Me and Art History – The Contribution of Art History Studies to Students’ Identity Work

Abstract

This research explores the relationship between art history studies and identity, as inspired by students’ initiative to discuss matters related to identity during art history lessons. The research has two research questions: 1) Do students find art history meaningful in terms of identity? and 2) What kinds of thoughts and ideas of identity are generated when studying art history? Twenty-four students of visual arts and photography at an upper-secondary vocational college in Finland took part in the research and produced research material by reflecting on topics related to identity in writing. The data were analyzed using content analysis. The results show that all the students found art history meaningful in terms of identity work and could identify changes in their self-conception as well as the conception of the world around them. Art history studies provided the students with a novel insight into themselves, as well as into societies and cultures, broadening their world-view and fostering their identities as art students and future artists. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.18.3.3