Art as Critical Public Pedagogy: A Qualitative Study of Luis Camnitzer and His Conceptual Art

This qualitative study explored the connection between art and adult education for critical consciousness from the perspective and work of conceptual artist, Luis Camnitzer. The theoretical framework is grounded in the critical public pedagogy literature. Data collection methods included interviews with conceptual artist Luis Camnitzer and with others familiar with his work, as well as textual analysis of his writing and visual art. The findings focus on the theme of exile in the life of the artist, his thoughts on the relation of art, politics, and education, and the role of conceptual art’s potential for creating “dialogue” in the mind of the viewer by re-presenting reality in unexpected ways. The discussion of the findings focuses on re-examining and redefining the concept of “dialogue” for art and adult education for critical consciousness in nonformal settings.