Exposition

ESSAYING ART - AN UNMETHODOLOGICAL METHOD FOR ARTISTIC RESEARCH (last edited: 2022)

Emily Huurdeman

About this exposition

This research is about Artistic Research education. Artistic research is a relatively new academic field where science and art are integrated. But defining this institutionalized field, and the methods and evaluation criteria of its output, is highly debated. There is no one universal definition, criteria or evaluation for this in this educational field. Which isn't surprising considering that both the artistic as scientific element can consist of a vast verity and combination of fields, topics and disciplines[1]. But definitional difficulties are also inherent to the field because the scientific and artistic methodologies are subject to different criteria. Science needs to articulate its sources, as well as its relevance and its context, and it must provide clear argumentation. Furthermore, it is strictly bound to academic and ethical rules. Art is not constraint by these methods, ethics and rules. Can we integrate the scientific and artistic in a working method? The essay inherently embraces both the artistic and the scientific. It drifts in-between the subjective and the objective, the experiential and the intellectual. The essay expresses a train of thought, and critically reflects on those thoughts: it experiments and speculates. What if artists use the essay as an un-methodological research method? The artistic researcher approaches the topic of investigation essayistically; essaying art. The form of expression can encompass all possible artistic media, and all possible combinations of media like: writing; video; photography; sound; composition; performance and more. In order to put this theory to the test, I have formulated an elective course for first-year students of the research master Artistic Research at the University of Amsterdam (NL). In this experimental pilot, I investigate how an essayistic approach to artistic research could be practically used as an unmethodological method for developing individual Artistic Research form and approaches. This research describes, evaluates and critically reflects on the educational project and the theoretical debate in Artistic Research.
typeresearch exposition
keywordseducation, artistic research, essay, research catalogue, Café Chercher, performance, Zuihitzu, Adorno, methodology
date03/09/2016
last modified12/12/2022
statusin progress
share statuspublic
affiliationPiet Zwart Institute (Rotterdam)
copyrightEmily Huurdeman
licenseAll rights reserved
urlhttps://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/294903/472806


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comments: 1 (last entry by Elisabeth Laasonen Belgrano - 06/07/2018 at 09:33)
Elisabeth Laasonen Belgrano 06/07/2018 at 09:33

Dear Emily,

Thanks again for an interesting contribution to the field. In a way an attempt to describe a still highly complex academic research field. ... I have for many years tried to break with academic habits and systems. This often leads to mystification,  and comments urging for clarifications and confinements to more academic structures. These are complex comments since the definition of clarification as a term first needs to be discussed. And what is clear and constructive for some is the opposite for others. I like your use of essaying as an method. I am also very curious to know more about 'unmethodology'. I need to read your work with more care, but being in the continuous process of moving between abstract intuitive expression and clarity translated into other forms of expression I approach you with a thought: In the process of essaying there are encounters of various kind. It would be interesting to know from you if these encounters could be cared for more equally in science and art. I have found a lot of 'comfort' in my research while applying a diffractive methdology incl intra-active encounterings. It has allowed for non-liniar and unexpected acts to be performed based on inclusive academic strategies. Have you considered such a methodology in your work on 'essaying'? Thanks again for your contribution!! Eli. Belgrano

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