Rhizomatic Encounters With Inter/Transmedia Art: A Pedagogy for Learning and Teaching Experiential Contemporary Art

Abstract

Teaching and learning through contemporary art has gained validity as a powerful and effective pedagogy in contemporary art education practice. In this article, we highlight characteristics of contemporary art and rhizomatic learning theory, and then we propose a pedagogical model that combines them for teaching and learning through experiential contemporary art. We also explain how to implement this model by showing examples of students’ rhizomatic encounters with inter/transmedia art created by Taiwanese artist teams. As the artworks offered present moments as sites of learning or places in process, students were triggered by the intersection of sounds and visuals and recalled their memories along with relevant themes; they then re/created personal meanings and/or new knowledge. Thus, the proposed pedagogy model with the implementation guidelines (autonomy, documentation, and group discussion of collective rhizomatic learning artifacts) is effective. Strategies and challenges for implementing this model in art education are recommended and discussed.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Enid Zimmerman and Alice Lai for their reviews and comments on the article. They also thank the Studies in Art Education reviewers and the editor for their critical review and helpful suggestions to enhance this article.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

¹ The purpose of the These Flowers project was to “portray each other’s memories, using popular music to recreate the lost rhythm and to recall the melodies buried in our reminiscence” (Fang, 2019, p. 8). Several musicians/songwriters and visual artists teamed up and presented their work via inter/transmedia presentations (mixed-media installations and music) in unique ways—the sense of hearing/music or sound art materializes the bone structure of memory; the sense of seeing/visuals visualizes the details of memory. Their multisensory art pieces are “relational, inviting viewers to interact with the works that help to trigger individuals’ recollection of memory” (Robertson & McDaniel, 2017, p. 193).

² This mixed-media installation was cocreated by musician Ying-Hung Lee, the Hsin Hsin Joss Paper Culture organization, and fashion designers Hans Chiy and Lee Chia Chuan.

Art Info: https://www.mocataipei.org.tw/tw/ExhibitionAndEvent/Info/%E6%9F%A5%E7%84%A1%E6%AD%A4%E4%BA%BA%E2%94%80%E5%B0%8F%E8%8A%B1%E8%A8%88%E7%95%AB%E5%B1%95/%E3%80%8A%E6%9C%89%E5%89%8D%E7%84%A1%E5%BE%8C%E3%80%8B.

Video: https://www.dropbox.com/s/as6kspoi8ic4fga/IMG_3844.MOV?dl=0 (video courtesy of Author, 2019).

³ This interactive multimedia installation was created by the artist Cowper Wang and the band EggPlantEgg.

Art Info: https://www.mocataipei.org.tw/tw/ExhibitionAndEvent/Info/%E6%9F%A5%E7%84%A1%E6%AD%A4%E4%BA%BA%E2%94%80%E5%B0%8F%E8%8A%B1%E8%A8%88%E7%95%AB%E5%B1%95/%E3%80%8A%E6%88%91%E5%A4%A2%E8%A6%8B%E4%BA%86%E5%B0%8F%E5%8F%AE%E5%99%B9%E3%80%8B.

Video: https://www.dropbox.com/s/h25lok49x01eoyh/IMG_3845.MOV?dl=0 (video courtesy of Author, 2019).

⁴ This panorama video installation was cocreated by musicians Lim Giong and Point Hsu as well as artists Huang Pang-Chuan and Tsai Meng Chang.

Art Info: https://www.mocataipei.org.tw/tw/ExhibitionAndEvent/Info/%E6%9F%A5%E7%84%A1%E6%AD%A4%E4%BA%BA%E2%94%80%E5%B0%8F%E8%8A%B1%E8%A8%88%E7%95%AB%E5%B1%95/%E3%80%8A%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E6%98%AF%E5%A5%BD%E6%89%80%E5%9C%A8%E3%80%8B.

Video: https://www.dropbox.com/s/x4lf0u932j6vce8/IMG_3858.MOV?dl=0 (video courtesy of Author, 2019).