Sometimes I get insecure about my research as a practicing artist: that it’s not academic enough, that it isn’t based in enough theory or scholarly writing… However, by reading Ihlein’s thoughts on blogging as art and research, I began to understand that I do conduct research, just in a different way. I am very interested in artist’s speaking in their own words, even more so if it’s in their own handwriting! I’ve always enjoyed reading memoirs, listening to artist talks, and studio visits with other artists. Agnes Martin’s incredible and extensive archive of notes and letters has always been a point of inspiration and awe for me, as well as other artist’s writing about their practice or even their daily lives. Sol LeWitt’s letter to Eva Hesse is also an all-time favorite of mine. I believe so much can be gleamed from these records, that inform not only how you understand artist’s and their practice, but also how you can better understand your own as well.
A point of frustration in the readings occurred during Vytautas Michelkevicus’ Notes on Interdisciplinary Methodology of Artistic Research: Visual Thinking, Writing and Mapping. The author discusses the prevalence of textual methodologies in conjunction with the visual. Although I do believe that this can be beneficial for a clearer understanding of a work of art (and also a good way for artist’s to discover and clarify their intentions), I struggle with the common notion that artworks must be accompanied by writing, most often the artist statement. I struggle with this new tradition, mostly for the sake of the art. I believe art is most importantly about the visual, this is how artwork is created and viewed, it is to be looked at. I worry when writing seems to become just as important as the work of art it’s aiming to describe, something is lost from the original work. I truly believe in the power of intuition in both the art making process and the viewing process, and sometimes, quite frankly, I just don’t buy it that an artist statement will affect the work more than the work itself.