Artistic Research as Epistemic Disobedience
Vertiefung künstlerisches wissenschaftliches Forschung, WiSe21-22
Univ. Ass.- Mariel Rodríguez, MA

In her text „Aesthetics of Resistance? Artistic Research as Discipline and Conflict“ Hito Steyerl proposes a genealogy of artistic research which traces its origins in the context of emancipation movements of the 20th century. According to this approach, artistic research practices emerge as a way of visualizing conflict and dissent and as an artistic approach to developing strategies of epistemic disobedience.
The aim of this course is to introduce some of the methodological challenges that artistic research poses by focu- sing on the notion of research from a decolonial perspective. We will reflect on critical responses to the colonial character of the notion of research and problematize subject/object relationships as established in social sciences and specific artistic practices. We will use theoretical texts, and concrete examples from art history and contempo- rary art practices to understand the specificities and varieties of methods in artistic research. After completing the course, students will be able to identify current issues, theoretical approaches and concepts that problematize the notion of research and expand the methodological approaches to it. Participants will be encouraged to experiment with practical approaches to the discussed topics. After completing the course, students will develop a critical and self-reflective approach to their own academic and artistic practices.