ARTISTIC RESEARCH PHILOSOPHY AND GEORGIA

Abstract

Artistic research studies the creative process that leads to an artwork. The aim of artistic research is to produce knowledge on the basis of research outcomes and thus to contribute to development of various disciplines of culture. The idea of artistic research is quite new and it is no surprise that the field is still unexplored in Georgia. Though, artistic research has its historical background in the academic field of the country. The authors of the present article were given a unique opportunity to actively participate in the formation of a new research form and to contribute to its development at the international level as their fundamental research “Development of Artistic Research Methodology on the Example of Exploration of the Piano of the 21st Century and its Future Perspectives” was supported by Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia. Within the project, they carried out the first research in the field of Georgian academic music which was conceived as purely artistic research. At the same time, having studied and analysed the methodology of artistic researches conducted in different countries worldwide they came to conclusions that form the basis of the philosophy of artistic research. The article presents the essence and philosophy of artistic research formulated by Georgian artistic researchers on the background of historical precedents of art-based research in Georgia. The fact that the researchers were raised in a country with the totalitarian past influenced their view of artistic research as a symbol of freedom of expression. The authors hope the article demonstrates the necessity of developing the artistic research in the fields of art and art education both in Georgia and worldwide.