Unpredictability

 

The sixth edition of METHOD/ART will be organised at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp and Royal Conservatoire Antwerp on March 25th and 26th 2024.

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The main topic of this year’s edition is unpredictability in artistic research methodology. We seek to gain control over the research process and output at every level and stage of the project. This pursuit of control and the fear of obstacles are bound to the recognition and success of the research, as well as the fulfillment of the requirements of the existing academic rules and structures.

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However, including chaotic processes, obstacles, and dead ends can also become part of the methodology of artistic research. In the fabric of cultural and social structures, uncertainties and failures can be integrated into the crafting of methodology, gathering and treating data, and even, generating unanticipated output as the research result. The capacity and resilience in dealing with unwanted uncertainty may bring new perspectives to the artistic research process.

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We welcome contributions that discuss the application and integration of uncertainty and obstacles in the quest of research. We also welcome stories of dealing with uncertainty and failure, how the experience has enriched the artistic research process, and whether it has led to the expected research output or not. The METHOD/ART seminar is looking for proposals of lectures, performances and workshops with a specific focus on artistic research methodology in general, and interesting to the work of researchers and practitioners of other artistic disciplines. Here are some detailed questions:

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• Obstacles during process: Can we predict failure, and involve it in the construction of a practice-based methodology? What approaches of resilience have helped you to reach development in artistic research?

• Uncertainty as a methodology: How do we incorporate uncertainty as a part of the methodology? How do setbacks and obstacles become valuable to the production of new knowledge? How can we translate this uncertainty into new methodological structures?

• Unpredictability of output: How do we anticipate our future research output? Can we yield concrete output from the unpredictable research processes?

 

Each presentation will be 20 minutes, followed by a Q&A of 10 minutes. The deadline of submission is the 8th January 2024. Successful proposals will be notified by the 17th of January.

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The proposal should provide the following information and be sent to artresearchseminar@gmail.com:

• Name of the presenter and affiliated institute

• An abstract of 300 words (maximum) to describe the subject of the presentation

• A short curriculum vitae of the presenter in 150 words

• One image of the presenter/project (.jpeg)

• Necessary equipment and musical instruments for the presentation and/or performance