Materiality, Tactility, and Artmaking: An Exploration of Diasporic Trauma through Creative Pedagogy

Abstract

This paper explores the role of artmaking and tactile materials in learning and overcoming “stuckness” (Hage, 2009; Cangia, 2021), a state of discomfort caused by mobility constraints through an autobiographical approach. I explore how the tactile material artmaking processes can generate educational sites, and serve as a pathway to process trauma. The findings of this paper can empower learners to harness the therapeutic potential of artmaking, fostering resilience and growth through the creative process.

Keywords:

• art education,
• pedagogical site,
• tactility,
• artmaking,
• diasporic trauma,
• art-based research,
• immigrant experience,
• a/r/tography,
• creative pedagogy