Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang
example, my works are most often staged in theFori.e., audience members don’t sit in one‘promenade’and watch a performance on a stage. Instead, theyplacebetween dierent, unconventional performancewalk(kitchens, bathrooms, trees, passageways) andsitesdierent stories through movement. To me,encounternotion of moving the audience is an allegory forthis… . To show the audience, experientially,complexitythey need to ‘work’ to learn about the complexitiesthatconict. That they can’t just sit in a comfortable chairofexpect to be informed … that they need to move, toandto ‘work’, in order to better understand.walk,idea that I work with a lot is ‘fragmentation’.Anotherwho are more accustomed to Realism expect aFolksoverarching narrative in a theatrical work. Youcertainthe introduction, the rising action, the climax, theknow,this section we have explored significantInpersonal and cultural practices that takematerial,in the process of producing art, collectivelyplaceto as “methods”. Before we move on toreferredpairs, small groups, or as a class consider theInquestions.followingTo what extent is it necessary to follow a1.method in order to produce art?certainHow does following or not following the2.of art affect the quality of themethodstools of art—pigments, brushes, but alsoThesets, musical instruments and, recently,stagetechnological tools—participateincreasinglyessential ways in knowledge in the arts.inin arts is a deeply material engagement;Knowingis not just about knowing how to use tools, butithow to work with materials. Artists shapealsobake clay, chisel and polish stones, melt andandmetals, take and develop photographs,mouldpaints and apply them to different surfacesmixaction, and all of that. In my work, I intentionallyfallingapart that linearity—once again because I wonderbreaklinear narratives facilitate a problematic outcome ofifbeing seen as ‘understandable’ … while thesomethingwith conict is that so many parts of it escapetroubleunderstanding.ourI work a lot with duration. Chronicles fromFinally,is a 24-hour long immersive experience whereKashmirand actors live together for a day … .spectatorstoo, helps me unravel complexity in moreDurationways. To bring in narratives from the ‘grayevocativewhile also taking the time to contextualize thosezones’within the larger fabric of the conict that is beingvoiceswith. dealtthe tools of art production more closely,examinesome time to examine this idea of methods,takeWhat kinds of knowledge are involved in3.methods and how does the artistartisticIn which ways does method play a similar4.different role in art as compared tooran embodied experience—arguably to a greateralsothan the other areas of knowledge. Weextentthink of artistic knowledge as requiringmightwhole selves, and especially our bodies—toourkinds of knowledge might be unique toWhatarts as a result of its material and embodiedtheAre there any exceptions—among thenature?art forms—where tools and instrumentsdifferenta lesser role? And how is the knowledgeplayin the arts different from knowledgeproducedusing different tools and methods inproducedother areas of knowledge?theIII. Methods and toolsIII. Methods and toolsNandita Dinesh is a 2002 IB graduate.using the questions that follow.For discussionThe role of methods in artacquire them?science, history or mathematics?artwork?III.3 Tools and instruments in artact, dance, sing or play instruments.in order to produce art. Knowing in the arts is309
III. Methods and toolscan be deeply interesting, as we seePigmentsKassia St Claire’s The Secret Lives of Color.inof us also take for granted that we canManyinto an arts and crafts store to purchasewalkset of oil paints, even though that is aanew innovation.relativelythen there is Vantablack—one of theAndblacks ever made. It absorbs almostblackestlight—99.965% to be precise—so muchallthat some artists have described it assofrom carbon nanotubes, by accidentCreatedthe laboratory of Surrey Nanosystems, aninand space science laboratory,engineeringtook the art world by storm.Vantablackwas not widely available because theIthad to be created under very specificpigmentconditions, using a reactor andlaboratorytrained staff.highlyartists flooded the companyUndeterred,enquiries. Among them was Anishwitha prominent contemporary artist,Kapoor,of Chicago’s Cloud Gate sculpturecreatorknown as “The Bean”), who(popularlypurchased the rights to Vantablackultimatelyhis exclusive use. Surrey Nanosystems,forfrom the technology world, maycomingconceived of patents as a legitimate andhaveresponse to their innovation, andobviousthe company patented the method andsoprotocols for creating the pigment.laboratoryuse of a technologically derivedExclusiveis certainly not unheard of in thematerialworld; indeed, patents protecttechnologyincentives that propel research andthe(R&D) in science, technologydevelopmentindustry. Without patents, the argumentandorganizations would have no pay-off fromis,costly R&D, and so no incentivepursuingSurrey Nanosystems would find out, thisandmarkedly different from the ethos andwastechnologies and material possibilitiesNewa long history of inspiring new art formshavemovements. And that these innovationsandsometimes, or even often, not freely andareshared by their inventors is also notwidelyBut something about Vantablack deeplynew.many artists, perhaps none more so thanupsetSemple who, inspired by this episode,Stuartgo on to democratize pigments. He sawwouldVantablack patent as elitist and immoral,theaccess to an art material that couldlimitingart collectively. But Semple had beenadvancehis own pigments and not sharingmakingand was struck by his own hypocrisy.them,so, he made his pigment, the PinkestAndavailable for purchase by other artistsPink,a very cheap price. This was both an actatsharing as well as a performance, becauseofsale was made on the condition that theeverywas not Anish Kapoor, was not affiliatedbuyerhim in any way, and would not allowwithKapoor access to the pigment.Anishperformance went viral, sharedSemple’scommented upon thousands of times onormedia. Anish Kapoor somehow got hissocialon the pigment and did a performancehandshis own, posting a picture on Instagramofhis middle finger dripping in the PinkestofSo commenced a massive feud. SemplePink.with a few others set out to create analongto Vantablack, spending years inalternativeand collaborating with the make-upR&Dto create Black 3.0, not quite as blackindustryVantablack, but pretty close. It inspiredasartist, Diemut Strebe, who alongsideanotherscientists ultimately created a blackerMITthan Vantablack, a pigment that traps anblack99.995% of light. Until a blackerastonishingcomes around, this one is available toblackartist, including AnishKapoor.any10Case studyPigment feudsexpectations of many artists.disturbing and confronting.This did not go down well with the art world.to pursue it in the first place. But as Kapoor310
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example, my works are most often staged in the
For
i.e., audience members don’t sit in one
‘promenade’
and watch a performance on a stage. Instead, they
place
between dierent, unconventional performance
walk
(kitchens, bathrooms, trees, passageways) and
sites
dierent stories through movement. To me,
encounter
notion of moving the audience is an allegory for
this
… . To show the audience, experientially,
complexity
they need to ‘work’ to learn about the complexities
that
conict. That they can’t just sit in a comfortable chair
of
expect to be informed … that they need to move, to
and
to ‘work’, in order to better understand.
walk,
idea that I work with a lot is ‘fragmentation’.
Another
who are more accustomed to Realism expect a
Folks
overarching narrative in a theatrical work. You
certain
the introduction, the rising action, the climax, the
know,
this section we have explored significant
In
personal and cultural practices that take
material,
in the process of producing art, collectively
place
to as “methods”. Before we move on to
referred
pairs, small groups, or as a class consider the
In
questions.
following
To what extent is it necessary to follow a
1.
method in order to produce art?
certain
How does following or not following the
2.
of art affect the quality of the
methods
tools of art—pigments, brushes, but also
The
sets, musical instruments and, recently,
stage
technological tools—participate
increasingly
essential ways in knowledge in the arts.
in
in arts is a deeply material engagement;
Knowing
is not just about knowing how to use tools, but
it
how to work with materials. Artists shape
also
bake clay, chisel and polish stones, melt and
and
metals, take and develop photographs,
mould
paints and apply them to different surfaces
mix
action, and all of that. In my work, I intentionally
falling
apart that linearity—once again because I wonder
break
linear narratives facilitate a problematic outcome of
if
being seen as ‘understandable’ … while the
something
with conict is that so many parts of it escape
trouble
understanding.
our
I work a lot with duration. Chronicles from
Finally,
is a 24-hour long immersive experience where
Kashmir
and actors live together for a day … .
spectators
too, helps me unravel complexity in more
Duration
ways. To bring in narratives from the ‘gray
evocative
while also taking the time to contextualize those
zones’
within the larger fabric of the conict that is being
voices
with. dealt
the tools of art production more closely,
examine
some time to examine this idea of methods,
take
What kinds of knowledge are involved in
3.
methods and how does the artist
artistic
In which ways does method play a similar
4.
different role in art as compared to
or
an embodied experience—arguably to a greater
also
than the other areas of knowledge. We
extent
think of artistic knowledge as requiring
might
whole selves, and especially our bodies—to
our
kinds of knowledge might be unique to
What
arts as a result of its material and embodied
the
Are there any exceptions—among the
nature?
art forms—where tools and instruments
different
a lesser role? And how is the knowledge
play
in the arts different from knowledge
produced
using different tools and methods in
produced
other areas of knowledge?
the
III. Methods and tools
III. Methods and tools
Nandita Dinesh is a 2002 IB graduate.
using the questions that follow.
For discussion
The role of methods in art
acquire them?
science, history or mathematics?
artwork?
III.3 Tools and instruments in art
act, dance, sing or play instruments.
in order to produce art. Knowing in the arts is
309