Subtopic Deep Dive

Experiential Knowledge in Artistic Practice
Research Guide

What is Experiential Knowledge in Artistic Practice?

Experiential knowledge in artistic practice refers to tacit, embodied insights gained through hands-on art-making processes, distinct from propositional knowledge.

Researchers articulate this knowledge using phenomenology and practice philosophy to validate non-discursive insights from artistic creation. Key works include Nimkulrat (2012) on craft practice as thinking through materials (121 citations) and Biggs (2004) on experiential components in practice-based research (53 citations). Over 10 papers from 2004-2022 explore documentation and reflection methods, with Coessens et al. (2010) manifesto at 130 citations.

Curated Papers

Key Challenges

Why It Matters

Experiential knowledge challenges positivist epistemologies by validating artists' tacit insights in academic settings (Coessens et al., 2010). Nimkulrat (2012) shows craft practice generating theoretical inquiry through material engagement, impacting design research curricula. Mäkelä and Nimkulrat (2018) demonstrate documentation tools reflecting experiential knowledge, enabling artists to contribute to knowledge economies (43 citations). Biggs and Büchler (2008) provide criteria for practice-based research, influencing creative industry evaluations (63 citations).

Key Research Challenges

Articulating Tacit Knowledge

Tacit insights from art-making resist verbalization, complicating research validation. Biggs (2004) examines experiential learning approaches but notes translation difficulties into discourse (53 citations). Phenomenology aids articulation but lacks standardized methods.

Documentation of Processes

Capturing embodied practice for scrutiny challenges researchers. Nimkulrat (2011) highlights documentation's role in practice-led research, yet gaps persist in reflective tools (51 citations). Mäkelä and Nimkulrat (2018) propose methods but stress ongoing refinement (43 citations).

Criteria for Research Validity

Defining standards for experiential claims versus propositional knowledge remains contested. Biggs and Büchler (2008) outline eight criteria for practice-based research, critiquing circular arguments in case studies (63 citations). Institutional acceptance varies (Coessens et al., 2010).

Essential Papers

The Artistic Turn: A Manifesto

Kathleen Coessens, Darla Crispin, Anne Douglas · 2010 · OpenAIR@RGU (Robert Gordon University) · 130 citations

Despite innovative developments in research in-and-through the arts in the past decade, the emergent field of artistic research remains controversial, and is accepted with varying degrees of enthus...

Hands-on intellect: integrating craft practice into design research

Nithikul Nimkulrat · 2012 · Loughborough University Institutional Repository (Loughborough University) · 121 citations

Over the last two decades, craft practice has played a considerable role in practice-led design research, especially as the subject and the vehicle for theoretical inquiry. This article aims to rev...

Mapping Intermediality in Performance

Sarah Bay‐Cheng, Chiel Kattenbelt, Robin Nelson et al. · 2011 · 82 citations

This volume examines afresh the impact upon acting and performance of digital technologies. It is concerned with how digital culture combines the traditional ‘liveness’ of theatre with media interf...

Design as Research in Landscape Architecture

Steffen Nijhuis, Jeroen de Vries · 2019 · Landscape Journal · 68 citations

Research through design (RTD) is a frequently used concept in the day-to-day practice of education and research in the field of landscape architecture. RTD as a concept usually refers to a research...

Deep Else: A Critical Framework for AI Art

Dejan Grba · 2022 · Digital · 67 citations

From a small community of pioneering artists who experimented with artificial intelligence (AI) in the 1970s, AI art has expanded, gained visibility, and attained socio-cultural relevance since the...

Eight criteria for practice-based research in the creative and cultural industries

Michael Biggs, Daniela Büchler · 2008 · Art Design & Communication in Higher Education · 63 citations

This article addresses two core problems in practice-based research: the identification of fundamental conditions and, therefore, the identification of actual examples. It is critical of the method...

Learning from experience: approaches to the experiential component of practice-based research

Michael Biggs · 2004 · University of Hertfordshire Research Archive (University of Hertfordshire) · 53 citations

translated into Swedish by Fredrik Svensk as ???L??ra av erfarenhet??? Art Monitor 1 (G??teborg University, 2007), 87-100. followed by a critical commentary by Mats Rosengren ???En kommentar till M...

Reading Guide

Foundational Papers

Start with Biggs (2004) for experiential learning approaches (53 citations), then Coessens et al. (2010) manifesto (130 citations) for field overview, and Nimkulrat (2012) on craft integration (121 citations) to ground tacit knowledge.

Recent Advances

Study Mäkelä and Nimkulrat (2018; 43 citations) on documentation reflection, Nijhuis and de Vries (2019; 68 citations) for design parallels, Grba (2022; 67 citations) on AI art extensions.

Core Methods

Phenomenology for embodiment, practice-led documentation (Nimkulrat 2011), eight criteria evaluation (Biggs and Büchler 2008), material thinking via craft (Nimkulrat 2012).

How PapersFlow Helps You Research Experiential Knowledge in Artistic Practice

Discover & Search

Research Agent uses searchPapers and citationGraph to map experiential knowledge literature from Nimkulrat (2012), revealing 121 citations and connections to Biggs (2004). exaSearch uncovers practice philosophy links; findSimilarPapers expands from Coessens et al. (2010) manifesto.

Analyze & Verify

Analysis Agent employs readPaperContent on Nimkulrat (2011) to extract documentation methods, then verifyResponse with CoVe checks claims against Biggs (2004). runPythonAnalysis with pandas quantifies citation networks; GRADE grading scores evidence strength in tacit knowledge articulation.

Synthesize & Write

Synthesis Agent detects gaps in experiential validation post-Biggs and Büchler (2008), flags contradictions in institutional acceptance (Coessens et al., 2010). Writing Agent uses latexEditText, latexSyncCitations for manuscripts, latexCompile for outputs, exportMermaid diagrams practice-research flows.

Use Cases

"Analyze citation trends in experiential knowledge papers using Python."

Research Agent → searchPapers('experiential knowledge artistic practice') → Analysis Agent → runPythonAnalysis(pandas on citation data from Nimkulrat 2012, Biggs 2004) → matplotlib trend plot and CSV export.

"Draft LaTeX section on documentation in practice-led research."

Synthesis Agent → gap detection (Nimkulrat 2011, Mäkelä 2018) → Writing Agent → latexEditText(draft), latexSyncCitations(Biggs 2004), latexCompile → peer-ready PDF with figures.

"Find code repositories linked to artistic research documentation tools."

Research Agent → searchPapers('documentation experiential knowledge') → Code Discovery → paperExtractUrls → paperFindGithubRepo(Nimkulrat works) → githubRepoInspect → analysis scripts for practice reflection.

Automated Workflows

Deep Research workflow conducts systematic review of 50+ papers on experiential knowledge, chaining searchPapers → citationGraph → structured report with GRADE scores from Biggs (2004). DeepScan applies 7-step analysis to Nimkulrat (2012), verifying craft intellect claims via CoVe checkpoints. Theorizer generates theory on tacit-propositional tensions from Coessens et al. (2010) and Mäkelä (2018).

Try Doxa for Experiential Knowledge in Artistic Practice Research

Frequently Asked Questions

What defines experiential knowledge in artistic practice?

It comprises tacit, embodied insights from art-making, contrasting propositional knowledge, as explored in Biggs (2004) on practice-based experiential components (53 citations).

What methods document experiential knowledge?

Documentation serves as a reflective tool, per Nimkulrat (2011; 51 citations) and Mäkelä and Nimkulrat (2018; 43 citations), capturing practitioner-artist processes.

Which are key papers on this subtopic?

Coessens et al. (2010; 130 citations) manifesto, Nimkulrat (2012; 121 citations) on craft intellect, Biggs and Büchler (2008; 63 citations) criteria.

What open problems exist?

Standardizing validity criteria for tacit claims and improving tacit-to-discursive translation, as critiqued in Biggs and Büchler (2008) and Biggs (2004).