"Out of My Element": The Experiences of Black Art Students in Critique

Utilizing critical race theory (Delgado & Stefancic, 2012), this exploratory study examined the lived experiences of 19 Black art students as they navigated critique spaces at institutions of art and design. Critique (or "crit") is the primary evaluative tool used in art schools with t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of diversity in higher education 2023-02, Vol.16 (1), p.40-52
Main Authors: Unkefer, Erin N. S., Curtis, Connor, Andrade, Lucia, Tepper, Cayla, Barnes, Nikole
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
African American Students
Art Criticism
Art Education
Black People
College Students
Coping
Coping Behavior
Critical Race Theory
Cultural Awareness
Educational Personnel
Feedback (Response)
Female
Human
Male
Praise
Predominantly White Institutions
Psychological Consequence
Psychological Patterns
Silence
Student Attitudes
Student Experience
Theories of Education
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Summary:Utilizing critical race theory (Delgado & Stefancic, 2012), this exploratory study examined the lived experiences of 19 Black art students as they navigated critique spaces at institutions of art and design. Critique (or "crit") is the primary evaluative tool used in art schools with the purpose of providing constructive, generative feedback to students (Costantino, 2015). Findings from this thematic analysis revealed how the subjective nature of critique often allowed for racially biased responses by faculty and peers. Participants noted four prevalent interactions during critique: Cultural incompetence, silence, superficial praise, and a focus on form. Interviewees also described the psychological impact of critique and the coping skills they employed. This study offers implications for administrators, faculty, and staff as they address institutional inequities in assessment practices at colleges of art and design and within other performance-based majors and institutions.
ISSN:1938-8926
1938-8934
DOI:10.1037/dhe0000322