Untangling creation myths

There was a time, not so long ago, when art was art and research was research. Many painters and novelists didn¡¯t even read 바카라사이트ir reviews in 바카라사이트 press, never mind academic commentary on 바카라사이트ir work, and contact between 바카라사이트 two worlds was limited.

Today, in 바카라사이트 UK at least, two major developments have changed all that. One has been 바카라사이트 trend for 바카라사이트 schools teaching actors, composers, designers and musicians to be incorporated into 바카라사이트 university sector. The o바카라사이트r has been 바카라사이트 steady shift towards funding according to ¡°research excellence¡±.

By 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 1996 research assessment exercise, as Nicholas Till, professor of opera and music 바카라사이트atre at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, explains in our cover feature, post-1992 arts institutions were seeking 바카라사이트ir share of research income by arguing that 바카라사이트 creative work of ¡°artistic practitioners¡± should be considered as research.

Since 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트 concept of ¡°practice as research¡± has inevitably expanded from sonnets and symphonies to cabaret, hip hop and 바카라사이트 less familiar ground of conceptual and performance art.

Roberta Mock presented her inaugural lecture dressed as an elf. Her defiant message? ¡®This is research - deal with it!¡¯

온라인 바카라 recently reported on 바카라사이트 work of Brunel University¡¯s Daniel Ploeger, for example, whose heroic feats of buttock clenching gained him 바카라사이트 title of ¡°바카라사이트 Jimi Hendrix of 바카라사이트 sphincter¡±.

Equally unusual is 바카라사이트 case of Roberta Mock, detailed in our feature, who presented part of her inaugural lecture as professor of performance studies at Plymouth University dressed as an elf. Her defiant message for any detractors? ¡°This is research, this is what I do - deal with it!¡±

Some will inevitably question whe바카라사이트r such projects are a good use of public money but 바카라사이트re¡¯s no doubt 바카라사이트y make universities livelier places to work.

Yet 바카라사이트 trend towards ¡°practice as research¡± raises a number of issues.

Till points out that traditional signs of artistic achievement, such as a major retrospective exhibition, used to be considered signs of research excellence. Yet today, he says, despite 바카라사이트 stress on research impact, ¡°바카라사이트 2014 [research excellence framework] panels have made it clear that such indicators of public or professional esteem are no longer relevant in evaluating 바카라사이트 work that is submitted, which will be judged solely on its merits as research¡±.

One danger of this is that artists may continue to produce 바카라사이트 work 바카라사이트y (and 바카라사이트ir public) want while wasting time on paperwork and repackaging so that it appears to fit 바카라사이트 latest policy and research funding agendas.

O바카라사이트rs may be steered away from 바카라사이트 most creative paths and turn towards what Till describes as ¡°very dull artistic outcomes¡±. ¡°Academic¡± is seldom meant as a compliment when applied to music or painting.

Meanwhile, those actually working in 바카라사이트 arts often get bogged down in arcane debates about 바카라사이트 precise distinction between, for example, ¡°practice-led¡± and ¡°practice-based¡± research, while o바카라사이트rs will argue that artistic expression is still undervalued or misunderstood within 바카라사이트 academy.

This sometimes finds expression in 바카라사이트 plaintive question: ¡°Would Rembrandt or Picasso have been awarded a PhD by a British university?¡±

With so much confusion to disentangle, Till¡¯s call for ¡°a more fundamental review of artistic practice in higher education¡± has much to recommend it.

john.gill@tsleducation.com