Course in project leadership inspired book about social art

Lasse Ekstrand and Mats Hyvönen, lecturer at the University of Gävle were so inspired by their own course in creative project development that they have now published a book about the social art.

Thinking innovatively

They mean that in the classical industry region Gävleborg, where the heavy industries are being silenced, one need to think innovatively and differently - Something that is not entirely easy in a region characterized by “factory-mentality”.

With their course, they wanted to disturb the thoughts about what is happening in the region, away from a lingering learned helplessness.

Argumentation does not help

- Rational argumentation does not help; we need to find something else. When we used Mats’ pictures at the factories, which when you press a button are transformed to green parks, we finally got the reaction of hope and belief in the future that we were looking for, says Lasse Ekstrand.

The pictures are created by Mats Hyvönen and the texts by Lasse Ekstrand.

In the book, or pamphlet which they’d rather call it, are presented different expressions for social art. Mats is picture creator, and they are both inspired by the german all-round artist Joseph Beuys. He said that social art is where people are, not enclosed in galleries and museums.

If something is to happen, one has to disturb

- If something is to happen one has to disturb them. The art, the pictures we used to affect. Books and argumentative articles can be ignored but the picture etches itself into the mind, says Lasse Ekstrand.

- We are two social scientists that have made a art book and we imagine the book can be used at art schools. It is a book that criticizes society about the boredom of the consumption society and the meaningless life without goals, says Mats Hyvönen.

- We could have written a scientific article that nobody would have read, but we wanted to write for a broader audience and be noticed in the social debate and therefore we use art to be heard. I noticed my pictures again when I read Lasses text, says Mats.

For further information, please contact:
Lasse Ekstrand, university lecturer in business economy.
Phone: 026-648632
Email:lars.ekstrand@hig.se

Mats Hyvönen, university lecturer in media and communication science Phone:073-6225344
Email:mats.hyvonen@hig.se