The Art of Research V: Experience . Materiality. Articulation (Nov 2014, Helsinki Finland)

Dates: 26-27 November 2014
Location: Aalto University, School of Arts, Design and Architecture, Helsinki, Finland
Website: http://designresearch.aalto.fi/events/aor2014/
Deadline for submissions: 31 May 2014

Over the past two decades, a continuous dialogue and fruitful convergence between art and design related practices and research has been explored in the academic institutions. Involved in the contemporary discourse of practice-led research, the Art of Research Conference 2014 brings out the interactive and dynamic relationship between experience, materiality and articulation. How are different fields and media shaping these in novel ways through various methods, tools, and skills? How do research and practices operate from these relationships? Through these questions the main aim of the event is to engage in a shared exploration of bold and visionary thinking across different entangling practices.

The Conference aims at sharing an understanding of the ontological, epistemological and methodological issues of practice-led research, and offers an academic framework for discussing notions of experience, materiality and articulation. To facilitate inquiries on the themes of the Conference, we invite original proposals on various forms of art that significantly contribute to practices and research in art and design. Rather than suggesting that the themes of experience, materiality and articulation are fixed, we encourage broad contextual thinking and perspectives.

– How is experience articulated through artifacts and their making?
– How does awareness of environments, discourses and cultures affect practice?
– How does material agency and affordance affect the making of an artifact?
– What stories lie behind artifacts and how do narratives support creative activities?
– What is the role of the body in research through practice?
– How does an exploratory approach towards creative processes and materials contribute to the production of new knowledge?

Notwithstanding the above, it is appreciated that these questions might stimulate other questions that potential contributors could see as productively challenging or could lead to expanding these concerns. Such responses are most welcome.

The conference is interested in proposals drawing from the full spectrum of practice-led research today. Additionally, we invite papers suitable for the following special strands which link to and highlight the conference themes:

– Embodiment and Reflection in Making Process Chairs: Pirita Seitamaa-Hakkarainen & Henna Lahti
– Performativity and Narrative in Artistic Practice Chairs: Susanna Helke & Sofia Pantouvaki
– Material Experimentation and Personalization Chairs: Nithikul Nimkulrat & Kaert Summatavet

The conference will not be restricted to conventional paper presentations, and each conference session will be designed to facilitate diverse modes of exchange; e.g. between oral presentations and works of art and design. This conference format is expected to encourage and facilitate discussions concerning the relationship between art and design practices and knowledge, in terms of both content and modes of knowledge production and exchange.

We invite full papers (5000 words max.) from doctoral students, post-doctoral researchers and academics, keeping with the following two constraints:

(1) Explorative papers
This type of papers must be submitted together with creative artifacts and must contribute to the understanding of how the visual and the textual are unified in research. Each submission must also include a separate description of the artifacts (80 words max.) and visual material such as photographs or video (digital formats only, up to 10MB in total). The submission should also include an explanation of the equipment required to display this material. Please note that the transportation of the artwork(s) is the author’s responsibility. The exhibition will be curated by the organizers.

(2) Methodological and theoretical papers related to the conference themes.
All contributions will be double-blind peer reviewed. To facilitate the review process, authors are responsible for removing any identifying information from their submissions that might lead a reviewer to discern their identities or affiliations.  The author’s name in self-citations must be replaced with “Author” in in-text citations, reference entries and footnotes.  For the paper template and other practical details, see the conference web site at http://designresearch.aalto.fi/events/aor2014/. For more information, please contact us at: aor2014@aalto.fi.

This is the fifth in the Art of Research event series, the first of which took place in Helsinki 2005, and the second to be hosted by EMPIRICA, a research group based in the Department of Design, School of Arts, Design and Architecture, Aalto University. The event is organized in collaboration with the university’s Department of Film, Television and Scenography, Handling Mind research project and the Finnish Association of Designers (ORNAMO) together with Association of Finnish Sculptors.

KEY DATES
31 January 2014: First call for papers
28 February 2014: Second call for papers
31 March 2014: Third call for papers
31 May 2014: Deadline for full papers
31 August 2014: Review notice and referee feedback
15 September – 20 November 2014: Registration and payment
15 October 2014: Submission for final papers
12 November 2014: Submission for exhibits (with photos & description)
24-25 November 2014: Exhibition Building
26-27 November 2014: Conference