Art Practice as Research: Inquiry in Visual Arts

by Graeme Sullivan

F. Scott Fitzgerald famously said that the test of a 'first rate intelligence' is 'the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind and still retain the ability to function.'In this book, his magnum opus, artist and scholar Graeme Sullivan shows us a first rate mind at work. He convincingly straddles the often wide gaps between art and science, mind and body, research and practice, teaching and doing, traditional and postmodern views of education and of art, creative and critical thinking. Indeed, as his enigmatic title indicates, he is actually able to keep three usually disparate concepts-art, research, and practice-in mind at the same time. Through his skilled use of compelling sidebars and apt illustrations, Sullivan shows that he can practice what he preaches. I have been arguing with and learning from Graeme for thirty years and am grateful that he has the opportunity to share his provocative ideas and insights with a wider readership. Indeed, whether or not we agree with every contention, he heightens our own intelligences. -Howard Gardner, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Author of Five Minds for the Future Substantially updated and revised, Art Practice as Research, Second Edition presents a compelling theory that the creative and cultural inquiry undertaken by artists is a form of research. Sullivan argues that legitimate research goals can be achieved by choosing different methods than those offered by the social sciences.. Artists emphasize the role of the imaginative intellect in creating, criticizing, and constructing knowledge that is not only new but also has the capacity to transform human understanding. New to this Edition Two new chapters explore debates surrounding art practice as research and projects undertaken within the art world, community, and institutional settings. New, expanded sections make reference to the work of over fifty artist-researchers from countries such as Azerbaijan, Australia, China, Italy, Mexico, Pakistan, Serbia, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Documentation of a series of approaches (for instructors and students), grounded in art-making traditions unique to visual arts research, is included.Would you like to connect with the author?Go to Graeme Sullivan's website, or visit ablog by Graeme Sullivan welcoming contributors interested in discussing ideas and sharing information about art as a form of research.

Genres: Art, Academic, Nonfiction, Education, Research

312 pages, Paperback

First published December 9, 2004

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The subject matter is important for artists working in academia, and Sullivan has some important insights. However, over-reliance on abstraction and the resultant paucity of examples make reading this text maddening at times.

[Peaches · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was a let down for me. Though the subject matter is something I believe in, I just feel like it's been done so much better, likely because this came out in 2005 and more developments and texts have come out since then. Though historical context is important, this book seemed to have too much of it, making it dense and tedious to sift through. It also occurred to me multiple times that Sullivan seems to lack original ideas, and instead uses this text to primarily weave sources together like an entirely too long literature review.

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is certainly not the view of research currently rewarded by the policy makers, but it is important.

[Andy]

I'm doing an art-based research.