‘Lay of the land’: a descriptive look at art practice dissertations 2018–2021

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research is to describe the descriptive and dynamic characteristics of the role that practice currently plays in fine art doctoral dissertations. We examined fine art dissertations published in the ProQuest Global database from 2018 to 2021, guided by the methodological design of a qualitative meta-study. The descriptive and dynamic characteristics of each dissertation were analyzed. The results of the descriptive analysis indicate that the role of practice in art doctoral dissertations is active, particularly in the United Kingdom, and it is used within a variety of art disciplines. The results regarding the dynamic characteristics of practice dissertations underscore the issues of medium, emerging methodologies, and the complexity of assigning practice-type categories to research. In summary, practice-based research within art doctoral research plays a significant role in both its use and contributions to the dynamics of a dissertation. By considering the challenges of increasing the clarity of concepts, understanding the issues associated with word count, the development of taxonomies for focusing research, giving greater attention to writing abstracts, and encouraging increased publication in academic journals, practice dissertations will continue to play an important role in fine art doctoral work.

KEYWORDS:

• Practice-based research
• practice-led research
• qualitative meta-study

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Michael J. Banning

Michael Banning is a studio artist and educator in Minneapolis, MN. He studied at the University of Colorado, Boulder (BFA, 1989), and the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MFA, 2004). Banning’s paintings and drawings of contemporary American landscapes and domestic interiors have been exhibited at numerous solo exhibitions in Chicago, Denver, New York, and Minneapolis. He has been represented by the Groveland Gallery since 1998. In 2019, he presented a solo exhibition at the Edward Hopper Museum in Nyack, NY, entitled Hopper/ Hammershøi. Banning currently teaches in the Fine Art and M.F.A. departments of the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

James H. Banning

Jim Banning is professor emeritus at the School of Education at Colorado State University. After receiving his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Colorado, his career focused on student service administration and the application of environmental psychology to campus and school settings. At Colorado State University, he has taught several graduate-level qualitative research courses with a major focus on meta-study approaches and qualitative data analysis, and has served as a dissertation advisor for many students.