Andrea Ray

What is research and why is it important to artistic practice? In this elective, students will be presented with a range of research and visual methodologies?ways of organizing and writing about their process and practice. This course provides a framework for students to research artistic practices that relate to their individual practices. Students will write case studies articulating the chosen artists' practices, related histories, and theories. Shared case studies among the cohort will echo the multitude of ways to approach a fine arts practice. It is anticipated that the topics covered and case studies produced may work toward parts of the written thesis developed the following semester. Students in this course are introduced to a broad range of research methodologies including; philosophical, material, experiential, comparative, descriptive, naturalistic, and practical via readings and visual material. The specific visual methodologies introduced are; semiotics, psychoanalysis, sociological, and historical approaches. Artistic research projects are introduced as an extension of new ideas around research in art, though not central to the course assignments. Research Methodologies provides a framework for students to deeply research artistic practices that interest them. Students will write case studies that define and articulate the artists' particular methodologies and genealogies?ways of practicing and their related histories and theories. Students will build and manage their own blogs and participate in continuing online discussions. The online sharing of fellow students? case studies will echo the multitude of ways of working and the related histories behind diverse artistic practices learned. The assessed tasks are three case studies.

The written thesis is a significant portion of the requirements for graduation from the Low-Residency MFA Program. Its pedagogical value is equal to the significance of the thesis exhibition during the third summer residency and should be considered in tandem with the exhibition. In this course, students work with a faculty advisor to develop a written thesis that demonstrates a strong ability to synthesize conceptual relationships across disciplines in relation to the artist?s practice. The submitted paper will combine theoretical frameworks to reconfigure concerns into a singular and powerful statement, and demonstrate the student?s ability to address work across disciplines with confidence in writing and composition.