Poesis

Art practice can be thought of as poesis—a creative process aimed at enriching perception (aesthesis) and fostering meaning-making (praxis). This dual purpose allows art to transcend its aesthetic function and shape “collective occupations,” influencing how societies understand and engage with their environments.

Poesis (from the Greek “ποίησις”, meaning “to make” or “to create”) refers to the act of creation or production, particularly in a poetic, artistic, or philosophical sense. It’s a term that has deep roots in ancient Greek philosophy and has been explored in various contexts over time. It is closely associated with poetry (from “poiesis”), but its broader meaning encompasses any creative or generative process.

Example of poiesis could be:

• A poet crafting a sonnet that captures the essence of love.

• A potter shaping clay into a vessel.

• An innovator conceptualising and realising a new invention.

Art and technology, when viewed as interwoven, hold the power to transform not only how we understand the world but also how we engage with it. By embracing their dualities—function and beauty, poesis and praxis—we can create educational spaces that inspire deeper connections and richer experiences. Art, ultimately, is both a reflection of our humanity and a tool to shape it.

Thinking about art in simple terms, such as singing a song or performing a dance is a good start. However this thinking will always restrict our appreciation of how art really can inform our learning spaces as we move into more natural, democratic and human education structures. Introducing more rich terminology such as ‘poesis’ is not simply a fancy term to forget but challenges our thinking as to how art underpins the essence of our humanity.

What other language do you know that could potentially introduce arts-terminology into our education discourse – providing diverse ideas and understandings to emerge?

Until next time,

Mon x