Children's Art Exhibitions

The Contexts and Challenges

Abstract

Children's art exhibitions can be static museum pieces or they can become dynamic and challenging catalysts for human engagement. The impetus to create exhibitions of children's art involves the consideration of social, political and educational issues. Some exhibitions in London, Montreal, the USA, India and Australia over the last five decades are examined in terms of such issues, together with the motivation of the adults who organized them. The contemporary interest in using exhibitions as a means to reconstruct the learning process, and thereby to heighten their communicative potential is addressed. The Hundred Languages of Children exhibition from Reggio Emilia, Italy, is viewed as making a positive contribution to the creative potential of children's art exhibitions.