Polyptych construction as historical methodology: an intertextual approach to the stories of Central Technical School’s past

Abstract

Adopting the lens of “new histories” as the basis for my inquiry into the institutional legacy of the art program at Toronto’s Central Technical School (CTS), I created a methodological framework informed by the traditional art form of the polyptych, in which many panels are joined together to show and tell multilayered stories connected to a central theme, to demonstrate visually how stories are interrelated, and to present openings to other stories. In polyptychs, I found a means to express both the form and content of my research in ways that are artful, permeable, and conductive. Through Prezi, a digital presentation and storytelling platform, I discovered how the polyptych can become three-dimensional. The resulting series of intertextual expressions create a portrait of the complex, expansive, and multigenerational stories that make up the history of CTS. This article describes how I came to see the polyptych as a methodological frame by unpacking its historic roots; by exploring how it operates in contemporary historical research; and by reflecting on how my identity as an artist, teacher, and researcher influences the way I organize stories within this framework.