Department of Visual Arts

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Continuous programme renewal and critical citizenship : key items for the South African higher education curriculum agenda
(AOSIS, 2018-06-18) Bitzer, Eli; Costandius, Elmarie
In this article, we explore the term ‘programme renewal’ and then continue to point out why programme renewal bodes an essential topic for continuous inquiry and attention. We also highlight the importance of approaching programme renewal from a sound theoretical base and point to the important issue of promoting critical citizenship with students in learning programmes. We finally point to the links between programme renewal and critical citizenship through four sample cases.
Exploring shame and pedagogies of discomfort in critical citizenship education
(AOSIS, 2019-09-30) Costandius, Elmarie; Alexander, Neeske
Background: Social transformation in South Africa is a sensitive issue because of the historical realities of segregation and past injustices. Aim: To address transformation, Visual Communication Design students were asked to design an exhibition, event, sculpture or garden to memorialise the forced removals that took place on the site of the current Arts and Social Sciences Building of Stellenbosch University and to thereby contribute with their own ‘voices’ to an event or exhibition. Setting: The focus of the project was to memorialise the forced removals that occurred on the place known then as Die Vlakte. The aim was to investigate the reactions of students and community members to explore how a visual communication project prepared them or failed to prepare them for dealing with social injustice. Methods: A case study research design was applied, and inductive qualitative content analysis was used in processing and organising data. The theoretical framework included critical citizenship education, social justice, pedagogy of discomfort, shame and white shame. Results: Critical citizenship education may form part of pedagogies of discomfort, and shame may be used positively as we ask students to negotiate emotionally charged subjects through visual communication. Conclusion: As the case studies have shown, students are capable of identifying sources of discomfort and growing from them to perceive a local historic event in a more sensitive and inclusive way.
Exploring the transformative potential of collaborative art projects on the Stellenbosch University campus
(UNISA Press, 2015) Costandius, Elmarie; Perold, Karolien
this article explores the potential of visual art projects in negotiating social transformation within the context of a South African higher education institution (HeI). the experiences of students and staff involved in three collaborative visual art projects initiated at Stellenbosch University (SU), Stellenbosch, South Africa from 2013 to 2014 were explored through interviews, observations and reflective writing. It was found that through harnessing the medium of art as critical dialogic tool operating amidst the embedded differences and divides of the past, institutional culture can be re-imagined and aspects of critical citizenship, particularly tolerance of difference and democracy, can be realised within the collective university community. In conclusion, it is suggested that visual art projects of this kind seem to have the potential to access what Bhabha (1995) terms the ‘third Space’ and to facilitate transformative learning. It can play a valuable part in negotiating social transformation in South African higher education.
#FeesMustFall and decolonising the curriculum : Stellenbosch University students’ and lecturers’ reactions
(HESA, 2018) Costandius, E.; Blackie, M.; Nell, I.; Malgas, R.; Alexander, N.; Setati, E.; Mckay, M.
In South African higher education institutions, the student protests of 2015–2016 called for the decolonisation of higher education spaces and equal access to these spaces. We collected data from students and lecturers over the period of one year in order to better understand the reactions of students and lecturers and the effects the protests had on their experiences. Perspectives of affective theory, decolonisation and social justice theories were used. It was discovered that the protests had a great affective impact on participants. Strong emotions and beliefs affected the relationships between students and lecturers and African centrality was suggested as a framework for curriculum change. Some settler perspectives emerged and polarisation was evident. It is our hope that lecturers could use this research to assist them in decolonising their spaces of teaching and learning.
Gender representation in Christian book covers : a case study
(AOSIS Publishing, 2011-04-01) Viljoen, Stella; Koenig-Visagie, Leandra
In this article, we described how gender is represented on two Christian book covers by popular author, John Eldredge, namely Wild at Heart. Discovering the Secret to a Man’s Soul (2001) and Captivating. Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul (2005). Through semiotic visual analysis, we explored how the active male–passive female opposition functions on these covers. This opposition is constructed by visually associating the male figure on the cover of Wild at Heart with active outdoor adventurism and the female figure on Captivating with passive situatedness in nature. The titles of the two books also contribute to positioning the male as active and the female as passive. We further investigated how certain myths are created on these covers in support of an active male–passive female opposition and its underlying ideologies. The cover of Wild at Heart creates and also taps into the colonial myth of conquest. The cover of Captivating creates and taps into the myth of the fairytale and visually represents the female figure in a whimsical manner, thus constructing her as a representation of the spiritual or divine. The article questioned the role this information design plays in prescribing the expectations of gendered identity.
The "human colour" crayon : investigating the attitudes and perceptions of learners regarding race and skin colour
(University of South Africa Press, 2017) Alexander, Neeske; Costandius, Elmarie
Some coloured and black learners in South Africa use a light orange or pink crayon to represent themselves in art. Many learners name this colour “human colour” or “skin colour”. This is troublesome, because it could reflect exclusionary ways of representing race in images and language. This case study, conducted with two schools in the Western Cape, investigated Grade 3 learners’ attitudes and perceptions regarding race and skin colour through art processes and discussion. The aim was to promote critical engagement with race in Foundation Phase educational contexts. Suggestions include changing the language used to describe skin colour, just recognition and representation of races in educational resources and the promotion of critical citizenship education. This research indicates the need to create practical curriculum guidelines to discuss race issues in the South African classroom.
Independent and interdependent concepts of self : a meeting of worlds
(SUN MeDIA Bloemfontein, 2009) Costandius, Elmarie
This article argues for a re-evaluation of pedagogical methods to integrate an interdependent concept of self with an independent concept of self in order to enhance teaching and learning. The influence of an African communal or interdependent system in comparison with the dominant independent individual system is investigated by means of interviews with students at the Arts Department. The social constructivist learning perspective with the concept of communities of practice as a framework is used for the study. Based on the findings, the article advocates teaching and learning methods that are more multiculturally sensitive and that incorporate "other" voices and alternative ways of dialogue in order to improve interaction and information sharing.
Investigating "othering" in visual arts spaces of learning
(University of South Africa Press, 2017) Biscombe, Monique; Conradie, Stephane; Costandius, Elmarie; Alexander, Neeske
In the political, social, cultural and economic context of South Africa, higher education spaces provide fertile ground for social research. This case study explored “othered” identities in the Department of Visual Arts of Stellenbosch University. Interviews with students and lecturers revealed interesting and controversial aspects in terms of their experiences in the Department of Visual Arts. Theoretical perspectives such as “othering”, symbolic racism, the racialised body and visual art theory were used to interpret these experiences. It was found that “othering” because of indirect racism and language or economic circumstances affects students’ creative expression. Causes of “othering” experiences should be investigated in order to promote necessary transformation within the visual arts and within higher education institutions.
Listening to distant thunder : the art of Peter Clarke
(Academy of Science of South Africa, 2012-05) Van Robbroeck, Lize
[No abstract available]
Pretorius v Dietrich 1872 : klinkende munt of papiergeld?
(LitNet, 2015-04) Wildenboer, Liezl; Dietrich, Keith
Daar was geen amptelike hofverslae in die Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) voor 1877 nie. Hierdie bydrae gee ’n rare blik op ’n regsdispuut wat uit die vroeë 1870’s dateer. Die feite van die dispuut is afgelei uit verwante argivale bronne, aangesien die oorspronklike hofdokumentasie nie gevind kon word nie. Pretorius het ’n eis ingestel teen Dietrich op grond van ’n skuldbewys. Dietrich het daarop die uitstaande bedrag in papiergeld betaal. Weens die destydse depresiasie van die papiergeld, het Pretorius egter aangedring op betaling in klinkende munt. Dietrich het appèl aangeteken teen die vereiste betaalmiddel en verskeie regeringsbeamptes by die dispuut betrek. Ten einde die konteks van die dispuut te verstaan, word ’n kort beskrywing van die ekonomiese omstandighede van die ZAR gegee met spesifieke klem op die verskeie uitgiftes van papiergeld. Daarna word die feite van die dispuut chronologies uiteengesit en die betrokkenheid van die regeringsamptenare verduidelik. Die bydrae kyk in die besonder na drie knelpunte wat uit die dispuut na vore gekom het, naamlik die onafhanklikheid van die regbank, die destydse regsposisie ten aansien van die betaling van skuld in ’n sekere betaalmiddel, en die relevansie van sekere gemeneregbronverwysings waarop die verweerder gesteun het.

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