In this episode, we consider “different ways of knowing”: how arts-based research can inform our understanding about—well—the arts. A transcript is available here.
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David Myerssays
While research about the impact of the arts can be “arts based” within an eclectic umbrella that includes virtually any arts or aspect of the arts in data gathering, analysis, etc., “arts based” more accurately indicates the use of artistic/creative process as actual research method. While analysis of the artistic work of participants (“subjects” in the quantitative realm) is arts based in the sense that it endeavors to extrapolate themes, and may offer insight into art in relation to social, intellectual, or health issues, a more substantive notion of “arts based” is how researchers employ artistic process throughout and across investigation and inquiry. Transcending verbal and quantitative “knowing,” the researcher may model and encourage expressive movement, i.e., dance, that has no particular extra-artistic implications, looking instead to the physical evidence of feeling, forms of nonverbal interaction, patterns, movement amplitude (energy transmission), flow, musical association (or not, if done without music) and then collaborative “analysis” with participants to understand how movement itself, in itself, is in fact a way of knowing, rather than a way of representing knowledge. Such expressive movement may be begin as simply as “move your body any way you like in this space.” This is different from dancing a story or a feeling or even an idea. Meaning arises from within the art, rather than being imposed, represented, or interpreted. The issue is embodied meaning, not representational meaning. Embodied knowing, not representational knowing. Musical creativity, poetry, dramatic improvisation, etc. may all be used in this manner, where the goal is to understand the inherency of the arts as nonverbal knowing and understanding rather than endeavoring to prove value of the arts by trying to interpret their “meaning” in representational terms. The researcher’s “results” may be portrayed artistically as well, either by themselves or in coordination with artists with whom the researcher works to present their “findings.” Care must be taken that “arts-based” research does not become yet another effort to “prove” the value of the arts through imposition of cause and effect relationships that are external and tangential to making and doing art.
While research about the impact of the arts can be “arts based” within an eclectic umbrella that includes virtually any arts or aspect of the arts in data gathering, analysis, etc., “arts based” more accurately indicates the use of artistic/creative process as actual research method. While analysis of the artistic work of participants (“subjects” in the quantitative realm) is arts based in the sense that it endeavors to extrapolate themes, and may offer insight into art in relation to social, intellectual, or health issues, a more substantive notion of “arts based” is how researchers employ artistic process throughout and across investigation and inquiry. Transcending verbal and quantitative “knowing,” the researcher may model and encourage expressive movement, i.e., dance, that has no particular extra-artistic implications, looking instead to the physical evidence of feeling, forms of nonverbal interaction, patterns, movement amplitude (energy transmission), flow, musical association (or not, if done without music) and then collaborative “analysis” with participants to understand how movement itself, in itself, is in fact a way of knowing, rather than a way of representing knowledge. Such expressive movement may be begin as simply as “move your body any way you like in this space.” This is different from dancing a story or a feeling or even an idea. Meaning arises from within the art, rather than being imposed, represented, or interpreted. The issue is embodied meaning, not representational meaning. Embodied knowing, not representational knowing. Musical creativity, poetry, dramatic improvisation, etc. may all be used in this manner, where the goal is to understand the inherency of the arts as nonverbal knowing and understanding rather than endeavoring to prove value of the arts by trying to interpret their “meaning” in representational terms. The researcher’s “results” may be portrayed artistically as well, either by themselves or in coordination with artists with whom the researcher works to present their “findings.” Care must be taken that “arts-based” research does not become yet another effort to “prove” the value of the arts through imposition of cause and effect relationships that are external and tangential to making and doing art.