As possibilidades que a arte me dá: escrevivência e reexistência nas aulas de arte

Abstract

This dissertation aims to foster critical discussions on Art Education within Basic Education. It addresses the urgent need to normalize the presence of Black individuals in leadership and prominent positions within spaces dedicated to cultural appreciation and consumption. Despite the fact that, in 2024, the Black population constitutes 54% of Brazilian citizens, we remain underrepresented in theaters, exhibitions, and concerts. This reality highlights the importance of developing educational policies grounded in anti-racist principles. As someone born into an interracial family, I have witnessed how access to the arts tends to be more naturally afforded to white families than to Black families. My own engagement with painting, drawing, theater, and eventually a degree in Visual Arts was made possible by the encouragement and influence of my white (paternal) relatives. This dissertation questions the Eurocentric and colonially rooted framework that still predominates in Art Education, which continues to hinder the full implementation of Law No. 10.639/03, mandating the inclusion of Afro-Brazilian history and culture in school curricula. In an effort to foreground Black and ancestral art, this work draws on the contributions of Black scholars and artists who enrich the discourse on race and education. Among them is Nego Bispo, who emphasizes confluences, synthetic and organic knowledge, and orality; and Conceição Evaristo, a Black woman, mother, teacher, and writer, who transcends the limitations of intersectionality and academic conventions to affirm her identity and experience on her own terms. Her concept of Escrevivência—writing from lived experience—serves as both an inspiration and a methodological-epistemological foundation for this research. Through Escrevivência, I narrate the intertwined stories that unfold inside and outside the Art classroom, reflecting on “the possibilities that art gives me” as a Black subject. I also explore innovative ways in which social media can be integrated into Art Education within public schools. As part of the educational product developed in this research, I created an Instagram account titled @aspossibilidadesqueaartemeda. This platform functions as a multidisciplinary network connecting artists, educators, students, and the broader community. It regularly features videos of Black artists from diverse artistic disciplines, who speak about their creative processes and the societal impact of their work. Additionally, it showcases artworks by students and teachers, as well as photographs of museums, exhibitions, cinemas, and theaters across Brazil that celebrate Black artistic production. The initiative seeks to inspire Black students in public education to engage with, produce, and envision art as a viable professional pathway, while also contributing to the effective implementation of Law No. 10.639/03.