Contemporary Art as Democracy Education

Abstract

According to Hannah Arendt, a free and public space is an essential condition for democracy. She presents this free and public space as a space between us, where different voices are expressed and are being heard (Arendt, 2012). In order to maintain a democratic social model, the school system needs to facilitate these open spaces where students can acquire knowledge, develop skills and values they need to become active democratic citizens, as well as giving practical training in exercising them. This article gives an insight on how these competences can be learned in an art museum through dialogue. The argumentation in the article relies upon the research of art mediation at Kunstnernes Hus. The research includes qualitative examinations of a specific case where high school-students encountered artworks by Vanessa Baird.