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Topic: The problem of art appreciation in Hong Kong by Au Cheong Chuen,
March 2001
Sub-topic: Why do we need aesthetic education in Hong Kong? (Paper Presentation at The
Asia-Pacific Art Education Conference in Hong Kong on 28th Dec., 2000)
Definition of “aesthetic”
Aesthetic includes different kinds of activities, which can arouse feeling of happiness,
release.
Most probably,
comfort and
aesthetics can be derived directly from artistic learning and activities.
order to develop clean concept,
In
the meaning of aesthetic education in this research will focus on “arts
and visual art”.
Research background
Hong Kong has been regarded as a “cultural desert” for a long time.
1960 because of the economic slump.
in 1982,
Artistic activities were rare since
With the establishment of the Council for the Performing Arts
Hong Kong has now been one of the most dynamic and flourishing cultural scenes in Asia
(Recreation & Cultural Branch Government Secretariat,
1993,
p.1)
“Cultural desert” is gradually
converted into an oasis.
People in Hong Kong are inadequate in aesthetic education,
especially in art appreciation.
appreciation, which can lead to the development of aesthetic experience,
Discipline-based Art Education. (Eisner,
1972)
Art
is one of major themes in
Through art appreciation,
the development of
knowledge and experience in aesthetics is widened and the aim of fulfilling spiritual need is achieved.
Such experiences can lead to greater awareness and
forms of objects and artwork.
satisfaction
through appreciating different
Appreciative ability is very crucial because it helps develop
intelligence.
As a voluntary museum docent at the Hong Kong Museum of Art for a couple of years,
I find that
people in Hong Kong show no interest in art appreciation and lack initiative to visit such places as the
Hong Kong Museum of Art (henceforth,
the Museum) during my guided tour.
Public visits to the
Museum occur mainly once every year and it is reported that the Museum attracts more professionals
or semi-professionals.
(“Report on an opinion survey on the Hong Kong Museum of Art,
1997)
This clearly shows that the life pattern in artistic learning is unsatisfactory.
According to my observation from 10th to 15th April,
the Museum per day.
2000,
there were about 200 to 300 visitors at
Frequent visits occurred during the Easter holidays but unexpectedly the
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Museum attracted fewer visitors during the holiday season.
Hong Kong have no interest to visit the Museum.
artistic learning.
What are the reasons for this?
This behaviour is reflected that people in
Such lack of interest stems from poor education in
Owing to this,
I would like to investigate reasons
for this phenomenon which has remained unchanged for sometime.
Problems of aesthetic education in Hong Kong
Art education started its function in the late 1960 in Hong Kong.
This was regarded as a subject that
formed a part of balanced curriculum.
art was not taken seriously and has
During a 30-year period,
been neglected and ignored for a long time.
This has contributed the following problems of aesthetic
education in Hong Kong:1.
People have no concept and sensitivity on aesthetics.
2.
People have passive attitude towards art.
3.
People are not creative and imaginative enough because of the limited aesthetic education.
4.
People lack self-initiative to conduct art appreciation at the Museum.
5.
People are low in appreciative ability.
Such problems are still prevalent now in Hong Kong.
However,
people in Hong Kong neglect the
All countries insist on the development of academic education,
which plays a major part in the
importance of aesthetic education.
The importance of aesthetic education
development of all children.
intellectual potential.
the academic study addresses only part of each child’s
However,
Their other potentials are neglected and ignored if the education insists on the
training of cognition.
A balanced and full education in the arts,
which foster aesthetics,
will help:-
Personal aspect
-
develop children’s multiple intelligence,
-
promote creativity,
-
develop an attitude of cooperation and interpersonal relationship,
-
have a powerful way in which communities express their characteristic values,
feelings and
beliefs,
-
encourages students to strive to make their next work better than the last,
improvement of technique,
Social aspect
-
meet the new needs of business and promote cultural understanding and identity,
especially in the
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-
the best route to understand the character of society through artistic practices and traditions.
Howard Gardner has come to admission that an individual has an inborn multiple intelligence.
(Howard Gardner,
1991)
If a person only develops his academic potentials,
in arts and personal life skill will then be hampered to develop.
requirements of society when they go out to work.
their deepest thoughts,
feelings,
In fact,
then his intelligence
They cannot meet the needs and
arts education helps children express
emotions and dreams that are concealed in their heart through
different media.
The strong reason for aesthetic education is that the present complex society requires people with
different skills, which can meet the divergent needs and tastes of society.
So,
to widen children’s
horizon of intelligence actually helps increase the competition among themselves and sharpen their
strength in future.
Owing to the rapid and tremendous change of politics,
cultural diversity has been growing tenser than before.
society and economy,
Through arts education,
the tension of
cultural diversity can then be diminished to a certain extent because young people have been instilled
with positive concept to accept diversity,
such as racism.
Knowing the importance of aesthetic education,
are the reasons for this?
However,
but there are still problems in Hong Kong.
What
such reasons can be revealed through art appreciation at the
Museum.
Possible reasons for the inadequate aesthetic education in Hong Kong
-
the education system in Hong Kong focuses heavily on the cultivation of elite.
the Government neglects the importance of aesthetic education,
Unfortunately,
especially visual art.
reason is that there is about 75% primary teachers untrained in art in primary schools.
Report, 1997)
The
(Teacher
Such indication can show that the government has ignored the importance of art
education.
-
there is a lack of resources and funding to students to learn visual art in schools, including primary
and secondary.
For instance,
in the academic year of 1999 – 2000,
each student in secondary
schools is entitled to get a subsidy of about HK$40 (approximately about 3.50 sterling pounds)
from the government.
Such funding includes everything relating to art activities.
The current
funding is so small that students cannot possibly develop a keen interest in artistic learning while
the government promotes balanced education..
so little financial incentive?
How can students develop aesthetic properly with
The passiveness of the government affects the quality of aesthetic
education in Hong Kong.
-
there is a wrong concept on art among the people of Hong Kong.
public in Hong Kong,
In the eyes of the general
profit-making and money-minded are the basic concept of their aims of
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life.
They want to earn as much as they can in exchange for the luxuriant life.
practical.
In fact,
They are very
people never think about art because it is too far from their daily life.
believe that art is only for those who are interested and for those who are rich.
the Museum are educated and professional.
They
Those who visit
Such misconception on art among the public has
triggered the push factor affecting the problem of aesthetic education in Hong Kong.
-
On the other hand,
Museum.
people in Hong Kong may feel unstimulated by the collection of works at the
The level of incentive,
especially the permanent collections,
is not enough to attract
people to visit.
-
the implementation of new art syllabi in 1995 and 1997,
Discipline-Based Art Education (DBAE),
untrained art teacher in primary schools.
not suggested in the syllabi guidelines.
Eillot Eisner 1980,
cannot match the ability of an
School principals allow teachers teach topics that are
Those who are untrained will not teach art appreciation
and this lowers the development of aesthetics among students.
adopts “laissez-faire” policy,
basically derived from the
What is worse,
the government
which gives no interference but with complete autonomy,
employment of untrained teacher in the teaching of art.
on the
This is also the factor leading to develop
the problem of aesthetic education in Hong Kong
Conclusion
Possible ways to tackle the present problem of aesthetic education in Hong Kong
-
the government should have a proper policy to develop art for the public.
education to change the attitude towards art.
For example,
But it should start at
in 1997,
the Education
Department established the Quality Education Fund for the authority concerned to apply for
different activities, which can enhance the effectiveness and quality of education.
The
establishment of such fund can really help the development and improvement of present art
education in Hong Kong.
-
in addition,
the government should set up a committee to evaluate the present curriculum
implemented both in primary and secondary schools,
for art appreciation.
especially the method and materials used
Through the process of evaluation,
it is also necessary to compare the
development and effectiveness of the global art education – curriculum and methodology.
-
to make art TV programs can also help develop knowledge and rise up appreciative ability of the
public.
-
Then art can be linked up and integrated as a part of people’s life.
the government should open up more art libraries that carry lots of art book collections to those
who are interested in art.
-
furthermore,
in order to promote aesthetic among the public,
more or permanent places for artists to exhibit their works.
develop their own exhibitions and on the other hand,
the government should provide
On the one hand,
artists can
aesthetics through art appreciation can be
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promoted.
If possible,
there should have exhibited more artworks in the open place to let the
public approach them directly.
Then art appreciation,
integrating into a part of life,
will be
conducted at any time.
-
in addition,
cultural exchange and seminar should be held periodically to discuss the present
trend of art education and its situation in the globe.
-
the present Institute of Education has played an important role for teacher training.
The institute
should strengthen and evaluate art teacher-training course at intervals to meet the needs of the real
situation.
There should have a well-developed and well-designed course for the in-service art
teacher to refresh teaching philosophy and methodology.
-
it is the fact that the present exhibitions in the Hong Kong Museum of Art are quite limited in the
category.
The Museum should enlarge educational service for the schools to meet the needs of
the present art education in the area of art appreciation.
The Museum should design more
educational materials and packages for the schools to cope with the exhibitions of the permanent
and special section.
-
Then the aim of aesthetic education in the new curriculum will be achieved.
the school principals both in primary and secondary should actively promote art education. There
should have more seminars,
talks and workshops for all teachers,
students,
and the parents to
let them understand more about the importance and value of present art education in the
development of a whole person.
Their prejudice will be diminished and they can encourage
students positively in conducting art creativity.
-
both primary and secondary schools should take initiative to dismiss those who have disqualified
experience in the teaching of art.
The principals should support their teachers to take more
refresh and supplementary courses for the teaching of art.
School principals should promote the
professionalism of teacher in art and they should only let the trained art teacher to teach art.
-
besides,
teachers are encouraged to conduct appraisal between themselves in order to enhance
the quality of teaching and its effectiveness.
A committee inside schools should be set up by a
group of teachers to deal with teaching problems as well as provide support to teachers,
resources,
teaching methodologies,
teaching aids and so on.
like
This will help improve the
quality of teaching and rise the standard of art education.
-
the scheme of “Artist-in-School” should be extended to different schools,
special needs.
including students with
Its aim is to arouse and cultivate interest and motivation to learn art and hence,
those with talents can then be fully explored.
-
the parents should regulate their misconception and prejudice against art through seminars,
and family activities.
They should let their children to study art.
talks
Parents should participate
more seminars and talks concerning about the functions and values of art education,
especially
art appreciation.
-
the government should allocate different resources to cultivate interest in art among the public.
Every district should avail of resources from the authority concerned,
art organizations,
like art museum and other
to progress different kinds of activities to develop strong clans between art
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appreciation and daily life.
In a nutshell,
there are problems in the present aesthetic education in Hong Kong.
Possible ways
has suggested to tackle such problems but we need cooperation from different aspects.
However,
only our endeavour can overcome all the problems we face during the process of education.
Only we
persevere our aims of art education and hence our children can be explored their intelligence,
especially their ability to different aspects.
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