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November 15, 2005
Wrap-up i.e. Methods work in Visual data research seminar in Pori
On Saturday, after breakfast, we went into specific methods of analysing image. We formed reading groups around three analysis methods and Anita briefly explained what they were about. (Readings related to these methods are found either from Reijo in Pori or the Visual data seminar folder in Aralis library, and we will go through the texts in an extra session next Saturday after lunch.)
Three methods briefly
Content analysis poses specific questions to a relatively large body of data. Comparisons are made and quantitative analysis employed.
Discourse analysis looks into social discourses and power relations, and esthetics related to them. As the name gives away, this is a foucauldian approach.
The Social semiotics approch considers the social life around images, and poses critical questions about images in relation to society at large.
In addition, psychoanalysis was mentioned as an influential method, also one can apply purely semiotics, and there are also mixed methods, for example, discourse analysis and social semiotics are often applied together. Basically, all kinds of combinations are possible, you don't have to stick to one method but you can construct your own regarding what is best for your research questions and data. (In fact, as far as I've understood, this is often considered as a plus when evaluating a study if it is a succesful construction.)
Maarit's workshop and discussion on the artistic research process
In the wrap-up session, we saw Marjo Heino-Fihlman's artworks (paintings), and Jaana Saario presented her work. She studies her own artistic (painting) process as well as 5 other artists' creative process. At this point, she approaches the subject through poetics, in other words, words and writing. (I was not present at Maarit's workshop so I can only document the wrap-up they presented us others.)
On poetics
In our final, common discussion, Maarit pointed out that poetic expression is one way to step in the artistic process, to understand as an artist-as-researcher what one is in fact doing. Anita asked what methods might mean to artists. Maarit replied that in her view, they are at this initial stage still constructing methods, doing pioneering work, and that it is too early to talk of methodology.
Poetics and methods together reminded me of the postmodern and feminist approach to studying and especially reporting. See for example Denzin and Lincoln's Handbook of Qualitative analysis 2nd or 3rd edition (the 3rd also includes a chapter on artistic research!) if you are interested to know more - Holstein and Gubrium's and Denzin's articles tell about this method. Andrew also mentioned performative ethnography and writing (also presented in Denzin and Lincoln, well, it's all there basically if it's qualitative not quantitative), and Maarit referred to her dissertation as a source for these kinds of methods.
On pictures and methods
It was pointed put by someone that in artistic research (and why not other research too), a basic decision is whether you study images or the process of making them.
Maarit reminded us that it is important to remember that we can assemble our own method for our research topic and then face the challenge of arguing for it well.
As a final note, Maarit pointed out that the role of pictures in research is not always only as data but they can also be a method of collecting experiences. Thereby we move from analyzing the pictures to arguing with the pictures.
This was a spot-on thought to end the first part of the seminar, especially as I think Heidi might speak about something along these lines in Helsinki. Catch you there!
Posted by hrantavu at November 15, 2005 06:44 PM