Running Head: INTANGIBLE ART

Intangible Art: Explorations of Identity and Culture through Art Objects in Vignette #1
Alana Giesbrecht
University of British Columbia

INTANGIBLE ART

Intangible Art: Explorations of Identity and Culture through Art Objects in Vignette #1
When thinking of art, many people automatically envision the output of artists: the
sculptures, paintings, and installations that populate galleries and museums. However, those
objects only satisfy one definition of art. Art also exists in the creation of, and experiences
caused by, those objects. As the artist JR (2011) explained, art occurs in the meanings
constructed and the changes created in the minds of those viewing the objects.
Both JR (2011) and Sylvia Kind (2004a) repeatedly use the metaphor of a bridge when
attempting to explain their concept of art. The objects created by the artist are the bridge, a tool
that can be used to connect a place of origin with a destination. The place of origin is the starting
point for both the artist and the audience, and the destination is the idea meant to be catalyzed by
the object. In that way, the tangible serves as a means to negotiate the intangible the newly
constructed meanings and ideas that constitute the actual art. At other times, the physical object
is necessary to stand between the artist or viewer and the mental concept, to create safety or
distance when contemplating profound ideas.
With this understanding of art, the videos, puppets, and textiles created by Stacy
Friedman, Roger Dane, and Sylvia Kind (UBC, 2004) are not their most important output. These
three art educators simply use those objects to help students consider their own ideas about
culture and identity. For example, Friedman has students participate in video production to
invoke critical self and social analysis of sensitive historical issues, like racism. Dane uses a
puppet to voice ironic, third-person sentiments about cultural identity, art, and the ethnic other
that he might not have been able to express otherwise. And Kind deconstructs and reconstructs
articles of clothing to spur students into considering new meanings and purposes in their

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everyday experience. The artists common intention, to explore culture and identity through art,
is what links their work.
Because of the sensitive nature of the topics chosen by Friedman, Dane, and Kind, they
face many dilemmas in their work with students. Friedman expresses concern over how to
support students from various cultures, when she may not fully understand their experiences.
Another challenge is how to balance power between the facilitator and students, and avoid
imposing the facilitators values on the process or object. Complex problems arise, about being
qualified to speak about other people, cultures, and time periods. Valid fears about cultural
appropriation and unfair representation must be discussed.
Using students as producers of the short film "Art education culture: A puppet based
exploration of identity, racism, and responsibility", allowed them to be producers of knowledge.
In a generation that is accustomed to using technology to express itself, to interacting with
others, and to being active in knowledge creation, the production of a video was an appropriate
medium (Tapscott, 2008). However, Friedman could have more fully realized her students as
producers by having them engaged in the final editing process, instead of just the planning and
filming. This would have helped to avoid the concealed bias inherent in video (Friedman,
2004b, p. 4) that can occur when the editors values are superimposed onto the participants
stories.
The benefit of using media production as a learning experience for students lies in the
requirement for them to deconstruct the messages they wish to send. Not only must students
access technical skills, they must also access a deep understanding of the issue at hand. This is
what created the nearly unbearable (Friedman, 2004b, p. 4) personal conflict for one of

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Friedmans students; it is a deeply reflective process. Only after this careful consideration can the
video be created. The video then serves as a medium, another connection between its producers,
the objects they are using, the audience, and the meanings constructed.
Because students invest so much of themselves in video production, educators who
facilitate the process bear certain responsibilities. The most important of these is to not unduly
influence the students message. This starts with educators ensuring that students have access to
unbiased sources for scaffolding requisite knowledge, that students understand their own
responsibilities as digital citizens, and that students possess the skills to edit and finish their own
work. Educators are responsible for creating a classroom dynamic in which power is shared and
students believe that their voices matter. Once these elements are in place, students will be able
to learn from video production and the use of other technologies.

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5
References

Friedman, Stacy. (2004a). Art education culture: A puppet based exploration of identity, racism,
and responsibility [Video clip]. Retrieved from
https://connect.ubc.ca/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_group=courses&url=
%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2FdisplayLearningUnit%3Fcourse_id
%3D_37539_1%26content_id%3D_1819062_1%26framesetWrapped%3Dtrue
Friedman, Stacy. (2004b). Responsibilityandre/presentation:Reflectionondigitalvideoand
puppetbasedinquiry.Retrievedfrom:
https://connect.ubc.ca/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_group=courses&url=%2Fwebapp
s%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2FdisplayLearningUnit%3Fcourse_id%3D_37539_1%26c
ontent_id%3D_1819062_1%26framesetWrapped%3Dtrue
JR. (2011, March 5). 2011 TED Prize: JR's wish; Use Art to Turn The World Inside Out.
[Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PAy1zBtTbw
Tapscott, D. (2008). Net Geners Relate to News in New Ways. Nieman Reports; Winter2008,
Vol. 62 Issue 4, p18-19.
UBC. (2004). Art, culture, identity and representation: A conversation with three art educators
[Video clip]. Retrieved from: https://connect.ubc.ca/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?
tab_group=courses&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute
%2FdisplayLearningUnit
%3Fcourse_id=_37539_1%26content_id=_1819062_1%26framesetWrapped=true