Words, cultures, and possible worlds: Perspectives on formal education from a decolonial art perspective

Abstract

The coloniality of knowledge remains present in contemporary pedagogical practices, often reaffirming a Eurocentric logic that marginalizes other epistemologies, forms of expression, and modes of existence. In this context, it becomes urgent to rethink education in light of decolonial art, as well as to reconsider the epistemological foundations of art education, particularly those historically structured around a Eurocentric and exclusionary canon that has defined what is considered “legitimate art” while silencing peripheral cultural knowledge and practices. This scenario gives rise to several central questions: in what ways can formal education, within the Brazilian context marked by deep colonial, racial, and social legacies, open itself to plural and decolonized epistemologies of art? How can practices that value historically marginalized forms of knowledge be incorporated, especially those produced by Indigenous peoples, quilombola communities, peripheral populations, and popular traditions in Brazil? Based on these questions, this study proposes to investigate the extent to which decolonial art, as discussed in the book A virada decolonial na arte brasileira, by Alessandra Simões Paiva, can contribute to the development of critical practices in formal education that are territorially grounded and sensitive to cultural diversity. Thus, the aim is to understand the challenges and potentialities of this perspective for the transformation of current educational practices.