Art and Education in the Countercultural Context of the Late 1960s and Early 1970s

This article presents a brief approach to the relationship between art and education in the late 1960s and early 1970s through artists and practices related to new artistic trends and the countercultural context. The analysis is structured around three thematic axes: (1) information and circulation of knowledge, (2) blurring of boundaries and authorities, and (3) relationships with institutions. The pedagogical editorial projects of Blueprint for Counter Education and Teaching and Learning as Performing Arts, the art educational perspectives of Joseph Beuys and Allan Kaprow, and the alternative learning proposals of the Free International University and the Feminist Art Program are analyzed following this scheme. The objective of the article is to comprehend their inherent relation with their environment and their connection to the contemporary moment. Consequently, the legacy of these artistic–educational visions, as well as the significance of countercultural ideals in current art education, are evaluated.