Secondary School Students’ Response to Learning the Concept of Destruction and Transformation of an Artwork into Another Artwork in the Visual Arts Class

Abstract

This empirical study aimed to introduce the concept of destruction and transformation into secondary school art education as a potential way of incorporating conceptual and contemporary artistic practices. Experts have highlighted the absence of such content in art education, emphasising the responsibility of teachers to integrate it into the learning process thoughtfully. To encourage students to engage in profound thinking about destruction and internalise the essence of conceptual art through practical experiences, we conducted a study at a Ljubljana secondary school. Here, students created their initial artwork (ready- made), a prerequisite for its subsequent destruction and transformation into a new artwork. We included two first-year classes, exploring 1) their response to the presented artworks aligned with the researched concept, 2) their attitude towards destroying and transforming their initial art- work, and 3) their response to the concept of destruction and transformation through their creative practice. Over four school hours, we gathered data through both qualitative and quantitative research techniques. The results showed that in-depth discussions of conceptual foundations led to a predominantly positive student attitude towards contemporary artworks. They not only understood but also internalised the essence of these artworks, which was vividly reflected in their practical artistic expressions. In conclusion, the study effectively introduced the concept of destruction and transformation into secondary school art education, promoting a deeper understanding of contemporary art among students while cultivating their creative and critical thinking skills.