Higher education policy in the visual arts: Between tacit knowledge and the power of algorithms

Abstract

This article explores the development of higher education in the visual arts, examining the balance between tacit knowledge deeply embedded in the historical fabric of the visual arts and the transformative impact of algorithms in the contemporary digital environment. Recognizing algorithms as new "carriers" of knowledge and a kind of "student," the influence of this digital transformation on the traditional educational framework is scrutinized. Originally a philosophical concept perfected in organizational sciences, tacit knowledge is recognized as fundamental to artistic processes and is transferred through "apprenticeship" or studio interaction. Articulating the transfer of tacit knowledge plays a crucial role in advancing higher education policies in the visual arts. The research extends to the epistemological potential found in artistic doctoral research at faculties of visual arts in Serbia, serving as a rich resource for understanding and further developing the dynamic interaction between art and technology. The article navigates relevant theories that illuminate the shifting dynamics in art education and provides insights into how higher education policies in the visual arts adapt to the challenges of the algorithmic age. Using practical examples, the complexity inherent in this intersection is explored, and conclusions are formulated, predicting possible future development paths in this field. The aim is to encourage understanding and formulation of educational policies needed to prepare artists for an environment where the derivation and transfer of tacit knowledge, art as research, algorithmic power, and creativity coexist.

Keywords

• educational policies
• visual arts
• artificial intelligence
• tacit knowledge
• art as research