Maintenance of an artificial controversy: Art pedagogy and crafts tradition in the subject Art and crafts

Abstract

This article discusses the history of the Norwegian school subject, Art and crafts, from the perspective of traditions in other Nordic countries like Sweden and Denmark. (Kunst og handverk in Norwegian, and named Bild/Billedkunst and Slöjd in Sverige and Danmark). The article examines how two ideological points of view, art pedagogy and the crafts tradition, are segmented in the subject. It addresses how actors in this field valuate different aspects of art and design activities and what ideologies this reflects. On the basis of this, the article presents theories on how actors in the Norwegian field of art and crafts have created an artificial and obsolete controversy between art pedagogy and the crafts tradition. It observes that the preservation of this controversy has caused stagnation in the development of the verbal culture and a weak critical mass in the field of art and design education.