A Picasso or a Pre-schooler? : Ways of seeing the 'child as artist'

Abstract

Children's art is commonly a central feature in early childhood classrooms. Adults readily display the art of young children in prominent locations for others to admire. The practice of displaying young children's visual art poses several questions about the child and his or her artistic expression. Are these children likened to professional artists? How do children feel about their own art being displayed? What methods of display are appropriate, if any? A review of the early childhood art education literature offers ways of seeing the 'child as artist.' Artistic learning is complex in and of itself, and to further complicate matters, art education has not progressed in a linear fashion and lacks a unified organisational structure. However, the place of art in the curriculum and the best way of teaching art to young children are central debates within the field of early childhood art education. This paper draws on doctoral research that attempts to explore ways of seeing the 'child as artist' within the context of early childhood art education and presents an argument for a new understanding of young children's experiences with the display of their own visual artwork.