MFA class - Creative Arts Research: an introduction

Meeting of all MFA students of the first and the second year. Attendance is essential.

MFA Creative Arts Research: an introduction 'Advanced Artistic Work 1A'
Nancy Mauro-Flude

This course prepares MFA candidates for practice-based research in the Creative Arts.
The regular course aims to help MFA candidates to steep themselves in the theory of their own research area, and to be able to examine it analytically in relationship to research production.
It will cover material related to research methods theory and practice:
- presenting a visual thesis for examination by exhibition;
- methods appropriate to creative arts research;
- conducting an arte-fact survey, using databases, archives and bibliographicsources specific to the creative arts;
- reporting the results of visual experimentation within the structure of a written exegesis;
- original knowledge and contribution;
- creative arts outputs and dissemination avenues.

Delivery is through a tutorial-type presentation supported by readings, group discussion and candidate presentations. MFA cndidates will demonstrate learning and ability in undertaking a practice-based research project through development, writing and presentation of their research objectives and an annotated bibliography. For candidates that have already submitted a research plan learning and ability will be demonstrated through a written research context paper.

During this regular weekly meeting we will be progressing practical and theoretical lines of inquiry spurred by the creative encounters you have, by sharing ongoing accounts of your process of devising and critically engaging with the work of each other, including that of related artists and thinkers.

We will bring theoretical knowledge, analytical methods and approaches to bear on our creative experience and feed this craft knowledge back into the critical theorising, in this way, a writing course is also a part of the Tuesday curriculum which is to be seen as a critical reflection on your creative work.

We will also examine how the depth of an art practitioners historical knowledge effects how art is conceived of by artists, so consequently the emergence of new forms and the mixing of different mediums and technologies always lead to a reexamination of aesthetics and ethics.

"I love writing because there are acoustic typewriters and electric ones. Its a physical act, but the word is still trapped on the page. The neat thing about performing is it keeps the act of creation alive. I love the process of creation, although the end product is in itself a necessary evil. Still, I’m glad it’s there, otherwise I wouldn’t have Rolling Stones records, William Burroughs or Rimbaud books to enjoy."
-Patti Smith.
S, Shapiro. 1995. ‘Patti Smith: Somewhere, Over the Rimbaud’, "Rock She Wrote"Eds. Evelyn McDonnell and Ann Powers. New York: Dell Publishing. p.282

[Image: Core Litany, Photo: Nancy Mauro-Flude, Earth Code | Core Litany: Planetary Computing shifting the site of execution to the earth substrate.
Plimsoll Gallery, A twelve-hour ritual in 3 acts, 28 August 2015]