The art object does not embody a form of knowledge

This paper makes explicit the claim that the proper goal of visual arts research is visual art. This claim is consistent with the view held by many scholars in the visual arts community, who see art as a form of research (cf. K. Macleod and L. Holdridge, Thinking through Art: Reflections on Art as Research, London: Routledge, 2006), but accept that research is an original investigation undertaken in order to gain knowledge and understanding.

This being the case, the knowledge acquired either resides in the art object and/or secondary outcomes (e.g., a texts). This paper argues against the proposition that the art object is a form of knowledge. Although consistent with Biggs' (2002) paper 'The role of the artefact in art and design research', published in International Journal of Design Sciences and Technology. 10:2, 19-24 (which did not actually appear in print until 2004), Biggs holds to the above definition of research and subsequently focuses on experiential knowledge (2004).

However, if, as claimed here, the proper goal of visual arts research is visual art, and if visual art is not a form of knowledge, then visual arts research is not in essence a knowledge acquisition process. This dilemma is resolved by proposing that visual art making serves a different purpose to knowledge acquisition and that visual arts research would be better described as original creation undertaken in order to generate novel apprehension, thus developing the fundamental proposition presented a paper published by the author in the International Journal of Design Sciences and Technology in 2002.

Biggs, M. A. R. (2004). Learning from Experience: approaches to the experiential component of practice-based research. Forskning-Reflektion-Utveckling. H. Karlsson. Stockholm, Swedish Research Council: 6-21.

Scrivener, S.A.R. (2002) Characterising creative-production doctoral projects in art and design. International Journal of Design Sciences and Technology, 10(2), pp. 25 - 44. (appeared 2004)