Portraiture of Identity Among Students of Color at an Institute of Art and Design

• In Event: 44.084 - Roundtable Session 18
  In Roundtable Session: 44.084-14 - Race, Identity, and Ethnicity

Abstract

Despite increasing racial and ethnic diversity within the United States, people of color remain poorly represented in fields of art (Council of Arts Accrediting Associations, 2004). We need to understand when the curriculum and pedagogy at institutes of art and design disseminate knowledge and values of White culture at the expense of students of color. The purpose of this study seeks to understand how a Eurocentric curriculum and pedagogy shape experiences for students of color (SOC) in the classroom. This study used the methodology of Portraiture (Lawrence-Lightfoot & Davis, 1997) to create three portraits of students. This study has profound implications for institutes of art and design and higher education addressing the needs of underrepresented students.

Author

• Lyssa H. Paluay, Massachusetts College of Art and Design - Boston