Networks and Art Narratives

Network Concept

The idea is to use the network concept to create a culture of engagement/active learning/concerned teachers. A network has nodes which both inter-connect and radiate out on their own. I would like to couple this with the 'Cheers' concept—it is very desirable to have a place where everybody knows your name. The network needs input from an energizing battery to individual sources at each node.

The challenge is to find the way to convert these metaphors into action with people. Who is each of the nodes, what do they do as a node, how do they relate to other nodes? We could have individuals on the TLC board do this, or we could find individuals in each of the cohorts to do this. Moreover, we need to energize each node. I think we can do that by having facilitated discussions—one of the people from the gala showcase, for instance, could give a 15 to 20-minute session then let the group discuss for 40 minutes. The TLC could send around a periodic newsletter to keep individuals informed of the activities of other nodes, and also could set up 'all node' activities once a semester, a speech or a workshop. The TLC probably also ought to plan a social event once a semester.

In addition the entire node should be called upon once a year to put on a public event for the campus.

The art narrative concept and the art transcendence concept

The art narrative concept works like this. A picture depicts one moment in a story. But the story gives the picture meaning by supplying context. Thus, to use a very common example, the crucifixion is a moment in the Biblical narrative of the life of Christ. It is not so much the actual picture but the context that supplies the meaning of the image.

Art as transcendence is related to the concept of the spiritual. The spiritual is the opposite of the material. Most people seek some kind of contact with the spiritual, and thus desire to have or live in spirituality. To contact the spiritual takes, usually, a special situation, namely some kind of ritual performance, the most common example these days being the Sunday service. Art however is another route to this connection, both through obvious religious art but actually through any image. The idea is that the image takes us out of ourselves to see reality from some other viewpoint, and that viewpoint allows us to look at ourselves differently. That is the power of transcendence and thus the power of art.