Learning from Dr. Dre: Teaching Aesthetics and Art Theory to Artists (like an executive producer)

A major part of the work of most theory teachers in art schools consists of teaching. Supervision is an essential part of teaching. As an art school(/university) theory teacher, I also in some sense co-design the student’s graduate work, as I take part in such a fundamental way in the building of the theses. Students at the thesis level are less ‘ready’ for writing the theses in art schools than in science universities. The supervisor becomes a living library providing ideas, concepts and materials during the process. Can we think of this work as something analogous to the work of an executive producer? Executive producers are central in rap music, where they in some extreme cases practically produce nearly everything except for the rap itself. I take the analogy as a reflective mirror for my inquiry. I hope to produce questions needed for a further study of theoretical supervision in art schools(/universities).