I.III Three considerations: defining the ‘art-tool’ method
The role of the art-tool method is to combine the use of art with anthropological research in order to achieve the expression of certain topics that the researcher desires to express in a more complex and possibly complete way. In this sense, the artistic production can be shaped accordingly to the author's style and preferences, while the written text can be articulated through traditional academic or creative writing.
I propose here three considerations, which are at the base of my idea on the use of art in anthropology.
Consideration 1. Even if art cannot be defined, its expressive potential should still be considered in social studies
The proposal for the use of art in anthropology is founded on a unsolvable question, regarding what exactly is art, and how it works to strengthen the expression of feelings and meanings. However, the impossibility of understanding why art can be a more effective tool of expression than words does not have to limit the usefulness of art in both artistic and non-artistic disciplines, such as anthropology given that it still has practical and definable uses.
Consideration 2. Artistic methods can be used as an expressive tool for exploring the inexplicable
The use of art that I focus on here is painting, and this is because I personally find this method the best way for me to communicate what I feel and see better than I can with words. However, any other means of expression can also be a great way for conveying anthropological insights, such as photography and video. When artistic methods are used to improve the potential for expression, I call them ‘art-tool’. If it is not possible to define what art is (as anything can be considered art according to different contexts and from person to person) we can at least agree on what ‘art-tool’ is and how it can be used. The 'art tool' does not have to necessarily be visual as creative written text could also function in the same way. This can be observed within the emerging field of ethno-poetry. In conclusion, each author has to ‘find their voice’, that method of expressing themselves that works well for them.
Consideration 3. The strength of art in social research stems from two main features: expression and interpretation
A question that I tried to answer when I started theorising on the use of art in anthropology is what can art express better than common speech and, consequently, what can social research gain from the use of art? After a few years, I have come to the conclusion that there are not specific academic topics that art itself can express better than words, but rather that art can simply express everything in a different way. I think that overall the point is that the author should be able to use any method of expression at their disposal to convey their insights. Nevertheless, the use of art in social research may still offer some advantages. First of all, due to the capability of art to allow the deep expression of the author, art in its various realisations can offer better expression of those aspects that are difficult to verbalise, such as the author’s feelings and perceptions of the informants’ feelings and experiences. In brief, art could be a great tool of expressing people’s view of the world (and it does not matter if we do not understand how this process works). Finally, when compared to written text, visual expression of insights in anthropology can offer a product that is open to the interpretation of the reader. This occurs due to the virtue of art to communicate in multiple ways, for its feature of being polysemic, and as such being able to communicate various meanings according to different visual signs.
I.IV Conclusions
Artists select scenes from the world, imparting on the vision a context and a limit.They isolate these images from the world, showing them to other eyes and opening new connections.This dimension, observed and presented, is not a whole reality but rather a small portion of the world and an interpretation upon this isolated reality. Pehaps today, besides photography and video, a manual figurative art like painting, which is considered less and less a tool for investigating reality, can be used in such a way as to return our capacity to see. This is not just the mere physical act of seeing, but also an act of comprehension and action, of thought and speculation, of learning and contemplation.
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