Abstract

My doctoral dissertation, “What can we make with this? Creating relevant art education practices in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa” explores the possibilities and limitations of art education with a focus on young people in after-school and community settings. Using a postcolonial feminist framework and invoking methods of community art education and critical ethnography, “What can we make with this?” also investigates theories and practices of rural development, research in the Global South, and the challenges of working in a context deeply affected by poverty, structural racism, anti-child bias, systemic violence, and HIV and AIDS. Using an asset-based approach to build relevant and meaningful art practices, the project focuses on identifying and using resources (materials, tools, techniques) that are accessible to participants within their surrounding environments. This includes recycled/repurposed materials, naturally occurring substances such as clay, and locally donated goods such as fabric. In my analysis of these creative activities, I highlight the relational complexities of engaging in localized art making as well as the political genealogy of material production and art education in these rural communities. Central to this investigation is self-reflexivity and ethical self-inquiry as I explore my capacities to attend, to listen and respond to the realities and experiences of others. This ethical navigation is linked to the practice of building transnational solidarity with these groups of young people. My research shows that within the context of significant personal and socio-economic challenges, young people are capable of remarkable agency and innovation as well as making significant contributions to the dialogue around issues of concern in their lives.