Learning from Pedagogical Art // Noni Brynjolson // Izabel Galliera // Jessica Santone

CAA Conversations

In this roundtable dialogue, three art historians discuss pedagogical approaches in socially engaged art practices as they apply to the teaching of art history, paying critical attention to the ways these strategies intervene on and challenge neoliberal educational norms. How have contemporary artists working in various social and political contexts transformed public and alternative spaces into discursive platforms through which knowledge can be generated, shared, or amplified collectively? And what can we learn about teaching art and art history in the North American system by studying these artists’ approaches? This conversation emerged from a panel at CAA 111th Annual Conference, “Generative Pedagogies in Art and Curatorial Practice.” The project will culminate with the publication of Pedagogical Art in Activist and Curatorial Practices, edited by Noni Brynjolson and Izabel Galliera, forthcoming from Routledge in early 2025. Noni Brynjolson is an Assistant Professor of Art History at the University of Indianapolis, where she has taught since 2020 after receiving her PhD in Art History from the University of California San Diego. Her research focuses on collaborative public art projects and examines themes of repair and construction in contemporary art. Izabel Galliera is an Associate Professor of Art History at Susquehanna University, where she is also an Associate Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning and co-coordinator of the minor in museum studies. She received her PhD in Art History from the University of Pittsburgh. Her research is at the intersection of contemporary art, activism, and social justice. Jessica Santone is an Associate Professor of Art History and Visual Studies at Cal State East Bay, where she has taught since 2015. She received her PhD from McGill University. Her research concerns pedagogical art and social practice, particularly projects that expand knowledge around climate and science.