From: IN%"[email protected]" "Art Criticism Discussion Forum" 21-FEB-1993
11:42:17.49
To: IN%"HRL@xxxxxxxxxxxx" "Howard Lawrence"
CC:
Subj: RE: thesis
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Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1993 08:47:58 CST
From: Paul Brown <brown@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: thesis
Sender: Art Criticism Discussion Forum <[email protected]>
To: Howard Lawrence <HRL@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-to: Art Criticism Discussion Forum <[email protected]>
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As most readers will know it is not possible study for
a PhD in Art in most countries of the world. (I beleive
that an Australian University has one student enrolled
for this at present as a test case).
I was refused permission to undertake this course of study
by London University back in 1979. The reasons given were
primarily that art was not a suitable academic research
subject (at that time they wouldn't even award a masters
qualification and a Higher Diploma was their terminal qualification
in Fine Art).
I hope that we can change this. It seems to me that art
dialogue and research in the latter half of the 20th
century has established a new credibility. The application
of "quantitive" measures, like semiosis and design grammars,
has helped. A major stumbling block is the lack of acceptance
of "Visual Literacy" as an important component of education
(and life!) for all students and at all levels.
In the context of "theses" I beleive that we owe it to our
"profession" to try any make these as acceptable as possible
to the academic committees that accredit study and awards.
So long as they receive "wooly" personal statements and
opinions that are not backed up by well documented and
rigorous background research they will continue to
maginalize the study and practice of art and devalue the
importance of visual literacy.
There again if you only want to make artifacts that
express emotions or "beauty" I guess it doesn't matter.
Personally I hope that we are leaving that "expressive"
stuff behind and getting into more constructive dialogue.
Paul
brown@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
11:42:17.49
To: IN%"HRL@xxxxxxxxxxxx" "Howard Lawrence"
CC:
Subj: RE: thesis
Return-path: <[email protected]>
Received: from Jnet-DAEMON by ARCH.PSU.EDU (PMDF #12866) id
<01GUZDEGXAW494DP67@xxxxxxxxxxxx>; Sun, 21 Feb 1993 11:42 EDT
Received: From PSUVM(MAILER) by PSUARCH with Jnet id 5349 for HRL@PSUARCH; Sun,
21 Feb 1993 11:42 EST
Received: from PSUVM.BITNET by PSUVM.PSU.EDU (Mailer R2.10 ptf000) with BSMTP
id 6970; Sun, 21 Feb 93 11:37:18 EST
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1993 08:47:58 CST
From: Paul Brown <brown@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: thesis
Sender: Art Criticism Discussion Forum <[email protected]>
To: Howard Lawrence <HRL@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-to: Art Criticism Discussion Forum <[email protected]>
Message-id: <01GUZDEGXAW494DP67@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
X-To: ARTCRIT%YORKVM1.BitNet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
As most readers will know it is not possible study for
a PhD in Art in most countries of the world. (I beleive
that an Australian University has one student enrolled
for this at present as a test case).
I was refused permission to undertake this course of study
by London University back in 1979. The reasons given were
primarily that art was not a suitable academic research
subject (at that time they wouldn't even award a masters
qualification and a Higher Diploma was their terminal qualification
in Fine Art).
I hope that we can change this. It seems to me that art
dialogue and research in the latter half of the 20th
century has established a new credibility. The application
of "quantitive" measures, like semiosis and design grammars,
has helped. A major stumbling block is the lack of acceptance
of "Visual Literacy" as an important component of education
(and life!) for all students and at all levels.
In the context of "theses" I beleive that we owe it to our
"profession" to try any make these as acceptable as possible
to the academic committees that accredit study and awards.
So long as they receive "wooly" personal statements and
opinions that are not backed up by well documented and
rigorous background research they will continue to
maginalize the study and practice of art and devalue the
importance of visual literacy.
There again if you only want to make artifacts that
express emotions or "beauty" I guess it doesn't matter.
Personally I hope that we are leaving that "expressive"
stuff behind and getting into more constructive dialogue.
Paul
brown@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx