What is Artistic Research?

Ned McGowan

11 September, 2023
What is research?

• Are we carrying out research when we practice our instruments or compose?

• What are the questions we are asking in relation to our art?
Different types of research

• Scienti c research
• Scienti c method (hypothesis and methodical testing)
• Universal truth
• Musicological research
• Research on the arts
• Research for the arts
• Writing music software
• Building an instrument
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Artistic Research
In and through the arts

• You ask an artistic question and answer it by making art.

• The answer is not universal, but personal.
• It is based on your vision, your ideas, your artistic practice.
Artists insights
Based on knowledge, skills, experiences and artistic vision

• Intuitive knowledge
• Natural because you have been doing it for many years
• Not always translated into words, mostly actions and intuitive decisions
• Taking that implicit knowledge and making it explicit
• Via texts, recordings, drawings, annotated scores, videos, etc.
• Understanding your vision, knowledge and perspective is the main focus.
Free writing - 10 minutes

• What have you been thinking so far about the role of research in your artistic
practice?

• What are some questions you would like to research?

• How do they relate to your practice?
Discuss the results with your
neighbor
two types of research
Both are key to Artistic Research

• Learning research
• Data collection (books, articles, websites, recordings, videos, interviews)
• Developing research
• Research cycle of creating, testing, re ecting and then a new version
• Creation is always a key element
• Do not choose a research topic that is only something you want to learn.
• Choose something that you want to develop, rooted in your own vision for it.

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Three temporalities of artistic research

• The past
• Motivations, experiences, insights, talents
• The present
• Current needs and wishes
• The current state of the art: all knowledge which already exists, also within people
• The future
• Where you test, experiment, develop, move forward
• The results are unknown
Artistic Research

• The process that turns craftsmen into artists

• Communication clari es and speeds up your research
• It is a re ective activity, driven by your own thoughts, perspectives and
opinions.
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Questions to answer:
Write at least three answers to each question (10 minutes)

• 1. Things you are good at

• 2. Things you are not good at
• 3. Things you think you may be good at
• 4. Things you love in music
• 5. Things you hate in music
• 6. Things you are interested in
• 7. Things are you not interested in
• 8. Things you want to learn
Discuss the results with your
neighbor
Artistic Research Process
BMus Utrecht Conservatory

• 7 group classes of 3 hours

• Each person gets 5 hours of supervision with one of the research coaches.
• 4 ECTS. 86 hours of independent work

• 1. Create Research Proposal. Deadline is the 1st of November.

• 2. Carry out the research, with supervision
• 3. Report (1500 - 3000 words) or audio/video (10 - 20 minutes). Deadline 15th of March.
• 4. Present the results at the end of March.
Assignment for 25 September

• Think of a topic
• Think of a question with your practice in it
• Make a recording which shows your current approach to the question
• Put it on youtube and share it with me and your supervisor
• ned.mcgowan@hku.nl