Field Research for artists
Often my international work has a significant element of research into tools and making in the place I am visiting. Because of this, I am very comfortable being in new spaces and other peoples workshops, even when our languages aren’t shared. I’ve experienced 1:1 research and interviews from the standpoint of being the interviewee, as the person researching as I did in Japan, making a documentary with BBC4 about the people I’ve been researching for a particular project and from being present in other peoples workshops whilst they are interviewed. I share these ideas as my best practice, feel free to use, disagree or agree as you see fit. Some of these I’ve had to learn the hard way and some are from being on the other side of the situation.
My top 6 tips for successful artist research
If you are handed something, take notice of the energy around how it is held by the person passing it to you. If it is treasured and gently passed over to you with reverence, then match or exceed that reverence. Just because you might not understand what is important about the object, it doesn’t mean it isn’t. If you are meeting someone with a language you don’t speak, translation often runs behind actions; you might just be about to learn what is so special.
Show that you value their time, I learnt the importance of this from another artist, but it’s proved to be an area I’m a real stickler on. Simply put: be on time and leave when you said you would. If you’ve asked for 2 hrs of someone's time, which they’ve agreed to, then stick to it. Take some time beforehand to work out how long you think it will take to see/learn/listen to what you need to & add in 30mins for tea. Stay if you’re invited, and you want to, but don’t force it by not asking your questions or being unprepared, or worse, being late.
Bring something with you that shows who you are. If you ask someone to open themselves up to you, then do the same first. Explain why you’re there, why are you meeting that person specifically, what is it about them that you’re interested in? If you are an artist, maybe briefly show some work related to why you’re there, bake a cake or bring bread, just make the first move of sharing.
If you can, take a tea break. No matter how old or experienced you are, it’s super weird having someone you don’t know in your space. Having a tea break is the best way to level the situation and get to know each other. It is nicer for everyone to have a chat and feel more comfortable with each other, but it also makes the research better = double win.
If you don’t share a language, a good translator is essential. This is both so you can learn and ask the questions you want and for the other person(s) to feel comfortable. In the worst-case imagine having a stranger in your space, full of your life’s work, whom you can’t communicate with, who then picks up all your things with very little care. My teeth are itching just thinking about it. When I am in someone's workspace, often I’m there to learn about their tools, but the subject is more expansive than picking something up and asking, “what’s this for?” I love to share stories, hear about lives and learn about different points of view. The process should be one of open communication with both parties finding the experience exciting and engaging. I want to know why people make what they make, how they honed their skills, how this mindset translates into their everyday lives, and share anything they might want to know, either about the fantastic people I’ve met in similar situations or me. If the research is in a language I don’t speak; then it’s hard to pick up on the subtleties of character and message conveyed through tone and intonation.
Research any local or national customs about how to act when meeting people. Is there a culture of giving gifts, exchanging business cards, having tea? Are there specific ways of doing these actions to communicate respect? Likewise, are there things you should avoid? Look these things up on the internet and try and ask someone locally too. The internet often has lots of information on conducting formal business meetings but less about 1:1 artist research situations, which often have their own rhythm. Watch what happens around you and take your cues from there also.
