First class at London Met

Simone described the 3 main tools she uses in the MA By Project tuition: Critique, Presentation and Reading.

Critique:  you are open to receiving feedback (although you may hold back responding to it);
you are clear about your intention - your definition, and your inputs to, and your outputs from it;
This is what we do as artists - Architects have a different style to critique - they show and tell and have the attitude "don't piss on my tree", so don't work together so well.

Presentation: comes from the word 'present' i.e. here, and a gift.  Recognise what goes well and badly, but don't apologise for your work.  Consider the word 'understand' - stand under, and 'comprehension' - grip. Material knowledge requires a grip - remember computers can be operated by one finger i.e. without grip, so do not give true understanding.

Reading:  this is not about analysing a piece of script - it is about others vocalising their interpretation of your work/object.  You listen.  You can tape it but don't publish on the web.  You get to understand how the audience reads your object.  Reading is a reality check from the audience.  Dead Poets Society teacher got kids to stand on the table to alter their perspective - reading is a physical and mental standing on the table to change the perspective by 60cm.

Module outcome is to develop the reflective practitioner - alert self to seeing; critically voice what you se - constructive criticism; evaluation - which can be valued by you and OK or OK but not for you.  Enables you to identify whether your work is validated or not.

Mindfulness and intention.  Helps identify how to make sense of the world.  Tim Ingold - Thinking through Making.  Keep all samples and explorations.  Makes sense of what goes well/badly.  Make own notes but make typewritten when included for assessment (Simone is acutely dyslexic).  Clearly identify your new knowledge.  This is an MA!

Methods and Methodology: 

Set rules (either as a corridor leading to one light at the end, or going through various doors along the way).

Map your testing.

Thick description.  Instruction manual leading to repeated research to similar/consistent conclusion.

Write your report.  Identify what, why and the eureka moments.  Identify the new knowledge you have identified.

Reading - where success of intent lies.  i.e. when other people comprehend your intent. If not read correctly, is it artist failure?  Is the audience in the same language?  Hermetic art world - does your discipline fit with a set audience?  Audiences bring meaning.  What was the intent?  Barthes - Death of the author and birth of the reader.  I need to read this.

Deliverables - April 2017 - 3,000 word report.  Mid module progress assessment February. Consider the negative hypothesis.