time Artistic Director Nato Thompson, offers a deep dive into the contemporary landscape of public art and social practice.
From the outset, the course promises to equip learners with the knowledge to create their own social and public art pieces, or simply to understand the rich theory and recent history of the medium. The syllabus is thoughtfully structured, beginning with an introduction to public art and pedagogy, setting a global context for the course and its community.
The core of the course delves into “Public Art and Spatial Politics.” Here, Lasch and Thompson explore foundational definitions and crucial examples of public practice and socially engaged art, with a particular focus on their connection to spatial politics. They expertly dissect the critical role these practices play in urbanism and social planning, examining the mechanisms that define and often divide our understanding of local versus global, urban versus rural, visible versus invisible, and citizens versus immigrants.
What truly sets this course apart is its emphasis on practical application. Students are presented with compelling choices for their projects, including a “social method project” or a “global flashmob project.” This hands-on approach is reinforced in subsequent modules, such as “Fictions, Alternative Structures, and Simulated Institutions.” This section challenges students to think about how artists use the forms of existing organizations and institutions – from corporations to governments – as their medium. Learners are tasked with inventing their own alternative social structures or fictional interventions, fostering a truly innovative mindset.
The final module, “Experimental Pedagogy,” explores the vital role of education and educational projects in socially engaged art. Drawing inspiration from influential figures and movements like Freire, Boal, Judy Chicago, and the Feminist Art Program, the course examines how artists have used various technologies and social forms to transform education from within or create self-organized platforms outside traditional institutions. The practical component here encourages students to reimagine their relationship with education, whether through small-scale socialization or large-scale collaboration.
Overall, “ART of the MOOC: Arte Público y Pedagogía” is an intellectually stimulating and practically empowering course. It’s ideal for artists, educators, urban planners, activists, or anyone fascinated by how art can shape our communities and challenge our perspectives. The insights from Pedro Lasch and Nato Thompson are invaluable, offering a contemporary and critical lens on a rapidly evolving field. I highly recommend this course for anyone looking to expand their understanding of art’s role in the public sphere.
Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/arte-publico-pedagogia