Joseph beuys

JOSEPH BEUYS Introduction Joseph Beuys, the German conceptual artist (1921-1986), whose notion of art can be related to a tradition of social idealism, believed that creative potential is universal and widening the domain of art is essential.“ The isolated concept of art education must be done away with, and the artistic element must be embodied in every subject, whether it is our mother tongue, geography, mathematics or gymnastics” (Joseph Beuys, quoted in Harrison & Wood, 2003: 905).
Art and design make a unique contribution to the aims of the national secondary school curriculum. The art programme provides opportunities to plan sequences of work, teaching approaches and learning outcomes that develop successful learners in all disciplines. When all classroom subjects are interlinked with the art and design curriculum, it helps students to become succesful learners in all the disciplines (National Curriculum, 2008).
The purpose of this paper is to highlight how art and design is not restricted to the art room, all subjects in the curriculum involve some aspect of creativity, and why this is important.
Discussion
In secondary school education, art and design offers pupils the opportunity to develop their creativity by using a range of skills in a wide variety of contexts. Pupils are able to communicate and to express their ideas and feelings in various forms such as making working models for science projects, enacting history through drama or dance, expressing creative literary work or poetry through information and communication technology, music and art, and other innovative outlets. Through exploring and sharing these ideas, pupils develop confidence and independence in learning. This is essential to becoming a successful learner who enjoys learning, makes progress and achieves higher learning outcomes (National Curriculum, 2008). The importance of creativity and cultural development through the curriculum is supported by Report (1999: 11),
Pupils’ experience of new technologies helps them to develop the skills to investigate alternative ways of working. Students learn to value the learning process as a key part of the creative experience. They are enabled to understand their own and other cultures and traditions, and possibilites to change things for the better. Art, craft, design and applied practices promote an enterprising culture, and develops student’s ability to work on a collaborative basis. Thus, pupils’ understanding and appreciation of fine art, design and craft enriches their life in the present time as well as in the future. According to Parsons (2002: 149), the teachers’ task is to work with students to develop creative practices that help to reformulate how students articulate their sense of self in a wider social and political context.
The study of art and design is also enriched by integration with the other subjects. Due to the literary content of artworks and their role as social documents, contextual enquiry enlivens the study of art by reaching out to history, literature, sciences and other arts for background and thematic connections in values and cocepts. Thus a more compelling picture of the lived experience expressed in artworks, is obtained (Amdur, 1993: 14).
Conclusion
This paper has highlighted Joseph Beuys’ concept of why art education should be embodied in all subjects in the secondary school curriculum. Students become successful learners in all the disciplines through the incorporation of art and design in their school curriculum. They are enabled to develop values to assess the world around them, and to evaluate their own as well as others’ work. Increased confidence in their own opinions leads to enhanced feelings of self-worth and greater ability to relate to others. Students grow to be responsible citizens since investigations in art, craft and design help them to appreciate the diversity of ideas and different approaches to social and cultural understandings (National Curriculum, 2008).

References
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Harrison, C, & Wood, P. (2003). Art in theory 1900-2000: an anthology of changing ideas. The
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National Curriculum. (2008). Art and design and the national curriculum aims. Key stages 3 &
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http://curriculum. qca. org. uk/key-stages-3-and-4/subjects/art-and-design/Art_and_design_and_the_national_curriculum_aims. aspx
Parsons, L. (2002). Critical theory and visual practice in the art school. Journal of Art & Design
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http://www. cypni. org. uk/downloads/alloutfutures. pdf