The aesthetic experience in the Reggio Emilia Approach

Abstract

The Reggio Emilia Approach is an educational philosophy in which the aesthetic dimension and the search for beauty are considered fundamental aspects. This paper explores the aesthetic education provided in Reggio Emilia educational centers for early childhood by deepening the relationship and partnership be-tween the Reggio pedagogist Loris Malaguzzi and important exponents of the Italian Neo Avant-garde Gruppo 63, as well as international Avant-garde art experiences such as Fluxus and the Wiener Aktionismus. The paper reconstructs the important connections between phenomenological aesthetics and the Reggio Emilia Approach. Furthermore, it highlights how the epistemological basis of the Reggio Emilia Approach lies not only in construc-tivism but also in phenomenological aesthetics, exposing the fallacy of some of the main criticisms made about the Approach. Finally, it highlights that, re-garding digital technologies, the Reggio Emilia Approach offers a significant possibility to interpret aesthetic education in the digital era.