Art Practice as Research: Inquiry in the Visual Arts

Book Description

“Sullivan challenges our assumptions about what constitutes research practices and in doing so presents a ground-breaking analysis for visual arts practice as research. This compelling image-text book opens the possibilities for the construction of new forms of knowledge in our increasingly visual world.”
—Dipti Desai, New York University

“Sullivan provides a timely and excellent introduction to the emerging field of visual cognition and educational research.”
—Pradeep A. Dhillon, University of Illinois

“In this rich and layered reflection on visual arts practice as research, Graeme Sullivan launches a passionate and convincing case that rewrites the definitions of ‘art’ and ‘research’ as it unapologetically claims for the visual arts the respect and admiration of the academy.”
—Jessica Hoffman Davis, Harvard University

“ Art Practice as Research is long overdue. Graeme Sullivan eloquently crafts a methodology text and articulates for contemporary visual artist-researchers how arts practices are, in fact, rich forms of research inquiry.”
—Rita L. Irwin, University of British Columbia, Canada

“Sullivan’s text is an important addition to the literature associated with research, critical inquiry, and arts education. I wish that such a text would have been available at the time that I was working on my dissertation. I will recommend it to my graduate students and colleagues.”
—Doug Blandy, University of Oregon

Art Practice as Research: Inquiry in the Visual Arts presents a compelling argument that the creative and cultural inquiry undertaken by artists is a form of research. The text explores themes, practices, and contexts of artistic inquiry and positions them within the discourse of research. Author Graeme Sullivan argues that legitimate research goals can be achieved by choosing different methods than those offered by the social sciences. The common denominator in both approaches is the attention given to rigor and systematic inquiry. Artists emphasize the role of the imaginative intellect in creating, criticizing, and constructing knowledge that is not only new but also has the capacity to transform human understanding.

The book is divided into three content areas that provide a unique framework for carrying out inquiry in the visual arts:

Contexts for Visual Arts Research is a historical review that positions the visual arts as a culturally grounded and institutionally bound area of artistic and educational inquiry.

Theorizing Visual Arts Practice presents the thesis that visual arts practice is a theoretically robust area of inquiry and a transformative approach to creating and critiquing knowledge.

Visual Arts Research Practices describes a range of strategies and approaches to planning and carrying out visual arts research.
is a historical review that positions the visual arts as a culturally grounded and institutionally bound area of artistic and educational inquiry.

Art Practice as Research is perfectly suited as a text for courses in art education, the visual arts, as well as general research methods courses in education and the humanities. This will also be an invaluable reference for anyone with an interest in interdisciplinary research in the social sciences and the role of imaginative inquiry in human understanding.

Meet the author! www.tc.columbia.edu/academic/a&hdept/arted/faculty/gs354/

Customer Reviews:

A good book to learn research on art for an skill base artist.......2006-11-10

Its a good compilation of idea and research strategy for an artist to do research on art. This book give a good starting point to learn how to research on art.

Image, Inquiry, and Transformative Practice: Engaging Learners in Creative and Critical Inquiry Through Visual Representation (Counterpoints (New York, N.Y.), Vol. 203.)

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Image, Inquiry, and Transformative Practice: Engaging Learners in Creative and Critical Inquiry Through Visual Representation (Counterpoints (New York, N.Y.), Vol. 203.)

Manufacturer: Peter Lang Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This anthology crosses disciplines to explore the use of images as modes for creative and critical inquiry. Researchers in the fields of literacy, physical education, and special education describe and critique how they have used images with students of various ages and backgrounds to evoke personal interpretations, deconstruct cultural messages, examine processes of oppression, and imagine alternative ways of acting in the world. Through this book, the contributors hope to inspire educators to explore the use of images in critical and creative pedagogy as well as in their personal lives and to encourage researchers to push methodological boundaries through the use of "multiple forms of representation" (Eisner, 1993).

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Diverse Directions: A Collector's Choice Selections from the Charles Craig Collection

Manufacturer: Santa Barbara Museum of Art
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0899510701

Book Description

Talk about freaky beginnings... Asagi - director of the Nanami Detective Agency - is a talented sleuth and his 'Special' abilities make him a formidable fighter. But has the HDA bitten off more freak than they can chew in this next sultry but exciting volume?

Customer Reviews:

Confusing-- but worth it.......2006-04-05

Like many of Sakurako Gokurakuin's books, you may have to read this one a couple of times to really understand whats going on-- but the art is so good that you won't mind a bit.

This volume focuses alot on a Norse deity called Hain-Uwele who is selling "flesh dolls" as sex slaves to her customers. People think they're buying a souless slave to do anything with, but Hain-Uwele has actually put a "freak" into each doll, which eventually possesses the human.

Izumi also appears in this one--hes usually just the eye in Asagi's hand. But Asagi gets sick from contact with Hain-Uwele and Izumi has to seperate and become human.

My favorite part of this volume was about Ayu, the little blonde hacker who's in love with Naoki. Ayu is dating a guy possesed by a freak, and Naoki comes to his resuce.

The fact that pretty muck everyone in the book is either possessed or has a split-personality adds to the confusion, but the people are so pretty you may not really care about the story.

And amazon-- please get Sensitive Pornograph in stock....

Customer Reviews:

a very interesting book to page through.......2007-07-18

Kenneth Anger's hollywood babylon is the kind of book you can pick up and put down at any time.. I find it interesting to page through before or after I watch one of the older movies of hollywood's golden age.. I can't get enough of this sort of look into the dumpster of tinseltown.. the scandals and episodes that have been brushed under the carpet or just are no longer known about.. The list of characters that populate these pages are as colorful as they were glamorous.. and also at times hideous..
This is not very heavy reading but it is endlessly fascinating..

Thumbs down on the (myth-ridden) text, thumbs up on (some of) the pictures.......2007-07-12

What saves the sensationalistic - not to say trashy and in many places inaccurate - _Hollywood Babylon_ from being a total failure is the huge number of pictures, many shocking and some downright grisly (as in the picture of poor Thelma Todd lying done to death in her car), but mostly fascinating if sometimes nauseating (I'll talk about one of the worst offenders shortly). Which is a good thing, because frankly I want to take a bath every time I read the text to wash off the grime. We all know that Hollywood in its "Golden Age" was a long way removed from the image of saintly morality painted by its self-appointed guardians, the studio moguls - very many of whom had guilty secrets among them - chief among them, but Kenneth Anger seems to take a little too much delight in the sordidity and scandal for my own taste. What makes it worse is that he passes on a number of urban legends rather than do the boring work of get at the truth.

One of the most objectionable myths he fosters in this book, in my view, is the story that Jayne Mansfield was decapitated in the auto accident that took her life in 1967. This is simply not true. There is a ghastly photo in circulation on the web - I won't link to it but those who really want to know can Google for it - that makes it clear that her injuries, while fatal, did not result in the removal of her head. What you see on the car's crumpled hood in that photo (that Anger claims was Mansfield's noggin) is actually her wig. (And did we really need to see that photo of her dead Chihuahua? Ugh.)

If people want a really good book on Hollywood scandals, I strongly suggest they go find James Robert Parish's well-researched, evenhanded, brightly-written _The Hollywood Book of Scandal_ instead. (And that book doesn't contain any photos likely to make you lose your lunch, either!)

Juicy delicious!.......2007-05-19

If you think today's stars are misbehaved, wait til you read this! I couldn't put it down and read it in few days. Anger's style of writing is witty, sarcastic, and will compltely put you back into another era. The book focuses mainly on early, pre-code Hollywood up until Jayne Mansfield's death in 1967. There are so many juicy stories and even morbid details in this book, and tons of awesome pictures. (Although be warned- picture of Jayne Mansfield's car crash and dead dog are depressing and bloody). Includes everyone who was ever anyone- Clara Bow, Carole Landis, Carole Lombard, Marilyn Monroe, Valentino, Novarro, Judy Garland (who died on the toilet), Gary Cooper, William Randolph Hurst, Jayne Mansfield, Charlie Chaplin, etc. etc. etc. All the old legends are in here. Completely worth the price. I just wish there was a newer version.

great book and wonderful gossip.......2007-02-18

if your the type that is intrigued by anna nichole , michael jackson, brittney spears and paris hilton then get this book these people were the real hollywood deal the stars from the 20s 30s and 40s make todays stars seem like cub scouts. this book has it all sex , glamor , drugs all the stuff that will make you not put this book down . you couldnt make this stuff up if you tried .

VERY ENTERTAINING.......2007-01-12

I love reading the trash & gossip about the stars and this book provided it all. It was hard to put down and I was sorry when I finished it.
Great reading!

Book Description

Here's the definitive guide to mastering music notation with Finale NotePad! This easy-to-use reference unravels the intricacies of NotePad, the introductory yet powerful program that enables musicians to edit, reformat and reorganize notation for any composition into a musical masterpiece. Providing step-by-step guidance, this fully illustrated primer offers exercises, projects, a special section on guitar, and power-user tips for improving speed and becoming a NotePad expert. Indispensible whether you're transcribing an existing piece of music of creating an original work, this book includes: NotePad how-tos for both Macintosh and Windows, ready-to-use NotePad software and templates on the CD-ROM included with the book, and a free demo version of Finale PrintMusic.

The Finale Notepad Primer: Learning the Art of Music Notation With Notepad With Cdrom

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The Finale Notepad Primer: Learning the Art of Music Notation With Notepad With Cdrom
Bill Purse
Manufacturer: Backbeat Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N65BTQ

Book Description

Hearing loss now strikes one in seven people but how to study the impact of hearing loss on relationships has continually baffled researchers. The authors' personal experience with profound hearing loss and her roles as wife, mother, social worker and counsellor, suggest that the complexities involved might be fruitfully explored by using an intensive and repetitive interviewing technique.

This book explores and analyses 150 in-depth interviews with hearing impaired people, including eleven couples in committed relationships where one partner is hearing and the other is hearing impaired. Detailed information was obtained about the way each couple managed conflict, decision making, household chores, communication, and perceived the hearing impairment within their relationship. Five major strands emerge: intimate family relationships, social support networks, communication strategies, the nature of care and recommendations for social policy. By drawing from the fields of family therapy, marital therapy, counselling, family sociology, social policy, psychology, social psychology and linguistics as well as disability and deafness, a new broader and more positive picture emerges.

This ground-breaking book is aimed at professionals who would like to work more effectively with deaf and hearing impaired people. Although not a 'How to Cope' book, it will also interest hearing impaired people themselves because of the enormous number of insights offered.

Book Description

This book is actually pretty hellish. Being a biography of George Lincoln Rockwell, Commander of The American Nazi Party. It tells of his life and death and all the battles in between. I have read the book, and it is often suprisingly humorous, and pleasantly impartial, which I was not expecting either. The tale of the American Nazi Party is something that could be made into a movie, were it not for the uniquely "sinister" treatment by the media of what a Nazi is. The author obviously went to extraordinary lengths to compile all the book's information, including many rare and amazing photographs, some of which makes Rockwell and his men appear particularly clever and brave, but often times rather ridiculous. One thing is certain, that they were indeed "the real thing"!

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding biography.......2007-06-11

HATE ... is an excellent account of the life and times of one of the most controversial and confrontational men in American history and to my knowledge one of only three G. L. ROCKWELL biographies.
The book chronicles ROCKWELL's life from his childhood days as son of a vaudeville performer couple to his violent death at the hand of disgruntled ANP party officer John PATLER in August 1967. It is quite obvious that his family background in show business and his training in painting and advertisement helped him in his political activism.
Although little known today and attracting only a handful of followers at the time (ANP membership never exceeded 200), George Lincoln ROCKWELL's influence can hardly be overestimated.
His book WHITE POWER is still read today and popular among white supremacists. In fact it was ROCKWELL (in a CBS discussion with Stokley CARMICHAEL in July 1966) who coined the phrase "White Power". The by now commonplace neo-Nazi international networking dates back to the creation of the World Union of National Socialists in 1962 by ROCKWELL and British right-wing extremists (a hugely interesting chapter, by the way. The author details how ROCKWELL entered Great Britain rather clandestinely for a secret meeting in Cotswold Hills with Colin JORDAN and his deputy John TYNDALL to found the WUNS; TYNDALL would in later years head the British National Party. Their efforts to evade police and journalists are like out of a spy novel!) Also noteworthy is ROCKWELL's use of music to spread his message; some of his stormtroopers (singing as "Otis and his three bigots") recorded two singles with racist country songs.
Mr. SCHMALTZ also repeatedly points out that ROCKWELL was the first American who espoused holocaust denial, which was unheard of at the time. As is elaborated on in the book, ROCKWELL's methods regarding revisionism were often rather low-brow. For instance, he wrote an account of fictitious Nazi atrocities ("as told to Master Sergeant Lew Cor" = ROCKWELL spelled backwards phonetically) and managed to sell it to a trashy pulp magazine called "Sir!" After publication he exposed his own article as a fraud! "Rockwell was to use the magazine article as proof of a "holocaust hoax" for the rest of his life." (see page 50) Another example was a fake "Diary of Anne Fink", considered offensive even by many stormtroopers.
ROCKWELL was also a staunch opponent of the civil rights movement of the 60ies, organizing lots of street activism and releasing a tremendous amount of politically incorrect propaganda against it, at one point even touring Southern states with a "hate bus" (mimicking civil rights activist "freedom riders" trying to de-segregate coaches and bus stations). On 28 August, 1963 the NAACP and other civil rights groups marched on Washington ( where Martin Luther KING delivered his "I have a dream speech"); ROCKWELL staged a counter-march. In January 1964 ROCKWELL would confront KING personally during a NAACP voter registration campaign in Selma, Alabama. In summer 1966 violent riots broke out in Chicago suburbs, when KING led marches through all-White neighbourhoods. During several speeches he gave there, ROCKWELL drew considerable applause and support. (For those who think that a Nazi America could never happen, think again: the German Nazi party was initially a tiny fringe party as well - a fact that the FBI was also aware of and pointed out in a memorandum, contending that given increased civil unrest and economic breakdown the ANP could indeed
gain tremendous influence or even seize power.)
While ROCKWELL hated MLK, he found common ground with black nationalists Elijah MUHAMMAD, Malcolm X (whom he genuinely admired) and their Nation of Islam, their shared political aim being the repatriation of Blacks to Africa.
In 1965 ROCKWELL even run in the Virginian gubernatorial election (although he failed to gain many votes).
A fascinating aspect of the book is the variety of members the ANP attracted, ranging from intellectual academics like Karl ALLEN or William L. PIERCE to ex-convicts, thrill-seekers and social misfits. There were also law enforcement and media infiltrators.
What really surprised me was the amount of contradiction in the ANP: party officer J. V. MORGAN was a Native American/Caucasian half-breed. Another party officer, Dan BURROS, was in fact Jewish! (He shot himself when a newpaper article revealed his ancestry.) Stormtrooper Roger FOSS recalls visiting a New York supporter on a fund raising trip; to his surprise the supporter lived with a Jewish girlfriend, who was supportive of her friend's beliefs and made swastika paintings!

HATE is an outstanding book. It is an exciting and hugely interesting book. The biography is based on a wealth of sources, from FBI files, ANP propaganda pamphlets and newspapers to lots of correspondence and interviews with people who knew ROCKWELL personally, including Dr. William L. PIERCE, Matt KOEHLER, Colin JORDAN and John TYNDALL as well as ROCKWELL's secretary, various stormtroopers and childhood friends. The text is nicely accompanied by about two dozen photographs.
I appreciate the fairness of the book; while ROCKWELL is not demonized, occasionally the biographer expresses his unfavorable views on the man. I would very much prefer to let the reader come to his own conclusions.
Another shortcoming of the book is the lack of in-depth analysis of ROCKWELL's book White Power. Instead of a sadly missing examination and discussion of the ideas expressed therein, the topic is barely touched upon.
I also realize that HATE could be of great interest to readers interested in the freedom of speech issue. There was considerable debate on whether or not ROCKWELL should be allowed to speak e.g. during his many college lectures. Although you will be likely shocked by ROCKWELL's views, his life was fascinating (and in my view would make a good movie bio-pic!) Required reading for history buffs, students of political fringe groups and anyone interested in political matters!

Intriguing.......2005-12-15

Since his assassination in 1967, George Lincoln Rockwell has become a rather obscure footnote in American history. However, over the course of the last decade of his life, Rockwell was -- for many -- the living epitome of modern evil and his influence as a political extremist, racist, and agitator has continued long after his own death. As the founder of the American Nazi Party, Rockwell came to represent, for many, the dark side of America in the 1960s. William H. Schmaltz's intriguing, if not quite definitive, biography attempts to reveal just how and why Rockwell came into existence but also why his story remains important to this day.

Arguably, it's probably impossible to truly understand a character like Rockwell who, as Schmaltz shows, appears to only be comfortable when playing a role (in this case, that of a Nazi). We're given clues to understanding what fueled Rockwell's brand of agitation. We learn that his father was a veteran of vaudeville (and much of Rockwell's agitation was more meant to be theatrical than actual political activism) and that Rockwell, even before achieving his dubious fame, always seemed to feel the need to be the center of attention. They're intriguing clues and Schmaltz certainly offers a convincing portrait of an unstable man who was eventually imprisoned by his own impulsively concieved image but one still finishes the book unsure as to just what was truly behind Rockwell's seemingly unending hatred. As well, Rockwell's own death -- at the hands of a former American Nazi named John Patler -- is handled almost as an after thought. Beyond providing evidence that Patler was obviously unstable, Schmaltz doesn't provide much detail or speculation as to what ultimately led to Rockwell's murder.

Indeed, the book mostly becomes a year-by-year accounting of the activities of American Nazi Party and it is here that the book excels. While the '60s are lionized as a time of nonstop political activism, it is sometimes forgotten that not all of that activism was being done on the side of the Angels. Much of the political activism of the '60s was fueled not be idealism but by anger, not by love but by hatred. The final impression of George Lincoln Rockwell that one gets from Schmaltz's book is that of a racist, Swastika-sporting Abbie Hoffman. Beyond ideology, there seems to be little difference between the gun-toting, conflicted men who made up Rockwell's American Nazi Party and the Weathermen who plotted to blow up buildings in the name of peace. This is where Schmaltz's book provides it's strongest service -- he convincingly shows how a small group of extremists can, in times of chaos and with a charismatic leader, go from being a bunch of alienated losers to a true danger. It's an important lesson, made all the more powerful and pretinent by Schmaltz's refusal to either demonize or sanitize Rockwell and his followers.

Hate is an important, compelling look at one of the most important fringe figures in American history. Even if, by the book's end, the reader is truly no closer to understanding what created George Lincoln Rockwell then before, Schmaltz still shows why it's important to remember the man's life, no matter how distasteful it may have ultimately been.

Great book!.......2005-09-10

After all these years George Lincoln Rockwell still remains one of the most interesting figures to appear on the white nationalist scene. Son of a famous in his day vaudeville performer, went to an ivy league school, flew missions in ww2 and Korea, married to the daughter of the Icelandic ambassador to the United States, a talented artist and cartoonist, the list goes on and on. Rockwell really is someone who could have been a success at almost anything he chose to in life and is not the typical maladjusted freak that often gravitates toward white nationalism in its various forms.

Schmaltz has written a very fair and unbiased account of Rockwell and his "stormtroopers", who were a menage of brawlers, ex-cons and misfits along with some genuinly talented individuals. Rockwell in many ways was like a great pro wrestling heel with his agitation techniques, he inflamed crowds beyond the boiling point to out and out brawling riots many a time, but he also often won over initially hostile crowds using his sense of humor, (Rockwell was a VERY funny guy!) He was also the first public figure in the white nationalist scene to reject and ridicule the right wing, he was the first to draw alliances with black radicals (he had meetings with Malcolm X and was a guest speaker at NOI rallies a few times) so he was and actually still is a man years ahead of his time in many ways. The life of Rockwell is covered in this book from childhood to his assassination at the hands of one of his most dedicated followers in a very fair, unbiased, and fascinating account of the life and times of GLR.

Simply Outstanding!.......2003-06-10

William Schmaltz has written a literary masterpiece. This book provokes one to think outside the box. It exposes the harsh realities of Mr. Rockwell's life while also exploring some of the ethically challenged ways the authorities dealt with him and his organization. This book confirms just how important the freedom of speech and assembly is to the overall freedom of our nation. An enjoyable, easy and informative read!

Hate: George Licoln Rockwell and the American Nazi Party.......2003-04-25

This is a good book about Rockwell.It's not great. But there are some interesting things. I did not like the author's attacks on Dan Burros. Dan had a lot of Third Position views before the Green Book was even written. Albeit, it is worth the piece.

Book Description

The Campaign Manager is a clear and concise, must-have handbook that is based on the author's three terms as mayor of Ashland, Oregon, and her numerous successes in managing campaigns. Supportive of both candidates and issues, this handbook gives political novices and veterans alike a comprehensive and detailed plan for organizing, funding, and publicizing local political campaigns. Finding the right message and targeting the right voters with it are clearly explained by means of specific examples, anecdotes, and illustrations. Included is in-depth information on assembling campaign teams, precinct analysis, canvassing, and dealing with the media. The Campaign Manager is an encouraging, lucid presentation of how to win elections at the local level.

Thoroughly revised and updated, this new edition now covers campaign technology methods in every chapter, and includes expanded material on direct mail, effective yet inexpensive television spots, and how to get the most reach for your campaign dollar. Also included are updates on working vote-by-mail elections for better results, organizing your database for campaign workers and donors, and fighting negative campaigns.

Customer Reviews:

Very good book for campaigns in the US.......2007-06-02

Must of us have no clue at all what it means and what is involved in the organization of a political campaign. This book is a bible to run a campaign or to be a manager for one. It goes from the initial thinking that needs to be done before a candidate even considers running to what are the final steps when the campaign is through. Every step of the process is covered. It is really an amazing book. The only caveat that I would point out it is its strong focus on US campaigns, thus if you are not American and are thinking about campaigns outside the US this book will not cover foreign issues and also it may bias you. I.E. In other countries politicians do not raise funds in events where people go to hear them, on the contrary, many politicians especially in Latina America try to provide incentives for people to go to their speeches (of course this is controversial) and the book for example goes into this kinds of fundraising, that do not happen outside the US. In general however, it provides an excellent framework for a very organized and focused campaign.

Good but a little dated - hope the 3rd edition is better.......2007-05-27

Catherine M. Shaw provides a plethora of information on running a campaign for local office. I have read four or five books on the subject, and this one is probably the best - certainly the most thorough! There are two flaws, however: 1) Ms. Shaw's recommendations are very low-tech. She advises you to set up various notecard systems, etc., that could be much more easily handled with computer software. Using the web, blogs, etc. isn't really mentioned at all. 2) From my experience, Ms. Shaw's expectations for masses of volunteers is a little (LOT!) more than the average candidate can really hope for. Maybe if you live in a politially astute area of the country like Portland, but for us folks in the mid-west, getting even two or three volunteers for a state house campaign (of an incumbent!) is quite an accomplishment. Her recommendations assume you'll have an unpaid staff of 10, 20 or more. Still, even with these flaws in mind, this is a pretty good guide. I recommend it.

Excellent Resource.......2007-05-23

I work in Professional Politics, and I absolutely love this book! It gives you a vast amount practical advice about running a political campaign. I describe it in my listmania list as "Pure Gold." Goes over everything you need to know about a local election. Even good a primer when working on a federal level race.

Awesome Book.......2006-08-25

As a rookie campaign manager for a tax levy that was already defeated once, I needed to learn and learn fast. That's what this book helped me do. I've practically worn out some sections refering back to them time and time again. We are just entering the actual campaign, but I feel very confident with my campaign plan, and I am ready.

I highly recomend this book to any rookies out there!

GET This Book.......2006-07-17

This book is absolutely fabulous. If you are even thinking about running for office (at any level) or working on an issue-based like a school bond, GET this book. It's written in clear language for those of us who are not political nerds. It also has tons of good examples.