Research Catalogue

an international database for artistic research

• 1. Doctoral Research Doctoral research undertaken in the Faculty of Arts, Design and Media at Birmingham City University.
• 1. Art and Design 2020 A selection of research in art and design, submitted to REF 2021.

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  Documenting Non-Sonic Music (2023) author(s): Paul Norman, Andy Ingamells, Michael Wolters published in: Research Catalogue, Birmingham City University: Faculty of Arts, Design and Media
  How to document music with non-sonic elements? Or: How to document all the performative qualities of a piece of music that can’t be heard? Beginning with this question our group of researchers, filmmakers and dramaturgs from Birmingham (UK), Frankfurt (Germany) and Fredrikstad (Norway) met between 2019 and 2021 to develop initial ideas and questions, then test them.
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  We Reap What We Sow, embodiment and urban allotment gardening. Part 1: autumn- late winter, October- January. (2021) author(s): Polly Hudson published in: RUUKKU - Studies in Artistic Research, Birmingham City University: Faculty of Arts, Design and Media
  This research investigates the inquiry: how is embodiment illuminated by a relationship with the land, earth, and plants, specifically in the context of an urban allotment gardening practice? It reveals the act of writing from the body, the relationship between a movement practice and gardening, the ancient ritual of growing and nurturing plants, and notions of gardening as a somatic practice. The research project was carried out over the space of a year, from 2019-2020, and in this exposition the activities and interventions that were carried out during part I of the research are revealed. The work shared here is part of an on-going long-term project instigated in 2017 ‘And so we Sow’ which looks at the relationship between dance and gardening.
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  A–Z Display Units (After Kiesler & Krischanitz) 2015–2020 (2020) author(s): Gavin Wade published in: Research Catalogue, Birmingham City University: Faculty of Arts, Design and Media
  Art is not exhibited. Art Exhibits – Gavin Wade, 2012. Wade’s practise and research challenges the nature and understanding of art’s primary function as an exhibition. His work expands the artist-curator role through his development of new systems of display. These draw on historical precedents creating sculptural mediations between artists, curators, and publics. He proposes transformative artworks as social systems and temporal experiences, always requiring collaboration with others. Drawing from studies of ‘useful art’, ‘artist and engineering’, ‘support structures’ (Condorelli and Wade, 2009) and referencing Artist Placement Group’s concept ‘context is half the work’, his output informs understandings of ‘when artists curate’ (Green, 2018) and the ‘transhistorical museum’ (Demeester, 2018). Wade’s remodelling and extending of a series of ‘Display Units’ use a process of ‘upcycling’, a term Wade uses to describe his method. In 2015 Wade started developing artworks upcycled from the ‘L and T–Type Display Units’ (Frederick Kiesler,1924) and referencing the ‘Vienna Secession Mobile Wall System’ (Adolf Krischanitz,1986). Wade’s synthesizing method is generating a new A–Z alphabet Display Unit system as part of the process of re-imagining curatorial activities as a form of art practice. His Upcycle This Book (2017), nominated for the European Prix Bob Calle du livre d’artiste, presents 26 texts on this work and 12 Display Unit drawings. Wade created Display Units for ‘Display Show’(2015), exhibited in Dublin, Birmingham and Netherlands – funded by ACE/British Council International Artists Development Award. Christopher Williams (USA), Eilis McDonald (IRE) and Leeds Weirdo Club (UK) were collaborating artists. Wade worked with Frans Hals Museum collection to create ‘Z is for ZOO’ (2017) exploring the transhistorical potential of his ‘Z-Type’ and ‘T-Type’ Display Units, artworks purchased by the museum. His writing for ‘Display Show’ provided the provocation for ‘That Art Exhibits’: EARN Conference, Brussels (2016). Wade was the invited keynote speaker.
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  Johannes Brahms: Historically-Informed Recording of the Piano Quartets (2020) author(s): Anthony JOHN THWAITES published in: Research Catalogue, Birmingham City University: Faculty of Arts, Design and Media
  This Exposition presents a Double CD of Johannes Brahms’s Piano Quartets, recorded on period instruments in Vienna by The Primrose Piano Quartet for the Meridian label (CDE84650/1-2, 2019). The recording is presented in fully streamable MP3 format alongside a PDF of the CD booklet proof. Accompanying the recording is an essay which documents the research questions, methodology and processes underpinning the work. Preparation, rehearsal, recording and editing are discussed as a process of interpretative investigation. Historically-Informed Performance Practice with respect to Brahms is a thriving academic discipline within which we have endeavoured to offer the most radically innovative post-war commercial recording of the piano quartets.
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  (no)boundaries: A Study in Free Improvisation (2020) author(s): Andrew Bain published in: Research Catalogue, Birmingham City University: Faculty of Arts, Design and Media
  This practice-led research project investigates the importance of an empathically creative connection between freely improvising musicians in a live context with no pre-conceived ideas and details the development of instantaneous group composition. As such, (no)boundaries had no pre-composed music, there was no rehearsal period for the musicians (myself playing drums), and we had never played together before the first note of performance. In my research to date, the dynamic between pre-learned knowledge (embodied) alongside intelligent transactions during live improvisation (enacted knowledge), has been useful in helping to better understand the process of jazz improvisation. Even if there are pre-conceived elements, how the music is realised each time is unique. Conversely, even if we set out to have no pre-conceived ideas, in reality, we are still intuitively informed by our experiential and musical knowledge in performance. The two seem inextricably linked. (no)boundaries showed that group attunement in performance is possible with no pre-learnt repertoire or rehearsals, in an appropriate setting with the right co-performers. Even though no pre-conceived ideas were intended, (no)boundaries evidenced improvisations guided by similar principles of standard jazz performance, pointing to the existence of a common performance mode.
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  Choreographic Process and Skinner Releasing Technique (2020) author(s): Polly Hudson published in: Research Catalogue, Birmingham City University: Faculty of Arts, Design and Media
  An exploration of Skinner Releasing Technique and its application to choreographic practice. The research offers a paradigm shift in understanding of Skinner Releasing Technique (SRT) from that of a dance technique to one of choreographic methodology. The primary research question was: Can SRT be not only a dance technique, but also a methodology for creating dance? Thematically the work examines notions of self portraits and questions the culture of 'selfies'.
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