David Cameron must surely be tempted to text Tracey Emin asking what went wrong. The prime minister installed a neon by her in 10 Downing Street. She got a CBE within the New Year honours list. Yet in any case this, let alone her well-publicised support for the Tories, the famous Margate-born artist has now pop out against Michael Gove’s education reforms. She says removing arts from the core school subjects will result in riots so one can make summer 2011 seem like summer 2012.
It is hardly surprising. As those Stuckists will let you know, Emin is a part of the Tate establishment, and Tate is leading the campaign to avoid wasting art education. Cameron is lots less scary than Nicholas Serota. But on the other hand, it is usually a shallow viewpoint. And you’ll anticipate Emin to claim the shallow thing.
Shallow Ok. I confess. it’s not that i am totally convinced by the art world campaign to avoid wasting art in schools.
Art happens unexpectedly. Nobody expected the British artists of Emin’s generation to become famous like they did – least of all, i think, their art teachers. As a faculty subject, art is a tough one. Is it a significant nurture artists, or a soft subject Everyone has memories of sticking straws together at primary school. Emin appears championing that side of college art – it keeps ’em off the streets. i believe Tate and its allies have to consider the bigger challenges and questions Gove is raising. Are we sure our education system is optimal Is it radical to oppose all change without no less than examining the desires of kids who is probably not completely served by things as they are
You could argue that our society needs more literacy and numeracy: that better art would come from these. And what is wrong with science Is that not beautiful Perhaps science lessons will inspire the artists of tomorrow better than art classes can – who knows
The art lobby is at risk of being narrow-minded and unthinking. it’s not that i am praising Gove. Removed from it. I hate his contempt for the teaching profession. But i believe uneasy about rejecting ideas for academic reform out of hand and in confrontational language. i myself think education does need reforming, because Britain will not be educated enough.
Emin warns that arts cuts will cause riots at the streets. But what concerning the riots that already happened If educational deficits could cause social breakdown, surely we’re already in post-apocalyptic times Schools have art. It didn’t stop the 2011 riots. Maybe (following Emin’s logic) education needs something else
