Today's session began with some time to consider the questions above, we sat in silent reflection before splitting into groups to discuss our conclusions. The act of talking about your intentions introduces a level of commitment or obligation to actually do something. Obligation is something you'll hear me mention quite a bit, I have an uncomfortable relationship with it, in fact I view it as somewhat of a burden. But on the other hand, I recognise how verbalising your intentions can lead to producing outcomes as opposed to merely thinking about them. Maybe I need to establish a more healthy relationship with the concept, or find another word, like "challenge" perhaps.
It just so happens that I have been quite productive the past few weeks. I started a physical collage using some old packaging and wallpaper I'd collected over the years (see https://georgedyermedia.wixsite.com/doms/post/231020). I also completed some digital collages for a project I have in mind. This is more within my comfort zone, needless to say the physical collage still requires quite a bit of work before completion. There's talk of an interim show in March 2024, maybe it will get its debut then.
I have a question: Does committing your intentions to paper carry the same degree of obligation as vocalising them?
Fear is another word that may pop up occasionally, it's an emotion I'm way too familiar with; usually it's a fear of failure, or rejection. And yes I know we are told to embrace failure and learn from it, but acknowledging that doesn't make it less painful.
And I suppose that's the basis of practice based research.. commit to trying something.. it fails.. take note and try something new. and so on. Overcoming my repulsion to obligation and my fear of failure is essential if I'm to succeeding in my practice. I suppose this is what Jonathan was alluding to in today's lecture. There were a couple of quotes which resonated with me, the words of professor Martin A. Schwartz for example "The more comfortable we become with being stupid, the deeper we will wade into the unknown and the more likely we are to make big discoveries." and “If we knew what we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?” allegedly by Albert Einstein.
For me practice based research looks like trying different methods of displaying my work, maybe the use of lightboxes to illuminate pieces from behind or the use of text or sound to accompany my images. Or unfamiliar but intriguing processes; perhaps the use of stained glass, film or the introduction of AI into my practice. I welcome all of the above, they excite me, and I'm sure they'll come with a level of failure but I guess I have the option to not share the outcome.. but that would be defeating the object.
References:
Collage Day
Blog / George Dyer
The importance of stupidity in scientific research
Article / Martin A. Schwartz
The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think In Action
Book / Donald A. Schon
Tanyakart Krzywinska Art Blog
Blog / Tanya Krzywinska
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