A Contemplative Approach in Art and Design Education
摘要
Learning in art and design is centred on sensorial human experience, which revolves around understanding oneself. The present pedagogy lays its foundation on concepts that are technical and result oriented. These are superimposed on the layer of the conditioned self, which may encourage egocentrism. This condition is not revealed to the learner, or rather, it is hidden behind the technical methods of representation in imitation. The word ‘contemplation’ is derived from Latin, meaning ‘to mark out a space for observation’. In learning, such space could be created, which would encourage self-discovery. In the twenty-first-century education system, this approach will be important because the emphasis of education is on mentoring for initiating the process of ‘how to learn’ rather than teaching. In the context of creative education, it is about the process initiation of seeing, observing, and experiencing in the present and not in the shadow of the past through history, which is the fragments of memory. This experimental research aims at creating an experience for the learners that will lead them to self-discovery of simple design concepts like form perception and proportion through modes of experiential drawing. This will be achieved by administering a composite activity encompassing mindfulness and observation; this will encourage self-realization rather than rote learning. The method of data collection had been in the form of visual questionnaire and dialogical approach. The qualitative method enabled a positive response towards gaining clarity with confidence. This research gives direction towards strengthening contemplative methodology in every aspect of art and design education.