Irena Wojnar o potencjale edukacyjnym sztuki nowoczesnej

The article presents the educational potential of modern art as art contemporary for the theory of education through art, introduced to the Polish pedagogical thought in the 1960s by Irena Wojnar. In the initial stage of shaping the Polish theory of aesthetic education, Wojnar analysed the relationship between aesthetics and pedagogy, paying attention to the educational possibilities not only of “classical” art, but also of modern art. Despite her later approach to treating art as a whole, in her early publications, the then young researcher distinguished contemporary art, paying attention to its cognitive, emotional and creative potential, which was compatible with the modern civilisation of the second half of the 20th century. Contemporary discussions on the educational possibilities of art are often limited to canonical art, treating contemporary art with reserve. The first publications by Irena Wojnar, presented in the article, show the educational potential of contemporary art of the 1960s, which was characterised by controversy and incompatibility with previously learned ways of perceiving art. Wojnar saw a place in education for contemporary art and called for educating teachers in the field of contemporary art. This text presents the educational aspects of modern art, distinguished by Irena Wojnar in her first scientific publications in the 1960s. The text is also an invitation to rediscover the innovation of the theory of education through art.