Collaborative Education: Community Based Art and Fashion Learning Applications for the Prolonged Use Phase of a T-shirt

Alicia Mcdonald,Raegan Mcguire,Mona Maher,Monica Prado,Ismael De Anda Iii,Rachel Anderson,Chiseum Dent,Cody Arnall

doi:10.31274/itaa.12185

Abstract

Over a two-week period in 2017, an artist-in-residence, fashion and art faculty, and graduate and undergraduate students collaborated on a temporary art installation of soft and hard sculpture located inside of an academic building on campus, as part of the university's public art collection.  Working together as a creative team, and involving the community, they built the sculpture, applying stainability practices through the extended use phase of the materials.  In 2019, the fashion faculty led a second team to breakdown the sculpture and increase again the life cycle of the components by using them for two different community-based art and fashion education non-profit workshops that provide art and fashion learning for children in foster care.  The project addresses some pertinent topics in relationship to teaching innovation, extending the use phase of materials, collaborative education. and community involvement and outreach. The artists personal body of work and statement behind the sculpture strongly involves using resources and collaborative involvement from the local community for his site-specific art pieces.<br>

Highlights

Over a two-week period in 2017, the artist-in-residence, faculty, and graduate and undergraduate students collaborated on a temporary art installation of soft and hard sculpture located inside of an academic building on campus, as part of the university’s public art collection
The presentation will include the logistics of the first phase of this project as to how the artist, faculty, and students worked within a large group of undergraduate and graduate students to design, build, and install this sculpture through multiple interdisciplinary collaborations with the local community, students, and faculty from two different colleges and departments
It will cover the history of the artist’s work in relationship to sustainability practices and community involvement and how these concepts moved toward a collaboration for public art with academic applications

Summary

Introduction

Over a two-week period in 2017, the artist-in-residence, faculty, and graduate and undergraduate students collaborated on a temporary art installation of soft and hard sculpture located inside of an academic building on campus, as part of the university’s public art collection. The project addresses some pertinent topics in relationship to teaching innovation, extending the use phase of materials, collaborative education. The use phase of the lifecycle of the t-shirt for this project has been extended through donations from the community, re-purposed engineered patchwork canvas for the canopy of the sculpture, and its re-use again for making clothing for children in foster care.

Results

Conclusion