contemporary visual art

18

iJADE 32.1 (2013)© 2013 The Author. iJADE © 2013 NSEAD/Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Abstract

Older People Learning through Contemporary Visual Art – Engagement and BarriersAnna Goulding

This article addresses how older people under-stand and engage with contemporary art in the gallery context – whether there is something unique to the art, the format of the visits, the peda-gogical approaches used by gallery educators, the social contact, or a combination of all these factors. It also addresses the psychosocial barriers to engagement. It draws from ‘Contemporary visual art and identity construc-tion – wellbeing amongst older people’, a two-year research project funded by the cross- research council New Dynamic of Ageing Programme. Over 21 months, 43 participants aged 60–92 made three visits to contemporary art galleries in north-east England. The potential for art galleries to develop lifelong learning oppor-tunities for post-retirement people has implica-tions for the cultural, health and voluntary sector.

Keywordscontemporary art, old people, barriers, engage-ment, gallery education

BW144 Jade 32.1 Text AW.indd 18 14/03/2013 13:19


Anna Goulding

19IntroductionOver 21 months, 43 participants aged 60–92 made three visits to contemporary art galleries in north-east England. The research stems from the fact that in the UK, while people aged 55–64 are amongst the most actively engaged in the arts, after that engagement decreases consid-erably (Keaney & Oskala 2007). Over the age of 64 barriers to engagement start to take more effect and lower rates of engagement have been identified among men, those with a limit-ing disability, those suffering from illness, people from minority ethnic backgrounds, those in lower socio-economic groups and people living alone. There is an interplay of different socio-demographic factors, for example, old and wealthy and/or educated.

Current policy in the cultural sector focuses on younger people, one of Arts Council England’s key goals being that every child and young person has the opportunity to experience the richness of the arts (Arts Council of England 2008). Work with adults has, in comparison been given only a limited profile (Arts Council of England 2010). It is important, therefore, to consider the wider ramifications of neglecting learning provision for a growing elderly popula-tion. Providing non-formal learning opportuni-ties has the potential to impact upon wellbeing, particularly with respect to how social engage-ment may mitigate against social isolation.

The article addresses what a quality experi-ence looks and feels like, enabling galleries to improve practice. It considers whether different models for learning are needed for older people and whether the artistic experience changes or evolves with age. It will focus on data relating to lifelong learning for post-retirement people and investigates the following research questions:

• How do older people understand and engage with art in the art gallery?

• How can psychosocial barriers to engagement be overcome by pedagogical approaches?

The project adopted qualitative methodolo-gies, using semi-structured interviews as a way to gauge subtle shifts in participants’ atti-

tudes and practices over the course of two years (Denscombe 2003, 167). The concentra-tion on a relatively small sample of 43 partici-pants was intended to help understand the complex picture behind individuals’ motiva-tions and barriers to engagement (Chan & Goldthorpe 2007). Although results may not be generalisable, there still may be recognisa-ble commonalities.

Theoretical background

Focus on contemporary visual artThe research project focuses on contemporary visual art, as opposed to other art movements, for a number of reasons. As the artworks are contemporaneous, it was hoped that partici-pants would be able to relate to views of life and society presented in the art. Pringle (2006, 11) observes that contemporary art in particular allows for more ‘questioning, collaborative and provisional’ modes of interpretation since works are no longer associated with stable or enduring meanings. It was intended that the exhibitions would stimulate debate and chal-lenge participants.

Contemporary visual art, as opposed to other forms of cultural engagement, such as singing or theatre, is often contested by the media. It is criticised in the popular press, both in broad-sheet and tabloid newspapers. Philip Hesner (2011), art critic for the Mail on Sunday, and former judge of the Turner Prize, hypothesises that audiences are apathetic to contemporary art as the artists ‘strive to make an impact rather than provide a complex emotional experience’. Hesner (2011) compared the time that members of the public spent looking at eighteenth- and nineteenth-century paintings by artists such as William Hogarth and John Singer Sargent, with those by recent famous artists such as Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst and Rachel Whiteread. His article, targeted towards critiquing curators, does not criticise all contemporary artists. For example, he argues that work by artists such as Anish Kapoor, contains ‘complexity’ and ‘a kind of visual poetry’ (Hesner 2011). Interestingly, his experiment gauges viewers’ preferences by


Anna Goulding

20


monitoring the length of time they look at works – he notes that visual art differs from other art forms such as concerts or films, as the viewer decides how long they are prepared to engage with the work. The debate on the corresponding message board reveals readers’ responses to the article – that contemporary conceptual art requires no technical skill, that the public is unwillingly forced to pay for it, and that gallery curators and visitors are part of an elite. So on the one hand the content of the contemporary art may have current relevance to the sample, but the form may be challenging for them.

Learning in the art galleryCharacteristics of art gallery learning have been investigated by various studies (Taylor 2006; Xanthoudaki et al. 2003). Researchers have drawn attention to the importance of the context of the cultural site in providing a specific learning envi-ronment (Carnell & Meecham 2002). Studies analysing artists working in galleries find that the enhancement of learners’ conceptual thinking skills takes precedence over the transference of subject-specific knowledge (Charman & Ross 2005). Fuirer (2005) notes that interaction and the making of multiple interpretations is a characteris-tic of gallery-based learning. Artist educators are portrayed as co-learners, who question their knowledge alongside learners (Aldred & O’Brien 2006; Pringle 2006). Co-construction recognises that learning is an active, collaborative and social process. Here learning develops from an individu-al’s existing experience and knowledge, is driven by the learner’s intentions and choices, but is accomplished through a process of building and sharing knowledge and experiences with others (Carnell & Lodge 2002). Addison & Burgess (2006) question the extent to which co-constructive learning can be expected to take place, given the short-term nature of much gallery education. As Hein (2001) acknowledges, can a shared reper-toire of ideas and common identities develop in the course of a three-hour visit to a gallery? This is particularly relevant to this study as it involved three visits to art galleries, a relevantly short length of time to expect significant changes in participants’ affect or confidence.

There has been little research on the specific role of the gallery educator, but Charman & Ross’s (2005) analysis into the working practice of educa-tion curators at Tate Modern highlights the chal-lenges they face. Education staff have to work towards the organisation’s agenda (including knowledge of policy contexts, learning theory and pedagogic content knowledge, subject disci-plines), whilst also being attuned to the audience. For example, whilst having to support curatorial decisions to promote the artists’ intentions, they may be sensitive towards difficulties audiences have in reading labels. Postgraduate qualifica-tions in museum and gallery education are widely held by gallery educators, with many programmes either focusing on museum and gallery educa-tion, or offering specialist modules in this subject.

Contemporary art encourages multiple, fluid interpretations that militate against didactic teaching. However, Pringle (2006, 11) notes that personal interpretations need to be justified in terms of evidence in the art work. Lachapelle et al. (2003) encourage learners to:

• look at the work;• form initial ideas;• question their initial responses;• take on board contextual, art historical and

other relevant concepts;• combine personal and external knowledge to

develop their interpretations;• reflect on their experiences and recall key

points of learning (Lachappelle cited in Pringle 2006, 11).

This scaffolded approach allows the educator to draw from learners’ knowledge before contex-tualising the work. Pringle’s meaning-making framework (2009) outlines best practice for artist-led gallery education programmes. The activities she describes encompass similar aspects – engaging, questioning, sharing knowl-edge and reviewing. This article will address whether these aspects create a quality learning experience for participants.



Anna Goulding

21Role of learning for older peopleIn terms of lifelong learning for those aged over 64, education may play a role in shaping how older people live in a changing social world (Find-sen 2005). In terms of older people specifically, recent research views lifelong learning as having the potential to empower marginalised older adults (McAllister 2010). Cruikshank (2003) argues that one of the more significant ways in which people, particularly women, can be self-reinventive in ageing is through education. Engaging in learning opportunities has been shown to promote active and successful ageing, by contributing towards mental stimulation and maintenance of physical health, facilitating social interaction, a sense of purpose, self-acceptance and autonomy (Field 2009). Field (2009, 21) notes how learning helps people to make sense of change, to adapt to change and to shape change. So learning may help people adapt to retirement, decline in physical health or bereavement.

In the UK, both policy and academic discourse on access to, provision of, and achievement in lifelong learning concentrates heavily on formal education and training. It is understandable that in terms of cost, learning provision for the post-64 age group is not as high a priority as for those whose skills may be applied to the workforce. However, this does not mean that their learning should be dismissed as an optional extra. Provid-ing meaningful, stimulating and sociable learn-ing opportunities for older people may be preventative in terms of health care.

Thinking widely about the purpose of educa-tion, this article intends to explore how contem-porary art can be used to address the concerns of this particular age group. There was the potential for the art to stimulate participants to reminisce about their lives. Westerhof et al. (2010) suggests that there is a relationship between reminiscence and mental health. Their review of recent theory, research and forms of interventions relating to reminiscence note that ‘life review’ can help a person come to terms with unresolved conflicts from the past and with their approaching vulnerability and death. Addi-tionally, the process of recalling memories

enables people to reconstruct them, helping people strive for meaning and coherence in their life (Westerhof et al. 2010, 699). Although this research project did not intend to use estab-lished interventions such as life review therapy, the simple reminiscence triggered by the art, and shared within the social context of the focus group interview, still gave the opportunity to promote positive feelings.

Links between education levels and engagement in the arts In terms of widening participation in the arts and post-retirement learning, current literature suggests that there are similarities between those engaging in opportunities. The Taking Part survey gathered data revealing patterns of arts engagement in England. Data were annually collected from 29,000 adults from 2005–7 (Bunt-ing et al. 2008). The report was a product of a partnership between Arts Council England and Tak Wing Chan and John Goldthorpe, socio -logists at the University of Oxford. They used latent class analysis to explore whether there were any patterns with arts attendance, making a distinction between status order (hierarchical relations based around aspects such as birth or ethnicity) and class structure (objectively meas-ured in terms of wealth/salaries).

Education was one of the strongest and most consistently significant factors in determining levels of arts attendance – the higher an individu-al’s level of education, the more likely they were to attend. Chan & Goldthorpe (2007) discuss the complicated motivations behind engaging and question what is it about education that influ-ences people’s propensity to attend the arts. By controlling for social status, they suggest that the link goes beyond aspirational and socialisa-tion elements of education. They note:

It seems likely therefore that the process of education and the level of exposure to the arts education provides, particularly at degree level, results in an increased ability to interpret and understand arts experiences which increases a person’s motivation to engage. (Chan & Goldthorpe 2007, 182)


Anna Goulding

22


Chan & Goldthorpe call for more research before this can be answered with more certainty, and the qualitative approach used in this article is an attempt to do this. As well as the implications in terms of barriers to access, taking into account the range of prior levels of engagement that visi-tors have has relevance in terms of the delivery of learning programmes.

Similarly, research regarding older people and lifelong learning reveals that those taking up learning opportunities tend to be from higher socio-economic classes and already have further or higher education qualifications (Holstein & Minkler 2007). The relationship between social context and agency in taking up opportunities has been shown to be a compli-cated dynamic (Jamieson 2007).

It must be noted that older people hold, on average, lower educational qualifications than younger adults, which reflects significant social changes in the twentieth century, such as increased participation in school and higher education among the whole population, and among women, in particular, in the latter half (Keaney & Oskala 2007, 333). Additionally, visits to art galleries were not part of formal school education for this demographic, so a lack of familiarity or exposure to art galleries may increase psychosocial barriers to access.

ContextParticipants visited three contemporary art galleries, including the Baltic Centre of Contem-porary Art and the Shipley Art Gallery, both in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear and the Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear. The Community Programmer at Baltic, the Programme Director, the Arts, Educa-tion and Outreach Officer and an Exhibitions Assistant at the NGCA were interviewed about their work with older people.

The Programme Director at the NGCA discussed how the demographic profile of their visitors is slanted moderately towards young people. However, he noted that some exhibi-tions reverse this trend, for example, Rank: picturing the social order 1516–2009. He suggests that it is at least in part the perceived

content, rather than, solely unwillingness to travel to a city centre, that influences older people’s attendance.

Citing Chan & Goldthorpe (2007), he expands on the relationship between demographic factors (the interaction between educational achieve-ment and socio-economic standing as the most relevant) and the nature of art as a ‘conversation’. He notes how progressive art practice has changed enormously over the past fifty years:

‘Art’ is no longer representational, nor consists of static pictures on walls. The most commonly expe-rienced complaints are that on the one hand, static pictures lack the seduction, action, diversion or spectacle that popular culture offers; whilst on the other, any other modes of making art are, a priori, outside or invalid as art. It’s a far less common complaint than one might expect – but regular enough nonetheless. (Robinson 2011)

He notes that often the acquisition of cultural capi-tal results in ‘progressive’ forms of art being viewed with some hostility, whereas: ‘ “invest-ment” in older forms of culture are seen to be strongly rewarded (as they are with other commodities). This is, I suspect, quite different in other countries – Germany most obviously’ (Robinson 2011).

We would expect therefore, that approaches would be used by the education programme to overcome such views.

The format and content of the visits was simi-lar to a facilitated group visit to an art gallery (see Pringle 2006 for a comprehensive overview of characteristics of contemporary gallery educa-tion). The Education teams at the gallery were involved from the start of the project and were asked to deliver a standard session – this included a talk by a gallery educator, refresh-ments, followed by a facilitated discussion. During the focus group interview participants discussed the exhibition, in a similar way to seminars in a formal education setting.

Both galleries have pre-visit conversations to establish the most appropriate format for the visits, and tailor the focus depending on the



Anna Goulding

23requests of the group. The Community Program-mer at the Baltic noted that the biggest chal-lenge for all age groups is the lack of familiarity with contemporary art and its formats and codes, which can lead to frustration for the view-ers. She feels that tours are the most effective way of overcoming psychosocial barriers and stresses the importance of language – she adopts an informal approach and leaves time for questions and reflections as she wants partici-pants to feel free to share their opinions.

At both galleries, learning is underpinned by socio-cultural learning theories, with an empha-sis on meaning making, cultural emphasis and dialogue (Pringle 2009). The NGCA uses an educational function model that encapsulates different intended outcomes:

• cultural: sense of participation in wider culture

(social rituals, acquisition of cultural capital, modes of informal learning);

• aesthetic: accumulation of a visual education / ability to discriminate, classify;

• social: immersion into others’ experience – empathy ;

• intellectual: themes ‘in’ art – ideas percolated through / represented in art, rather than intrin-sic to it (overlap with social) (Robinson 2011).

In terms of intended outcomes, as well as engagement with contemporary art and staff, the specific objectives are to socialise; to learn new things and stimulate new ways of thinking; to share ideas and opinions (even negative ones); to provide a break from monotony.

Methodology

ParticipantsIn our study participants are aged 62–92, ranging from those who are physically active to those severely limited in terms of mobility. Our partici-pants come from a wide range of backgrounds in terms of previous levels of education, occupa-tion and form of housing.

Initially, participants were defined according to whether they were currently engaging with cultural institutions. ‘Engaged’ participants were

drawn from existing groups that met regularly. ‘Non-engaged’ participants were drawn from the groups identified as having lower rates of engagement with the arts (see introduction section Keaney & Oskala 2007). As the project progressed, it became clear that participants had varying levels of engagement with different art forms and these had altered throughout the life course.

The breakdown of the participants within each group is detailed in Table 1 and Table 2: 17 men and 26 females completed the project. The research team had difficulty recruiting partici-pants from black and minority ethnicities (BME).


Anna Goulding

24


Table 1: ‘Engaged’ groups

‘Engaged’ group

Further information Gender and age range

Cinema club A film club for the over 60s run by an independent cinema.

4 men, 3 womenaged 61–65

Writers’ group Formed in 1986 after three of the members had met at a creative writing course run by the Workers’ Educational Association.

7 womenaged 64–87

Advocacy group

Formed in 1999, the independent organisa-tion has 2,010 members. They provide information for old people and campaign over issues affecting them.

6 women, 3 menaged 63–81

Nifty fifties A group that meets fortnightly at Sunder-land city library and arts centre for various talks.

2 women, 1 managed 71–73

Table 2: ‘Non-engaged’ groups

‘Non-engaged’ group Further information Gender and age range

Men’s group from ‘live at home’ scheme

A national charitable organi-sation that provides care homes, housing and support services for older people.

8 men aged 62–88

BME – a group of Muslim women who meet at a voluntary group

The voluntary group provides information and training to voluntary and community groups in Gateshead.

2 women aged 63–68

BME – Chinese Community Association

The association arranged a variety of events, including fundraising for local charities.

1 managed 72

Sheltered accommodation unit

Thirty separate units of accommodation arranged around a central meeting place, run by Gateshead council

7 women aged 62–90

Isolated individual Contacted via adult services and referred to research project by social worker

1 woman aged 92



Anna Goulding

25Interview frameworks and data analysisKeaney & Oskala note the limits of quantitative data relating to participation in the arts:

In order truly to understand why these variables correlate with arts engagement and where policy intervention can make the most differ-ence, we need a better understanding of the complex web of motivations and barriers of older people to attend or participate in the arts. (Keaney & Oskala 2007, 353)

In an attempt to understand the complicated range of factors that impact upon an individual’s decisions, baseline interviews were held to capture data relating to various aspects of partic-ipants’ lives. This established age, gender, part-ner status, parental status, housing, previous occupation and educational qualifications.

Interviews were semi-structured and frame-works were diverted from when participants led discussion on to issues that they felt were impor-tant, in an attempt to capture subtle shifts in affect over the course of the project. The inter-views were sound recorded and transcribed, then coded for analysis using NVivo 8 software.

From the codes, the following themes related to lifelong learning emerged:

• impact of engaging with contemporary art – social, intellectual, artistic practice, perceived wellbeing;

• psychosocial and physical barriers to lifelong learning in the art gallery – intellectual, support networks, physical;

• previous educational experience and impact upon attitude to learning post-retirement.

FindingsN.B. Pseudonyms have been used.

How do older people understand and engage with art in the art gallery?Participants noted how they valued discussing the ideas presented in the exhibition as part of a group and hearing others’ interpretations. One participant noted that the fact they were engaged in a debate about what constituted

art, demonstrated the importance of all forms of art to their lives:

David (cinema group): The argument here illus-trates the fact that art is important; it’s not just like an add-on, that debate wouldn’t be going on if art was marginalised or just ignored. There’s some-thing … we’ve absorbed over a lifetime, which … encourages those sort of beliefs and passions.

Participants often expressed strong reactions to the exhibitions, both positive and negative, suggesting that contemporary art has the power to prompt debate. Participants from the engaged groups critically engaged with the ideas presented by the exhibitions, and disagreed about the perceived intention behind the artworks.

Three participants noted that they would like art galleries to run discussion groups or courses for participants, in a similar format to the research project or a reading group. All partici-pants frequently commented on the fact that they would not have understood the exhibition without the talk by the gallery educators, noting that interpretation panels and labels used language that was too complicated or special-ised, with fonts that were often too small to read. In the following extract participants from the cinema group discuss Anselm Kiefer at the Baltic. They note how important the guide’s talk was in helping them appreciate the work:

Simon (cinema group): Well I would say that the lass made it. The art was quite interesting but I probably would have spent three or four minutes looking at each bit and wandered off ... Now is that because she was interesting or because the art was interesting?

Alan: It was somebody who had obviously absorbed his background … she … could speak on his behalf… I thought she was amazing, [she could], make art accessible to people … she was spot on when she says ‘art is something that gets you talking, gets you thinking and generates an emotional response’, and if that’s all it does I think it’s of value … I was convinced by her.


Anna Goulding

26


The discussion continued:

Alan: …We were looking at those compositions for a sustained period … So often when we go to galleries…we don’t give them the attention the art deserves. The longer you stand there the more you can see things and it makes it more meaningful ...

The above comment relates to emphasis on initially looking hard at artworks suggested by Lachappelle et al. (2003). This participant valued the format of the guided talk which focused on key works, as opposed to visiting the gallery unaccompanied. However, the following partic-ipant felt that the fact a gallery educator was needed to interpret the symbolism behind the works, meant the work did not stand up in its own right:

Christopher: I mean there’s a lot of difference between a say a Van Gogh, a Turner and a Consta-ble or a Rembrandt … They all do the job that they set out to do, they create something that’s beauti-ful and instantly recognisable as what it is which I just don’t get this about modern art. If we’ve got, if we’ve got to have some clever person explain-ing the symbolism of it then it hasn’t …

The debate continued and Alan argued that painters he values such as Van Gogh, also rely on symbolism and do not produce naturalistic work:

Andy: … But Van Gogh’s sunflowers – sunflow-ers don’t look like that… he took all sorts of liber-ties with colour.

Opinions of the works varied, and individual participants were not fixed in either liking or disliking contemporary art. The Community Programmer at Baltic felt exhibitions were successful when they stimulated interesting conversations, and ‘most of the time contrasting conversations prove to be constructive and creative’ (Longhi 2011). Taking into account Roland Barthes’ (Barthes & Heath 1977) notion of the death of the author, different ‘readers’ bring different interpretations to works. The fact

that Christopher critiqued the work shows an active engagement – he noted that he had enjoyed the debate and volunteered for further visits outside the specific research project. Participants felt that the format of the visits meant they got more than when visiting inde-pendently – the guided talks informed them about key themes and threw light on the artists’ concepts. The discussions with peers after-wards developed their appreciation and the making of multiple interpretations seemed to be an effective way of learning (Fuirer 2005, 10). The support from peers was especially impor-tant for non-engaged participants who felt that they did not know about art. The social learning context is important in terms of wellbeing, particularly with this demographic, as social isolation increases amongst older people (Keaney & Oskala 2007).

The data specifically address what older people as a demographic get from the art, and the data suggest content may be used as a stim-ulus for reminiscence. The art stimulated non-engaged participants in particular to reflect upon their own lives. A range of pivotal life experiences were discussed, including childhood education, careers, the Second World War, returning to education after raising children. In response to Knitted Lives, at the Shipley Art Gallery, where older women had knitted everyday objects, participants from the sheltered accommodation unit questioned their role in life:

Claire: We were told your duty was more or less… you got married and had a home … did housework and cookery and laundry.

Similar views were expressed by other women in response to Semiconductor, Rank at the NGCA and Parrworld at the Baltic. In these cases, reminiscence involved participants engaging in critical pedagogy (Freire 2006), the women questioning how raising a family and lack of educational opportunities had impacted upon their lives. Participants, in discussing memories with each other, could be seen to be developing bonding relationships with the rest of the group (Westerhof et al. 2010).



Anna Goulding

27Participants were asked if there was anything that they got specifically from the art, as opposed to other forms of culture. One responded to the visual medium, ‘because I’m very focused on imagery’ (Melissa, cinema group). The writers, two members of the cinema group, and one member from the ‘live at home’ scheme, noted how seeing artworks provided stimulus for their own artistic creativity. Some noted how the visits had broadened what they considered as art, suggesting developments in knowledge and understanding:

Rachel (sheltered accommodation): It ’s educated me because before art to me was a picture on a wall. But now it’s made me realise that art comes in many forms and art is a way of getting inside someone else’s mind in the way they express themselves.

Participants from the engaged groups felt that visiting art galleries was one aspect of a range of activities they engaged with in order to keep stimulated:

Simon (cinema group): I think it’s true that if you keep mentally and physically active you’ll be less of a burden on the National Health Service … that’s undeniable … but whether specifically going to an art gallery? I suppose there is a proportion of that will contribute, yes. The same way if I go – I’ve got a season ticket for Newcastle and I go there and I get a buzz out of that … it’s just part of having a sensible cultural non nine-to-five life really.

The participant notes how cultural institutions contribute towards people’s wellbeing. However, he did not feel that the three visits to art galleries had had a considerable impact upon his life, which support Addison & Burgess’s (2006) comments about the limit to what a few hours of engagement can hope to achieve in terms of instrumental benefits. Also, this partic-ipant has a family, describes himself as finan-cially secure and physically healthy, and engages in a number of activities, so is not isolated or vulnerable. Therefore, three visits

would not necessarily make a large impact on his life.

The visits seemed to have had a more signifi-cant impact on some participants from non-engaged groups and/or participants with limit-ing disabilities. For example, a 75-year-old widower from the ‘live at home’ scheme explained:

Richard: I think it makes a difference because you are not just sitting there … in the house, you are using your brain, you are going out and you are keeping more alive.

The participants themselves noted the problem of attempting to demonstrate impact based on short-term interventions over the length of rela-tively short research timeframes. A participant from the cinema group articulated the problem of cultural institutions having to make instru-mental claims such as ‘for the good of your health’, arguing that art galleries should be part of a ‘civilised society’, and calling for a holistic approach to valuing education and wellbeing.

How can psychosocial barriers to engagement be overcome by pedagogical approaches?As the project progressed, the effect of individu-als’ previous education upon engaging with art became increasingly apparent. When discuss-ing the exhibitions, participants related their understanding of themes in the art, and their perceived ability to decode messages in the art, in relation to their own education. This may relate to Chan & Goldthorpe’s (2007) hypothesis that learning about arts, particularly at degree level, may give people increased ability to inter-pret and understand arts experiences which increases a person’s motivation to engage.

Three participants from the non-engaged groups made comments related to not feeling intelligent enough to understand exhibitions. One participant from the sheltered accommo-dation unit and the isolated participant were initially reluctant to take part in the project because of this. The participant from the shel-tered accommodation unit noted what she had


Anna Goulding

28


thought about a Chad McCail’s Systemic exhibi-tion at the NGCA:

Margaret: It was way above my head that, I couldn’t understand anything.

Feelings of intellectual exclusion were also found in participants from the engaged groups. One participant from the advocacy group, who had been educated up to the age of 16, noted intellectual barriers to access:

Kate: You think … either I’m stupid, I’m not intel-ligent enough so you go away feeling a bit depressed that you haven’t been educated to a very high standard … when you don’t understand these things … which is not a nice feeling and at the end of the day our art galleries – I mean they’re funded by a lot of public money aren’t they?

Another participant, who held a postgraduate degree, noted his frustration reading interpreta-tion labels due to the construction of language, in particular the vocabulary used.

The cultural sector has various policies aimed at widening access (CASE 2010; Arts Council England 2008) and such programmes/visits as this can work effectively to help dispel notions of elitism, and make visitors more confident about using venues. One participant from the cinema group, who held a postgraduate degree, noted how she felt after the second gallery visit:

Ruth: I don’t feel at all confident about choosing what to go and see … I don’t know anything about it … So this is a kind of dip a toe in the water kind of experience for me and it’s relaxed and social and … it makes me feel more confident.

Similarly, the participant from the sheltered accommodation unit noted that she was not as ‘frightened’ or ‘nervous’ of visiting galleries at the end of the project.

So for these participants, the format and content of the visits has increased their confi-dence, suggesting that the talk by the gallery educator and the discussion afterwards is an effective way of engaging ‘non-expert’ partici-

pants. All participants commented on the effectiveness of personal interpretation, something the Community Programmer at Baltic emphasised.

A higher proportion of participants from engaged groups had higher qualifications, which supports findings using quantitative data (Keaney & Oskala 2007). However, quantitative data fail to show the range of learning experi-ences (non-formal, informal), and the different routes that participants took to gain qualifica-tions. Interviews with our participants revealed multiple and complex motivations for taking up learning opportunities later in life (Jamieson 2007). For example, whilst our ‘engaged’ partici-pants held higher educational qualifications, many had retrained later in life. One noted how important it had been studying for a sociology degree at the age of 62:

Alison: It’s one of the best things I ever did … and the meeting [the writers’ group] that’s kept us young … I thought I was quite happy with me lot [laughs] till I did sociology at college and then I realised that I shouldn’t be happy with me lot because I was hearing about how you know 2 per cent of the people own 90 per cent of the wealth … and then I began to question it.

This discussion was prompted by Rank: pictur-ing the social order 1516–2009, at the NGCA, an exhibition exploring social class. Furthering her education has provided this participant with intellectual stimulation, and studying for her degree, being part of the writers’ group and participating in the arts seem interlinked. She is continually reflecting on ideas provoked by studying sociology which sees her question established norms. The above data support Cruikshank (2003), who writes that the more significant ways in which people, particularly women, can be self-reinventive in ageing, is through education.

Being part of a group with similar interests has facilitated access to further opportunities. This supports Boulton-Lewis’ (2010) findings that there is a greater demand for learning from those who have benefitted from education. It is



Anna Goulding

29interesting that when recruiting participants, those from engaged groups responded immedi-ately to the call, viewing such opportunities as advantageous. When recruiting non-engaged participants, gatekeepers such as the warden from the sheltered accommodation were impor-tant in brokering relationships.

From the educator’s perspective, in terms of pedagogical approaches, the different levels of confidence and prior knowledge that partici-pants have needs to be considered. Participants can range from those already familiar and engaged, to those who have no previous experi-ence. Working with a range of learners over a short time frame is challenging. The multiple and unstable meanings associated with contempo-rary art may make it seem too overwhelming for learners without prior knowledge and experi-ence. The scaffolded approach from Lachapelle et al. (2003) seems an appropriate way of draw-ing from the learner’s knowledge, whilst also contextualising work and justifying interpreta-tions with evidence in the artwork. Initially, learn-ers are encouraged to concentrate on looking at the artwork, form initial responses and then question their initial ideas. They are then intro-duced to contextual and art historical concepts, before reflecting on their experiences and recall-ing key points of learning. Encouraging older participants to reminisce is an accessible way of drawing from their knowledge – participants who were not confident about their educational ability or knowledge of art were confident in recalling their own life experience. In terms of communicating and differentiation, it seems relevant to refer to Jerome Bruner (1994), who argued that difficult ideas can be learned by most learners if they are properly presented. The participants’ comments of frustration and feel-ings of intellectual exclusion over the language used on interpretation panels, suggests that a more accessible form of language is needed.

Conclusions

Learning in the contemporary art gallery was a socially constructed process enabling partici-pants to understand and engage with contem-

porary art in different ways. Participants from engaged groups, familiar with the art gallery setting and who held higher educational qualifi-cations, tended to critique the art or interpreta-tion strategies. This supports Chan & Goldthor-pe’s (2007) hypothesis that learning about arts may give people an increased ability to interpret and understand arts experiences, which increases a person’s motivation to engage. Non-engaged participants tended to enjoy exhibi-tions when they could relate the art to their own lives – this was an immediate way of removing feelings of exclusion. Using approaches used by life review therapy, such as using art to trigger memories, and the sharing of stories, could be particularly effective for non-engaged people in this age group.

Categories of excluded groups are helpful, but do not fully illustrate the reasons why indi-viduals choose to engage or not. The relation-ship between social context and agency is a complicated dynamic (Jamieson 2007). Partici-pants’ life experiences and present circum-stances impacted upon their attitude to learning and ability to take up opportunities. Prior educa-tion had an impact upon engagement, those in engaged groups holding higher educational qualifications. Relationships with family or friends impacted considerably on participants’ likelihood to take up opportunities. The findings support Keaney & Oskala’s (2007) research and supports their suggestion of incorporating greater social elements into arts activities. Experiencing art as part of a supportive group seemed to be necessary for those who had poorer educational backgrounds and who felt intellectually intimidated by contemporary art. Due to changes and cuts to local authority fund-ing, it is a ripe time for gallery education teams to develop relationships with the health and voluntary sector, particularly in accessing and working with hard-to-reach groups of older people. Learning teams can capitalise on the growing demand by providing regular tours and facilitated discussions as a relatively low-cost form of intervention.

Recommendations for future directions for older people learning through contemporary


Anna Goulding

30


visual art come from the findings that psychosocial barriers to engagement can be reduced by the pedagogical approaches used. Participants called for simple language in large fonts to be used on interpretation panels and labelling. For our sample, a quality learning experience involved experiencing the art as a group over a series of facilitated sessions that helped develop confidence and familiarity with the gallery context and art form. In some cases, the multiple and unstable meanings associated with contemporary art, especially conceptual work, made it seem overwhelming for learners without prior knowledge. Therefore, a scaf-folded approach would be an appropriate way of drawing from the learners’ knowledge, whilst also contextualising work and justifying inter-pretations with evidence in the artwork (Lachap-pelle et al. 2003; Pringle 2006). Initially, learners can be encouraged to concentrate on looking at the artwork, form initial responses and then question their initial ideas. Contextual and art historical concepts can then be introduced, before learners reflect on their experiences and recall key points of learning. The group discus-sion allowed learners to reflect upon their ideas and co-construct meaning. Participants did not have to like the art or agree with messages/inter-pretations in order to be stimulated by the debate.

Additionally, this study suggests that practi-tioners need to continue sharing and developing their practice. For example, organisations such as Engage, the National Association for Gallery Education, and the Royal Academy of Arts provide training seminars in this area. For case studies to be useful, it is important that both successful and unsuccessful pedagogical approaches are shared, with detailed accounts of the learning strategies used. The study, there-fore, gives recommendations for both the content of programmes and the continuing professional development of practitioners. AcknowledgementsThanks are due to the staff from the Baltic Centre and the NGCA for offering their time and support. The overarching research project was

funded by the New Dynamics of Ageing Programme and was undertaken by Andrew Newman, Dr Chris Whitehead and Anna Gould-ing from the International Centre for Cultural and Heritage Studies, Newcastle University, UK.

Anna Goulding is a Research Associate at the International Centre for Cultural and Heritage Studies, Newcastle University. She is currently working on a cross-council research project exploring how the lives of older people can be improved by examining their use of contempo-rary visual art. Previous research has focused on the impact of art gallery educational programmes upon participants in terms of developments to their knowledge and understanding, self-esteem and identity. Contact address: School of Arts and Cultures, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK. Email: [email protected]

ReferencesAddison, N. & Burgess, L. (2006) London Cluster research report, in B. Taylor [Ed.] Inspiring Learning in Galleries. London: Engage and Arts Council England, pp. 44–87

Aldred, N. & O’Brien, M. (2006) South East Cluster Report, in B. Taylor [Ed.] Inspiring Learning in Galleries. London: Engage and Arts Council England, pp. 88–120

Aldridge, F. (2009) Enhancing Informal Adult Learning for Older People in Care Settings, interim report and consultation document. Leicester: National Institute of Adult continuing Education (NIACE)

Arts Council England (2008) Great Art for Everyone 2008–2010. London: Arts Council England (online). Available at www.artscouncil.org.uk/publication _ archive/great-art-for-everyone-2008-2011/ (accessed 21 May 2010

Arts Council England (2010) Adult Participatory Arts: Thinking it Through. London: Arts Council England (online). Available at www.artscouncil.org.uk/publication _ archive/adult-participatory-arts/ (accessed 14 June 2011)



Anna Goulding

31Barthes, R. & Heath, S. (1977) Image, Music, Text. London: Fontana

Boulton-Lewis, G. M. (2010) Education and learning for the elderly: why, how, what, Educational Gerontology, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 213–28

Bruner, J. (1974) The Relevance of Education, 3rd edn. Harmondsworth: Penguin

Bunting, B., Chan, T. W., Goldthorpe, J., Keaney, E. & Oskala, A. (2008) Indifference to Enthusiasm: Patterns of Arts Attendance in England. London: Arts Council England

Carnell, E. & C. Lodge, C. (2002) Supporting Effective Learning. London: Paul Chapman

Carnell, E. & Meecham, P. ( 2002) Visual Paths to Literacy. The Research Project’s Final Report: Understanding the Impact of the Project on Young People’s Learning. London: Institute of Education, University of London

CASE (2010) CASE: The Culture and Sport Evidence Programme (online). Available at www.culture.gov.uk/what _ we _ do/research _ and _ statistics/5698.aspx (accessed 19 January 2011)

Chan, T. W. & Goldthorpe, J. H. (2007) Social stratification and cultural consumption: the visual arts in England, Poetics, Vol. 35, Nos 2–3, pp. 168–90

Charman, H. & Ross, M. (2005) Contemporary Art and the Role of Interpretation: Reflections on Tate Modern’s Summer Institute for Teachers. London: Tate

Cruikshank, M. (2003) Learning to be Old: Gender, Culture and Learning. Lanham, MD: Littlefield

Denscombe, M. (2003) The Good Research Guide: For Small-Scale Social Research Projects, 2nd edn. Maidenhead: Open University Press

Field, J. (2009) Well-being and Happiness, Inquiry into the future of lifelong learning (IFLL) Thematic Paper 4. Leicester: NIACE

Findsen, B. (2005) Learning Later. Malabar, FL: Krieger

Freire, P. (2006) [1970] Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum

Fuirer, M. (2005) Jolt, Catalyst, Spark! Encounters with Artworks in the Schools Programme at Tate Modern. London: Tate

Hein, G. (2001) The museum and how people learn. Paper given at CECA (International Committee of Museum Educators), Jerusalem, 15 October

Hesner, P. (2011) We know what we like, and it’s not modern art! How gallery visitors only viewed work by Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin for less than 5 seconds, Daily Mail, 13 March (online). Available at www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1365672/Modern-art-How-gallery-visitors-viewed-work-Damien-Hirst-Tracy-Emin-5-seconds.html (accessed 28 June 2011)

Holstein, M. B. & Minkler, M. (2007) Critical gerontology: reflections for the 21st century, in M. Bernard & T. Scharf [Eds] Critical Perspectives on Ageing Societies. Bristol: Policy Press, pp.13–26

Jamieson, A. (2007) Higher education study in later life: what is the point? Ageing and Society, Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 363–84

Keaney, E. & Oskala, A. (2007) The golden age of the arts? Taking Part survey findings on older people and the arts, Cultural Trends, Vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 323–55

Lachapelle, R., Murray, D. & Neim, S. (2003) Aesthetic understanding as informed experience: the role of knowledge in our art viewing experiences, Journal of Aesthetic Education, Vol. 37. No. 3, pp. 78–99

Longhi, I., Community Programmer, the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art (2011) personal communication, 2 November

McAllister, C. (2010) ‘This is the beginning of my life educationally’: older (50+ years) working class adults’ participation in higher


Anna Goulding

32


education in Scotland, through the lens of critical educational gerontology, International Journal of Lifelong Education, Vol. 29, No. 5, pp. 547–63

Pringle, E. (2006) Learning in the Gallery: Context, Process, Outcomes. London: Arts Council England and Engage (online). Available at www.en-quire.org/resources.aspx (accessed 17 June 2011)

Pringle, E. (2009) The artist-led pedagogic process in the contemporary art gallery: developing a meaning making framework, International Journal of Art & Design Education, Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 174–82

Robinson, A. Programme Director, Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art (2011) personal communication

Taylor, B. [Ed.] (2006) Inspiring Learning in Galleries. London: Engage and Arts Council England

Westerhof, G. J., Bohlmeijer, E. & Webster, J. D. (2010) Reminiscence and mental health: a review of recent progress in theory, research and interventions, Ageing and Society, Vol. 30, No. 4, pp. 697–721

Xanthoudaki, M., Tickle, L. & Sekules, V. [Eds] (2003) Researching Visual Arts Education in Museums and Galleries. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic


Copyright of International Journal of Art & Design Education is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its

content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's

express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.

contemporary visual art

Documents

recall key points

form initial responses

shipley art gallery

art historical concepts

arts council england

contemporary visual art

contemporary art gallery

understand arts experiences