L'education Brut: The Educational Philosophy of Jean Dubuffet

ABSTRACT

Jean Philippe Arthur Dubuffet was born in Le Havre, France in 1901.
Though largely known in the United States as a painter and founder of
the Art Brut (raw art) movement, Dubuffet penned some compelling and
insightful philosophic treatise as well.  Dubuffet admired the artistic
work of children, criminals and the insane, as they are free of
established artistic convention.  He viewed such  conventions, and the
encultrated values they implicitly espouse, as an asphyxiating blanket
that oppresses and suppresses individual expression.  This disposition
is reflected in his writing, which suggests that the aim of education
should not be to teach indoctrinated methodologies and ideologies of
popular society, but to un-learn them.  Ultimately, Dubuffet believed
that radical education reform must necessarily be instituted to ensure
each student the freedom to create a unique expression.

This paper provides a brief introduction to the life of Dubuffet and an
overview of the main educational components of his philosophy.  Further,
the paper suggests the implications of Dubuffet's work for contemporary
educators.



Jeffrey S. Brooks
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Missouri System
Consortium for Educational Policy Analysis
218 Hill Hall
Columbia, MO 65211
concavex@hotmail.com
Tel: 573.884.5130