Summary
‘The New Life’: Mozambican Art Students in the USSR, and the Aesthetic Epistemologies of Anti-Colonial Solidarity by Polly Savage examines the significance and legacy of the art educational programme that connected young Mozambican artists with the socialist USSR in the latter half of the 20th century. Through a series of conversations with former students who participated in the exchange program, the essay reflects on the cultural and pedagogic outcomes of the initiative, addresses the underlying power dynamics, and demonstrates how the African artists used their training with remarkable creativity to establish novel artistic networks and learning approaches upon their return to Mozambique.
On Power Dynamics
This essay prompted reflection on the unspoken power dynamics within educational contexts, particularly in my role as a specialist technician in both Sculpture and Computational Arts departments at Camberwell College of Arts. As an educator, I find myself questioning how to balance our primary goal of skill-sharing while remaining conscious of how we inherently broadcast our ideals and expectations to students.
The Mozambique-Soviet exchange program illustrates how easily institutional power can transform into authoritarianism, whether intentionally or unconsciously. While presented as an opportunity for artistic development through Marxist-Leninist ideology—these scholarships appeared to serve as instruments of Russian political and cultural hegemony. The case of Mozambique’s post-colonial transition exemplifies the contradiction between socialism’s proclaimed egalitarian principles and the persistent dynamics of national subjugation. This resonates with contemporary educational settings, where those in positions of authority must guard against the subtle emergence of a “benevolent dictator” mindset that assumes absolute correctness and demands unconditional compliance.
In my role conducting skill-based workshops for diverse cohorts, I position myself as a moderator and facilitator rather than an authority figure. I advocate for a bidirectional learning process where knowledge flows between students and educators. This involves both giving—through skill demonstrations and instruction—and receiving—by observing how students interpret and respond to learning prompts. I am convinced that this reciprocal approach enriches the educational experience for all participants.
On Equal Opportunity
During our first workshop session, we explored the concept of equal opportunity in education—specifically how educators can foster an equitable learning environment for students with diverse cultural backgrounds, learning abilities, and needs. The ensuing discussions were particularly thought-provoking. While we collectively aspire to create level learning environments, questions emerge: What constitutes equality? Who has the authority to establish these benchmarks? How do we define and measure equitability?
These questions resonated deeply when examining the USSR Scholarship schemes. Despite the evident top-down power dynamic, these programs provided crucial access to higher education for under-served populations. The Mozambican students’ experiences demonstrate how, with support from tutors and peers, they overcame initial disadvantages to achieve excellence and develop their own aesthetic language beyond institutional constraints.
My perspective on this matter is informed by my dual experience as both a former international student in the UK (MFA in Fine Art Media, Slade School of Fine Art, UCL, 2019-2023) and current technical specialist supporting cohorts with a significant amount of international students. International education facilitates growth through exposure to new perspectives, cultural exchange through work and friendship, and the development of artistic independence. This cross-cultural fertilization benefits both students and institutions alike.
However, we must acknowledge and address the inherent challenges within international educational programmes. Students face considerable obstacles: separation from support networks, potential discrimination, financial pressures, language barriers, and adaptation to different pedagogical approaches. These challenges require substantial resources and resilience to overcome. As someone who has experienced similar circumstances to the Mozambican students and now works within a neo-liberal institution (not dissimilar to the USSR institute), I pose these critical questions:
- How can we, as educators and staff members integral to students’ learning experience, best support their knowledge-making process?
- Are we, both as individual staff members and as an institution, sufficiently aware of and responsive to these challenges?
- To what extent are we truly cultivating an equitable educational environment?
References
Savage, P. (2022). ‘The New Life’: Mozambican Art Students in the USSR, and the Aesthetic Epistemologies of Anti‐Colonial Solidarity. Art History, 45(5), pp.1078–1100. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8365.12692.
Raise-network.com. (2025). View of Challenges and barriers for first-year home and international students in Higher Education in the UK and Ireland: A scoping review. [online] Available at: https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1200/854 [Accessed 10 Jan. 2025].