The artistic methods as a way to look at the possibilities of construction of gender and its relations

Abstract

Based on a collaborative action-research project with a high school class, we discuss the possibilities that artistic methodologies bring to collective analysis and reflections in order to promote youth political consciousness. Through moments of aesthetic-political exploration, in which the Theatre of the Oppressed and Photovoice were mobilised, the young people reflected on their everyday experiences and problems, with dating violence emerging as the most significant theme. Local actors were added to the joint reflection between the young people, and visual narratives made by two groups were discussed. This article recognises the potential of the arts to problematise gender relations and constructions, to emotionally and subjectively involve participants, and as a way of politicising an ‘apparent’ individual problem.

A partir de um projeto de investigação-ação colaborativa com uma turma do ensino médio, discutem-se as possibilidades que as metodologias artísticas trazem para análises e reflexões coletivas com vista à promoção da consciência política juvenil. Por meio de momentos de exploração estético-política, nos quais se mobilizou o Teatro do Oprimido e o Photovoice, os/as jo-vens refletiram sobre as suas experiências e problemas quotidianos, emergindo a violência do namo-ro como o tema mais significativo. À reflexão conjunta entre os/as jovens, somaram-se atores locais e discutiram-se narrativas visuais feitas por dois grupos. Neste artigo, reconhece-se o potencial das artes na problematização das relações e construções de género, na implicação emocional e subjetiva dos/as participantes e como modo de politizar um ‘aparente’ problema individual.

Sur la base d’un projet de recherche-action en collaboration avec une classe de lycée, nous discutons des possibilités que les méthodologies artistiques apportent aux analyses et aux réflexions collectives en vue de promouvoir la conscience politique des jeunes. À travers des moments d'exploration esthético-politique, dans lesquels le Théâtre de l’Opprimé et Photovoice ont été mobilisés, les jeunes ont réfléchi à leurs expériences et problèmes quotidiens, la violence dans les relations amoureuses apparaissant comme le thème le plus significatif. Des acteurs locaux ont été ajoutés à la réflexion commune des jeunes, et les récits visuels réalisés par deux grou-pes ont été discutés. Cet article reconnaît le potentiel des arts pour problématiser les relations et les constructions de genre, pour impliquer les participants de manière émotionnelle et subjective, et comme moyen de politiser un problème individuel ‘apparent’.