Flexibility of approach in art practice as research: Hints in Omabe Based sculpture installations

Abstract

Art practice as research is gradually gaining acceptance in art academia around the world. Recently, a number of art institutions (universities) in Europe, America, Asia, and Africa, introduced doctorate programme in studio areas, in which art practice is  considered as research. As a new programme however, standard approach and  nomenclatures of research in the art practice are still being nourished. Reflecting on a doctoral research, in which sculpture forms in installation were extracted from the contemporary conceptions of Omabe tradition to enhance practice, this paper  demonstrates that method and approach to research in art practice is flexible. In the research, multiple instruments of participatory observation, interaction, reflection, and conception simulation, were adopted in extracting conceptions of Omabe tradition  visually and refractive gaze approach, was developed and used, in realizing the  conceptual forms in sculpture installation. The installations elicited public discourse on the tradition and a language of practice stood out from them.