George Mason University’s School of Art and Design At Foundations in Art and Technology Conference (FATE) 2021

16 Nov George Mason University’s School of Art and Design At Foundations in Art and Technology Conference (FATE) 2021

Rachel Debuque will present in the CAA Session ” Building Resilience: Embracing Failure in the Foundations Classroom “. Debuque will be presenting “This Classroom is a Joke.” Debuque will explores the ways that classroom joy is linked to experimentation, risk taking and building resiliency. The presenation will discuss humor’s ability to reframe failure as productive create the ideal conditions for critical engagement and deepen the transformative potential for each student.

This Classroom is a Joke Abstract: 

Humor and art share an ability to reveal something essential about the human experience. Their transgressive properties challenge our conventional narratives, question dominant power structures, and add meaning to our lives. Humor skillfully destabilizes collective definitions, expands possibilities, and invites engagement. There is a resistance to humor in the classroom as it threatens the inherent value and the perceived seriousness of art and academia. Without the presence of joy, play, humor, and experimentation, we will build a cohort of timid, joyless artists. Laughing classrooms reframe failures as necessary challenges that build confidence. This presentation explores the ways that classroom joy is linked to experimentation, risk taking and building resiliency. It will highlight experiences incorporating clowning workshops, laughter leading, and play into studio art classes. We will discuss how to build projects, implement critique methods, and facilitate conversations that encourage a lighthearted approach to making mistakes. Humor’s ability to reframe failure as productive create the ideal conditions for critical engagement and deepen the transformative potential for each student. Humor is necessary tool to understanding the true depth and purpose of the artist.