Seminar: Soft Subjects: Material agency in gallery education

NB: This seminar coincides with the MA Art Education, Culture and Practice exhibition which runs until 15th May.

Soft Subjects: Material agency in gallery education, a seminar that examines material practices in gallery education at a time when materiality in mainstream arts and media education is increasingly marginal. Reclaiming 'soft subjects' from their demotion in education and celebrating the poignancy of matter, our invited speakers address the critical role of material in 21st Century learning.

Our Speakers:

Dr Kimberley Foster is an artist and Head of Programme for MA Arts and Learning at Goldsmiths, her practice-research explores embodied approaches to learning and interpretation in the art museum. She explores learning experiences that are predicated on encounters with pedagogical art objects. These objects have developed from her sculptural practice (www.sorhed.com) and are made to be handled with the specific intent of extending conventional ways of knowing. The objects provocation is to find new material points of entry, enabling differing dialogues with collections and exhibits, and to ‘[...] learn from the museum beyond what it sets out to teach us [...]’ (Rogoff, 2008). Kimberley questions how this material approach tethered to these specifically tuned pedagogical art objects can engage previously unheard voices and extend the materialised experience of the art museum. Through these physical encounters, the objects act as conduits between exhibit and audience, and provide a space for the subjective and autobiographical. Kimberley will be sharing her practice research, drawing from her PhD and current work as Cambridge Visual Culture Visiting Research Fellow at the Fitzwilliam Museum.

IoE MA alumna Amy Leung is a London based artist working across sculpture, drawing and workshops to explore the articulation and communication of joy. Working in art education, she is interested in the intersections in which community, craft, objects and cultural identity meet. Material exploration and playwork are key to her practice, with ideas emerging through making together. Senses and bodies mingle with materials; delighting in the responsive nature of stuff and spaces. Amy has previously worked with schools, families and communities on projects at Camden Art Centre, Firstsite, the Royal Academy, SLG, Towner Eastbourne and MK Gallery. She often works with groups and communities with crossovers with social work, healthcare and formal educational settings. amyleung.hotglue.me

IoE MA alumna Jenny Pengilly is a multi-disciplinary artist and creative facilitator working in education and social engagement. Her work predominantly focuses on the possibilities of the art workshop and the use of affective materials and making to facilitate play, experimentation, collaboration and mutual growth and exchange with children, young people, families, and adults. Jenny is interested in interactions, conversations and objects that emerge from these sessions and how they can be creatively expanded. Jenny has previously worked with TACO! Tate Kids, Wellcome Collection, Museum of the Home and South London Gallery amongst other arts and community organisations. She has the monthly radio show Experimental Tunes and Children on RTM.fm and is co-director of El-Warcha, a collaborative art and design collective working with communities across London. jennypengilly.com

For further information please contact Annie Davey, Programme Leader MA AECP a.davey@ucl.ac.uk