Towards Freedom of Expression in Chinese College-Level Art Education: A Collaborative Research-Creation Exploration

Abstract

This thesis investigates participants’ perspectives on freedom of expression in university level Chinese art education via the integration of contemporary art resources, practical perspectives, and sociocultural factors. Through a series of workshops, interviews, and online questionnaires, the study explores the gap between art curricula and personal expression through the participants’ lens. The research-creation approach draws on John Dewey’s critical reflection theory, Maxine Greene’s philosophy of imagination, Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of social reproduction, and Kerry Freedman’s position on the role of art production in art education. Findings indicate that participants’ freedom of expression is limited by three salient barriers: consciousness, resources, and sociocultural factors. The thesis concludes by discussing the implications of these findings for future art education development, including how individual experiences can be a central principle of student-oriented art education, and the acknowledgement that the creation of new research spaces and resources could promote increased freedom of expression in Chinese art education.