Dr Becky Shaw’s work with the SHU Art & Design PhD community included in new Routledge International Handbook for Practice-Based Research
‘Title, formatted in Sentence……’ a project exploring artist researcher identity through re-imagining the research poster. Exhibited, as part of Art & Design HPO Degree show 2018. Including posters by Johnathan Michaels, Jo Ray, Rachel Smith, Sarah ‘Smizz’ Smith, Diana Taylor, Julia Walters. Image credit Sarah ‘Smizz’ Smith.
The new Routledge International Handbook for Practice Based Research (editor Craig Vear) presents a cohesive framework to undertake practice-based research or to support, manage and supervise practice-based researchers. It has been written with an inclusive approach, taking into account the many forms of practice-based research and different national and cultural perspectives, with the intention of presenting deep and meaningful knowledge for the benefit of all readers.
Dr Becky Shaw‘s contribution, ‘Working the Space: Augmenting Training for Practice-based Research’ draws on her experience of building the art and design PhD community at SHU, within CCRI.
Most candidates on the ADMRC PhD programme operate as professional practitioners and have distinct professional identities. When they begin PhD study it can be very difficult to adjust to perceived ideas of a ‘scholarly identity’ where languages, behaviour and practices feel alien to art, design and film-maker identities. Students, then must ‘work the space’- seeking ways to construct a new identity as practice-based researcher. This can be seen as a necessary, creative and constructive part of practice-based research (and, indeed in other disicplines) but is often not recognised, or catered for in doctoral training.
Becky’s text reflects on a number of live projects with art, design and media arts PhD students, including artistic processes used as training, and the organisation of Method and Impact conferences with colleagues in CCRI. Becky also reflects on the way that physical space (the use of S1 Artspace) is used to build identity. These approaches draw on historic cultures of organising in art and design, employ critical and creative practices and challenge how we might see research training, skills and being a researcher. Becky concludes with a number of principles to build identity and cultural space for practice-based research, but that might also be applied beyond art and design.
In addition to Becky’s contribution, the Anthology includes a case study from Debbie Michael’s, a current ADMRC PhD candidate, and a text from SHU Fine Art MA graduate Jonathan Michaels, exploring Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Practice-based Research.
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