5 DREAMS WITH IMPLICATIONS: On Private Methodologies of Artistic Research

Abstract

In the two decades that artistic research has existed in Flanders within an academic environment, discussion about what is an artistic versus a discursive methodology, “productive” versus “reflective” research, has never abated. And that is a good thing, as consensus in art is always suspect. That is also the reason a day spent examining the methodology of artistic research is still relevant today. The goal is not to reinvent the wheel, but to show an interesting combination of, on the one hand, hands-on methods of artistic researchers and, on the other hand, reflections about methodology that start from the specific observations in the workplace, studio, stage, editing room, study room, and so forth. For several years, “artistic research” has been given a more important role in arts education programs. Therefore, it is very useful to take a closer look at and interpret the methodological bottlenecks for artists-as-researchers from a pedagogical point of view. Perhaps a beginning to a solution can be found – a solution that will always be specific and very seldom generic.

This cluster is a collection of contributions based on the lectures given at a symposium on artistic research and methodologies on the 26th of April 2021. This event — a live stream that was broadcasted from the Kaaitheater in Brussels — was organised by PXL-MAD School of Arts, UHasselt, RITCS, Royal Conservatory Brussels, VUB and Brussels Art Platform.