art/vision/voice - Maryland Institute College of Art

All quotations are from the cap Directors’
Roundtable Discussion, August 2004, California
State University, Monterey Bay.
case themes, issues, and dilemmas
The cases reflect the struggles, obstacles, misunderstandings,
negotiations, and solutions that the partners faced in achieving their
best in the rich context of the partnerships. In August 2004, cap
program directors met on the csumb campus to study the cases and
discuss the themes and issues that the cases illuminate. Similar themes
and overlapping dimensions began to emerge from the cases
In making these connections and elaborating the themes, issues,
and dilemmas in our roundtable discussions, our process was not unlike
the case-based discussions that arise from a case-based curriculum. It
is our hope that as others study these cases, they will be inspired to discuss
their own work.
Legacy
conclusion: la resolana 101
The notion of passing on a legacy is central to the Xavier case, which
takes the form of an intergenerational call-and-response dialogue between
John Scott and Richard Thomas as they exchange values, challenge
each other’s beliefs, articulate a complex history of New Orleans—a
premier African-retentive city—and address the challenges of balancing
art-focused services to community youth with Xavier’s historic focus on
providing professional opportunities for African American artists and
preparing them for success in the mainstream art marketplace. The
success of this latter vision is well revealed in the accomplishments of
alumni like Scott and Thomas. The intergenerational tensions become
clear as Thomas develops programming to serve today’s generation
of African American youth.
ron The Xavier case doesn’t tell the story of a single incident, but offers
the voices of two individuals who are respected [community arts]
leaders in different ways. New Orleans has a unique cultural heritage.
It is Afrocentric, and a lot of the city is somewhat polarized—either
black or white. Not a lot of room for in the middle in New Orleans.
The culture of the Department of Art at Xavier has been a culture
of “passing it on,” since its inception, passing on what one learns
to the next generation.
In this instance of legacy, the “passing it on” model, like most
mentorships, almost requires the changing of practices. There is
always a moment where the younger person breaks from the mentor
and almost always an eventual moment of conflict between mentor
and mentee. The discussion between Scott and Thomas allowed a
healing of [what they had perceived as an ongoing] conflict.