Department of Visual Arts

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Designing in-between : an experimental research process
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012-03) Perold, Karolien; Constandius, Elmarie; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This work explores alternative ways of doing research within the field of art and design; ways that respect complexity and acknowledge the expansive, relational and performative nature of signifi- cation in arriving at ‘new’ knowledge. Through processes of designing in-between, I have been moving through opposites, connecting connections, and de(re)constructing structure. I have used my immediate locations as triggers to forge relations between an array of seeming disparate, albeit kindred, concepts. The scope of the work seems to have perpetually broadened, while theory and practice have dissolved in mercurial in- between states. Such exuding expansiveness has, at times, unsettled and unnerved, but ironically it has also intensely resembled our everyday ‘realities’. Designing in-between - compared to traditional, science-based research methods operating in barricaded systems of thought - thus allows for more faithful interrogation of the complexity of the world we live in. I believe this can be of great value in any attempt at innovative knowledge production, but especially attempts from within the field of art and design - a field often defined by its ability to challenge conventional ways of knowing. My work should not be regarded as yet another predetermined guideline for future research. It should rather be read as an example of a “conceptual tool” or “thought strateg[y]” (Hurst, 2010:242) suited to the complexity of the open systems we form part of every day. Neither the challenging, nor the advantageous, aspects of my work should be regarded as superior and exclusive to the other. The existence of dissonance and contrast is productive; a life force propelling the search for new significance and knowledge.
Exploring matric art students’ interpretation of the art curriculum and the socio-political implications of the topic issue at three independent schools in Gauteng
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-03) Swanepoel, Cheree; Constandius, Elmarie; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: This research focused on the experiences and perceptions of 21 matric art students from three independent schools in Gauteng, and the socio-political implications of their given topic for the year 2015. This study is based on the notion that it is the responsibility of art education not only to allow emotional freedom in constructing individual realities, but also to teach structured expression and awareness of underlying socio-political structures through critical engagement. The aim of this research was to explore how matric art students critically engage with the given topic, the influence of their core personality features and subsequent reactions to the curriculum requirements. The research sought to discover new contributions to theories within art education about the critical awareness of art students as well as to provide record of 2015’s independent schools’ matric art students’ experience and some of their art-related ideas about their social environments. The research was designed according to an inductive approach, and used grounded theory as an analytical framework that involved a case study design of one-on-one interviews that were transcribed and coded into overarching themes. The first, topic interpretation and critical engagement, explored the ability of the art students to negotiate through different spheres of social life. Students in general demonstrated a lack of socio-political insight into issues relating to the given topic, choosing rather to interpret them in more obvious ways. The second theme explored how core personality features heavily influenced their formulation of ideas for artworks and even influenced them in lifestyle choices. The presence of the hidden curriculum was indicated as well, as deviation is discouraged both in inner and outer expressions. The third theme considered how curriculum reactions ranged from complete acceptance to being somewhat frustrated at the constricting schedule. The final theme explored how the role of the teacher allows for either freedom to develop critical skills or for students to become dependent on overly involved guidance. It is argued that the responsibility of the teacher is to allow for co-construction, and the ability to know knowledge better and more fully in order to dismantle previous social power relations. Art education is rigorously linked to its students and so current expectations and interpretations of it could benefit future construction of curriculums to more fully prepare students for tertiary education, and even for participation in society as citizens themselves. This study therefore contributed to art education theory on the perspectives of independent schools’ matric art students, suggesting that critical training is lacking at present and that, in future, it could possibly benefit society, as education shapes the future potential of these students.
Fail and guard : an interactive public art inquiry into the underlying attitudes towards socio-economic discrepancies in Stellenbosch
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-03) Salzwedel, Heidi; Constandius, Elmarie; Perold-Bull, Karolien; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Economic inequality in South Africa can be witnessed on a daily basis in terms of unequal educational opportunities, vast differences in living conditions, and inconsistencies in job opportunities, but is it observed? This public art research inquiry was inspired by interest regarding the extent to which economic inequality is dealt with among people in the upper financial bracket of South African society, particularly in Stellenbosch; a city with a high percentage of economic inequality (Ewert, 2013). Fail and Guard constituted a public art intervention which formed part of a participatory action research (PAR) process. With a view towards transformation and social justice in South African society at large, the aim of the research project was to explore how a public art intervention, functioning as part of a PAR process, could stimulate negotiation and dialogue on economic inequality in economically privileged Stellenbosch civilians. An interpretive paradigm and inductive approach to research was employed. An arts-based intervention was produced. It constituted a life-sized sculpture, representing an upper class woman, who was placed at two sites in Stellenbosch which are frequented by economically advantaged people. The sculpture and her props invited critical consideration regarding economic inequality on behalf of the public. By means of the sculpture, I aimed to spur participants to consequent action by inviting them to participate in an online survey and potential focus group discussion on the topic. The public art intervention formed part of a PAR design. Qualitative methods were used in gathering the experiences and responses from the public, and inductive content analysis was used to extract key themes in the data. Data was read through the theoretical perspectives of Henri Lefebvre on the production of social space, Paulo Freire on dialogic action, and Maxine Greene on the imagination, hope and action. It was found that Fail and Guard did open dialogue on the topic of economic inequality in economically advantaged Stellenbosch civilians, but that public art alone is not enough; it needs facilitation. It can therefore be put forth that the stages between posing questions using public art, collectively answering questions, and subsequently re-posing new questions and potential solutions with regards to transformation within the focus group needed monitoring, or facilitation, by a catalyst communicator. The sculpture of the arts based intervention was sometimes sufficient as catalyst communicator, but in reality the quality of discussion brought forth was largely dependent on facilitation from the research facilitator. Exploring other possible avenues of facilitation to accompany public art as part of PAR processes could positively contribute to furthering knowledge regarding the use of public art as a potentially valuable research tool in the context of South Africa.
Investigating the online teaching experiences of educators during the Covid-19 lockdown
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-11) Pashaliev, Elinza; Constandius, Elmarie; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic served as a catalyst for educational transformation as schools and universities had no choice but to implement online learning during government mandated lockdowns worldwide. The shift to a digital pedagogy required educators to rapidly adapt and create an online curriculum while presenting classes in a virtual format. South African students were sent home to study remotely and faced a series of challenges from their home environments, such as unreliable access to the internet and lack of self-direction and motivation to work independently. Some of these challenges originate from a history of segregation and inequality where the infrastructure of poorer communities has not been developed sufficiently to sustain online activities or provide optimal learning conditions. Contemporary theories of learning advocate the need for the social dimension of peer discussion and collaboration to facilitate a holistic learning process and foster student engagement, ultimately resulting in attention and retention. Working in isolation, some students fell behind in their studies while others remained unstimulated during teacher-led virtual lessons. With little time to explore online learning theory and curriculum design, and understand the digital medium, many of the experiences recorded in the study were negative. Despite this, there were positive experiences relayed such as enhanced creativity and innovation, with students finding problems to solutions and improving their digital skills and capabilities. Although online learning was implemented as an emergency measure at the time, there are many advantages of adopting online learning for the future. These include wider access for more students, affordability, convenience and diverse engagement activities. These advantages, among others, warrant consideration of the potential long-term implementation of online learning in the South African education system. To better understand how to design and facilitate a digital curriculum, this research study set out to investigate the experiences of seven educators working at different tertiary institutions that offer courses in art, design and entrepreneurship. The study was interpretive in nature and sampled participants purposively in a case study design focused on collecting responses about the transition to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample size was kept small in line with the limitations and boundaries of a mini-thesis. The data presented was collected through qualitative semi-structured interviews and reveals details about the personal experiences of these educators and the students they taught. From their responses, two main themes were identified: the challenges of online education as well as effective curriculum design and student engagement. A third theme on the future of online education is explored in the final chapter of this research paper. Future studies on this topic could provide more responses from a larger case study group of educators and students to gain a comprehensive picture of the transition to online learning during COVID-19. As the impact of COVID-19 on education is a relatively new phenomenon, this study may contribute to the developing field of knowledge around the impact of the pandemic and the lockdowns in the field of education.
Investigating transformation and decolonization at an institutional galley in the Western Cape
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12) McLean, Joshua; Constandius, Elmarie; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts.
ENGLISH SUMMARY : During the final years of my undergraduate program, the student protests of #FeesMustFall had swept the country. The topic of decolonization came to the fore at many campuses in South Africa. From the period of the student protests, the gallery that I am investigating was more frequently hosting events and doing various shows around the topic of decolonization. My proximity and experience of these events led to me question and then, research how an institutional gallery could be structured or should exist in the framework of decoloniality. In this research I will describe my experience and thoughts as a native of the Western Cape, reflecting on that time, but also admitting that these thoughts were influenced by many conversations with fellow students and the public. I am writing a theoretical thesis where I will reflect on my experience of various exhibitions and events at a galley in the Western Cape during 2015-2016. Through the description of these events, I will investigate theoretical perspectives related to socio-semiotic space, transformation, and decolonization to evaluate and better understand how the cultural production of art may foster a decolonized space It is important to say that I do not know what the ultimate synthesis of decolonization may entail but can only hope to present an overview of my theoretical investigations. I embarked on this research practice to understand how post-colonial theory in a post-colonial city affects art/gallery/citizen education in the region of Stellenbosch.
'n Ondersoek na integrasie van teoretiese en praktiese komponente in die onderrig van Visuele Kunste in 'n Suid-Afrikaanse hoerskoolkonteks
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014-12) Cronje, Daniel Christiaan; Constandius, Elmarie; Perold, Karolien; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The gap between the theoretical and practical aspects of art education is a trend that is discussed and investigated in both the South African and the global context. In 2009, I found that my students at Elkanah House were not doing particularly well academically, and that they displayed a negative attitude towards the theoretical component of Visual Arts. This is not a unique phenomenon. Steers (2009) refers to the gap between theoretical and practical components in his article on globalisation in visual culture. According to Steers, a gap developed in various educational settings between the content and how it is practically carried out in the orthodox school curriculum. In addition, the publications Art Education and Art Education Journal issued a call for articles on the same topic in 2013. To address the problem, I systematically developed an art curriculum from grade 10 based on the praxis of the theoretical and practical components of teaching art at my school from 2010 onwards. This curriculum includes the following: 1) experiential learning and alternative learning perspectives; 2) critical and reflective thinking; 3) development of theory through practical investigations and experiences; 4) somatic knowledge, qualitative reasoning and communicative knowledge; 5) material thinking, learning through the use of materials and body; 6) cohesive discovery of knowledge; and 7) citizenship development. The purpose of the present study was to investigate how students experienced an art curriculum that integrated theory and practice through various projects. The investigation was based on an empirical research method utilizsing a qualitative approach and a case study design. In the research, a combination of themes including various learning theories in the process of experiential learning; development of critical thinking and reflection; development of critical citizenship education; and praxis as a concept in an art curriculum were examined to narrow the gap between the theoretical and practical components of Visual Arts. The results of the research indicated that the students’ academic performance improved and aspects of critical reflective thinking, critical citizenship and awareness of the wider context in which students find themselves had also been enhanced.
The story of Charlotte Maxeke : an analysis of how visual arts can be utilised to reflect on race, gender, identity and citizenship in the South African higher educational context
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-03) Cele, Kutlwano; Constandius, Elmarie; Conradie, Stephane; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The history of South Africa represents oppressive systems of racial discrimination and subjugation, systems that were used in the construction of social institutions. Grounded in the institutionalisation of inequality, the Apartheid systematic policies on education favoured “whites” in the expense of “non-whites” majority of South Africans. With the fall of apartheid in 1994 came the need for transformation that could lead to a new and allinclusive South African society. The new South African government set out to reconstruct a community by emphasising the importance of education, culture and art, as well as by celebrating diversity. The purpose of this study was to celebrate, bring awareness to, and further educate Stellenbosch University students who participated in this study on the history of Charlotte Maxeke. The study topic was chosen to discover the different ways in which the students reacted to the story of Charlotte Maxeke as well as the way in which knowing this history enabled them to contribute to socio-political classroom discussions. The study topic was further chosen to identify the ways in which students understand and define race, gender, identity and citizenship in South Africa by conducting an analysis of how visual arts can be utilised to reflect on these constructs in the South African higher educational context. The research aimed to investigate the story of Charlotte Maxeke and to identify to what extent the process of art making contributed to reflective learning. The research design method was a case study, as an interpretive approach to research. Inductive content analysis was conducted to analyse the data. Data were collected in a silk screen printmaking studio, on the Stellenbosch University campus, among 22 second-year Fine Arts students who participated in the workshop. Data were also captured through recorded classroom discussions and written artist statements. Data and samples were selected on the basis of the participants’ views and perceptions of the story of Charlotte Maxeke, and how these were addressed through the process of visual art. The data collected were further organised into themes and subthemes. The first main theme identified was citizenship, with globalisation and transformation as sub-themes. The second main theme that emerged from the data was race and cultural identity, with gender and domination and sensitivity as sub-themes, with the value of art as a medium for learning as the third main theme. The conclusions and implications of this study were established regarding the story of Maxeke as a catalytic foundation that was used to address certain discourses through the medium of art, suggesting that young South African students should participate in the visual arts as a way to free expression and creative thought through the process of art making and engagements with indigenous narratives such as Maxeke’s.
Transmuting the mundane into transcendence : migrations of myth and its connection to contemporary comic books
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2011-03) Opperman, Susan; Constandius, Elmarie; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates the human capacity of modifying established myth in the light of new circumstances. It focuses on the changing status of myth and mythical cosmologies in Western culture as advances in telematics and techno-culture has led to the abundant proliferation of mythic content in modern society. The rise of scientific, secular and rational tendencies in the Occident has resulted in the demystification and negation of some myths and the cultural realities they once supported. Mythical symbols, however, do exhibit a certain degree of independence from their original set ontologies, growing and transforming continuously within contemporary culture as they are communicated to all social spheres. A particular focus is placed on the demystification of myth and its ability to be appropriated within other discourses, most notably fiction. As such, myth tends to exhibit certain migratory and conservational qualities that this study investigates. This serves as background for this thesis that is primarily located within the broader theoretical argument of myth as a system of world-representation in society, the main point of discussion is the re-appropriation of myth within the narrower field of visual signification, specifically the comics medium, as exemplified in the works of Neil Gaiman and Conrad Botes, as well as in my own work.
Ways of seeing, knowing and gathering : taking art out of the classroom : exploring the scope for art education in the expanded field to benefit the transformative process of higher education
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-03) Van der Westhuijzen, Anika; Perold, Karolien; Constandius, Elmarie; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The tensions I experienced as a Stellenbosch University student made me curious to delve into potential exchanges between the boundaries of worthwhile art and valid education. I explored the capacity of interactive artworks to contribute to realising the university‟s institutional vision. This research venture seeks to inspire innovative approaches to education that can potentially decrease discrepancies between institutional policy and practice. The primary question examines the nature and effect of students‟ responses to an interactive artwork placed on the Stellenbosch University campus. These reactions subtly exposed the particularity of the Stellenbosch University context and indicated aspects of art education in the expanded field that could aid higher education institutions in fulfilling their transformative role. An anti-colonial paradigm guided me through a crucial attentiveness of the power issues embedded in knowledge production, validation and dissemination. The reflexive process of qualitative research permitted a captivating interdisciplinary landscape that spans from policy documents to philosophical enquiries. I studied the lived experiences of students, lecturers and staff members at Stellenbosch University through individual and group interviews. A case study research design was employed to use the patterns picked up in these single cases to lead me toward more entrenched underlying issues and attitudes. Nuanced research findings were the result of the anti-colonial prism that caused me to place equal value on difference and coherence in my enquiry. Visual metaphors such as my interactive public artwork translate philosophical ideas into practice and communicate these ideas right to the heart. This is how art can bridge the divide between in- and out-of-class education and aid the university in preparing students to become purposeful citizens. Not only does this project signify the university‟s institutional transformation, but it also adds to the transformative impact of the university on all its stakeholders; a necessary process that enables greater social impact. Belonging is a crucial aspect in this regard, because it enables students to internalise the knowledge acquired through higher education. And one of the key underlying messages of higher education is that graduates are citizens that should contribute their skills and knowledge to positively enhance society. The interview feedback revealed that the artwork was successful in guiding students‟ thoughts and conversations to form new knowledge because it was an honest space where people could articulate their opinions. Interdisciplinary learning is a powerful tool that enriches curricula and increases the impact of university education. The university needs to allow students to belong and then develop responsibility and empathy toward societal needs, and it appears that the artwork roused some of these sentiments. In order to become an institution that launches the thought leaders of the future, Stellenbosch University needs to harness all collaborators that collectively contribute to an integrated understanding of life and an expanded appreciation of knowledge.

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