Me-thod
Me-thod: A Pluralistic Artistic and Research Methodology
In an effort to minimize production and simplify my artmaking process, I eliminated excess materials. As a result, rather than simply creating work, I found myself embodying the work itself. I felt as though I had become one with my work. Who I was had become the method.
I started using the term me-thod.
Me-thod represents a pluralistic, subjectivity-driven approach to artistic and research methodology. It is a reflection of my personal journey, drawing from diverse influences and guided by embodied criticality. This approach embraces subjectivity, encourages cross-disciplinary interaction, and aims for transparency in its processes.
While analyzing the performance Island, I felt compelled to visually represent my insights. I created a drawing that encapsulates my understanding of the inseparable connection between the work and myself. In this drawing, I am depicted as the island. This visual representation played a crucial role in the realization of the concept of me-thod.
Me-thod: My Way - Pursuit of Self-Knowledge
Etymology: ME-THOD derives from the Greek "μέθοδος," meaning pursuit of knowledge, combining "meta" (in pursuit of) and "hodos" (a way).
The Way: I view my artistic- and research methods as my-way, a personal approach rooted in my experiences, knowledge, and embodiment.
Situated Knowledge: From within the entangled situation of an artist and researcher, I have a unique view from where I mediate my situated knowledge.
Me-thod: Personal Manifestation and a Reflection of the Self
My me-thod is drawn from my life journey, encompassing skills, insights, education, relations, experiences and values:
Question making: Drawn from Life Coaching. A mindful observational practice and powerful questions as artistic tools.
Existential sustainability: Drawn from my theology background. An interest in existential questions, rituals and themes such as purpose and belonging.
Impermanence and mindfulness. Drawing from buddhist worldviews, and experiences of Japanese culture. An interest in the being of things, fragility and brokenness inspired by wabi sabi and kintsugi.
Ethical Compass: Reflects my cultural background and personal values. Guided by my mother's example of care, creating a nurturing environment.
Personal transformations: Drawn from a personal and professional experience of transitioning from patriarchal power structures to feminist methods of caring, listening, and sharing. Shaped by my upbringing and personal struggles.
Sustainability: Concerns for the future, influenced by my three children and considerations for the next generations. A response to a global call for changes in lifestyle; mindset and behavior.
Love as an action: Based on the bonds to places and beings that I engage with and am committed to. The source of motivation is love for the world I inhabit and which habits in me.
Me-thod: Thinking Body
The body: Knowledge resides in the body. Based on the ideas of dr.
Eugene T. Gendlin.
Thinking at the Edge: A method developed by dr.Eugene T. Gendlin, for the development of ideas through engaging with bodily felt meaning.
Embodied thinking: Involves processing sessions to tap into embodied knowledge, fostering new language, images, theories, and ideas. Enhancing research methods and understanding of embodied knowledge.
Me-thod: Entanglements and Porosity
Influencers: My thinking, feeling and making are influenced by family, colleagues, artists, thinkers.
Subjectivity: Rather than resisting subjectivity, I embrace it and monitor its impact.
The receivers: I am doing art for people who are ready to be changed and create change. I am conducting research for artistic practitioners and scholars, with a particular focus on my colleagues in the Icelandic performing arts community.
Me-thod: Methodology Overview
Pluralistic Approach: Applying mixed methods and tools from diverse fields. Rooted in personal and professional background, guided by intuition and embodied criticality.
New criticality: Embodied thinking, contrasting rational and fiercely critical scholarly methods. Look for openings instead of finding flaws.Pay attention to what works. Focusing on entanglements, connections and relationality.
Cross-Fertilization: Facilitating interaction between diverse fields, creating an entangled outlook on knowledge. Avoid being stuck in dogmatic thinking.
Transparency: Objectivity replaced by subjectivity, striving for transparency in the process.