A Case Study of Artistic Research Project on Topographies of the Obsolete/2013 British Ceramics Biennial

Abstract

Present study aims to describe, analyze and review a new method in research field that achieves its goals through artistic acts. This method, mostly referred to as Art-Based Research or Artistic Research, is a new and developing method, and an artistic-research approach to product thought and develop science, in the fields where achieving to new science is not possible merely through scientific research. This kind of research applies capabilities of the art methods, not only as a complementary means for research text, but as its main functions. Accordingly, based on a descriptive and analytical study and referring to authentic library resources, present study aims to provide a comprehensive definition for the method and its applications how and why, as well as its differences and advantages over other research approaches, the criteria used to evaluate its achievements, and some samples of the research conducted through this method, and introduce it to the art and science community. Art-Based Research can be defined as systematic and methodical usage of artistic acts, which raises an abroad range of research questions and new topics and extends the diversity of the social research audiences. The accounts for the priority of the method among some of the researchers in summary are: 1. merging research interests and artistic capabilities in research studies conducted in the Art field; 2. building larger audiences through the use of the power of art to attract and keep the attention of the audience, consequently the findings of the research won't circulate merely among experts and academics and common people can also communicate with it; 3. Injecting the features of the work of art in several layers and bestowing multiple meanings to the research and consequently achieving to diverse answers rather than a rigid and fixed answer; 4. Different assessment, namely due to their flexibility and pluralism, these methods are not restricted to a predetermined methodology and are in need for a creating new methods and criteria for assessment; 5. Finally and above all, raising questions and challenging traditional views, though not necessarily providing a decisive and predetermined answer from a specific perspective. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2016.v7n6p375